How to manage data across continents: reflections and resources from our webinar sessions
Moni Choudhury, RESPIRE’s Data Science & Methodology Coordinator, reflects on the learning gained from data management webinars held in collaboration with NIHR Global Health Groups, ASTRA and RECHARGE
In January 2021, RESPIRE co-hosted a webinar series along with the NIHR Global Health Groups, ASTRA and RECHARGE entitled ‘Global health research: Challenges with data management and data sharing across continents'. Moni Choudhury, RESPIRE’s Data Science & Methodology Coordinator, reflects on the event and what learnings were gained.
Research data management (RDM) are integral activities in any research project. Ensuring the integrity and transparency of all data activities can be challenging for researchers in any subjects, especially when you work on research projects across multiple international partner countries. The need for robust systems and supported infrastructures for data management and sharing are important as the scientific world adopts open research data principles. These issues have become prominent in the times of COVID-19.
Research data management across continents
With the NIHR Global Health Groups, ASTRA (based at University of York), and RECHARGE (based at University of Leicester), we aspired to share our collaborative experiences of RDM and data sharing initially with respiratory health researchers working in international projects.
We wanted to explore the barriers and opportunities of RDM when you have multiple international partners. As well as speakers from the lead institutions in the UK, we featured the experiences of researchers in our LMIC partner countries, with presenters from India, Malaysia, Pakistan and Uganda. We had over 150 participants taking part in the webinar over three days, spread geographically from Latin America to South Asia.
Exploring the research data management journey
Our webinar series covered some key steps in the RDM journey, from data management planning through data collection and quality & assurance, to data sharing and data depositing. We aimed to demonstrate that having robust RDM systems in place can enhance the integrity of the research and the transparency of reported results. This, in turn, adds to the data collected and ensures its longevity for future reuse and population health improvements. We acknowledged that funding is needed to support local RDM infrastructures.
We surveyed attendees about their training needs across the RDM journey. There is a demand for training across all areas, but in particular for data management planning, policy and data analysis. There is also a need for more specific funding for training in data management and for a dedicated database manager.
Help the team understand RDM training needs:
Complete the RDM training needs survey
Full results of the survey will be presented at the IPCRG 10th World Conference in May 2021.
We gathered feedback on the webinar series and it was great to see comments in tune with our aims for the audience.
I'm very pleased to have been able to join the sessions as I now feel better informed with regard to planning for data management in my own study.
Webinar resources
We’re pleased to bring together the sessions as a resource for researchers interested in deepening their understanding of research data management in an international context.
Professor John Norrie - RESPIRE - University of Edinburgh
COVID-19 and robust & timely data management and data sharing
- Video: Professor John Norrie - RESPIRE - University of Edinburgh - COVID-19 and robust & timely data management and data sharing
- This session was part of a RESPIRE co-hosted webinar series with the NIHR Global Health Groups, ASTRA and RECHARGE entitled ‘Global health research: Challenges with data management and data sharing across continents.'
Presentation slides
Professor Ravi Mahrotra - ASTRA - Indian Cancer Research Consortium
Global Health Research: Challenges with Data Management and Data Sharing across Continents
- Video: Professor Ravi Mehrotra - ASTRA - India Cancer Research Consortium - Challenges with Data Management and Data Sharing
- This session was part of a RESPIRE co-hosted webinar series with the NIHR Global Health Groups, ASTRA and RECHARGE entitled ‘Global health research: Challenges with data management and data sharing across continents.'
Presentation slides
Moni Choudhury - RESPIRE - University of Edinburgh
Getting started with data management planning, including a video from:
Dr Aimal Rextin - RESPIRE - Allergy and Asthma Institute, Pakistan
Data Management Plan: My Experiences and Tips
- Video: Moni Choudhury and Aimal Rextin - RESPIRE - Getting started with data management planning
- This session was part of a RESPIRE co-hosted webinar series with the NIHR Global Health Groups, ASTRA and RECHARGE entitled ‘Global health research: Challenges with data management and data sharing across continents.'
Rogers Sekibira - RECHARGE - Makerere University Lung Institute, Uganda
CRF and database design: RECHARGE real life example
- Video: Rogers Sekibira - RECHARGE - CRF and Database design: RECHARGE real life example
- This session was part of a RESPIRE co-hosted webinar series with the NIHR Global Health Groups, ASTRA and RECHARGE entitled ‘Global health research: Challenges with data management and data sharing across continents.
Dr Lu Han – ASTRA – University of York
MS ACCESS Database Design, Monitoring and Data Entry in Practice (Using ASTRA Example)
- Video: Dr Lu Han - ASTRA - University of York - MS ACCESS Database Design, Monitoring and Data Entry in Practice (Using ASTRA Example)
- This session was part of a RESPIRE co-hosted webinar series with the NIHR Global Health Groups, ASTRA and RECHARGE entitled ‘Global health research: Challenges with data management and data sharing across continents.'
Presentation slides
Adrian Manise - RECHARGE - University of Leicester
Data quality, cleaning and assurance
- Video: Adrian Manise - RECHARGE - Data quality, cleaning and assurance
- This session was part of a RESPIRE co-hosted webinar series with the NIHR Global Health Groups, ASTRA and RECHARGE entitled ‘Global health research: Challenges with data management and data sharing across continents.
Moni Choudhury - RESPIRE - University of Edinburgh
Data preservation and sharing, including video presentations from:
Dr Hani Salim – RESPIRE – Universiti Putra Malaysia
Dr Dhiraj Agarwal – RESPIRE – KEM Hospital Research Centre, Pune, India
- Video: Moni Choudhury, Dr Hani Salim and Dr Dhiraj Agarwal - RESPIRE - Data preservation and sharing
- This session was part of a RESPIRE co-hosted webinar series with the NIHR Global Health Groups, ASTRA and RECHARGE entitled ‘Global health research: Challenges with data management and data sharing across continents.'
Professor Tathagata Bhattacharjee & Professor Sanjay Juvekar – RESPIRE - KEM Hospital Research Centre, Pune, India
Working across global health data borders: experience from INDEPTH network’s iSHARE initiative
- Video: Professor Tathagata Bhattacharjee and Professor Sanjay Juvekar - Working across global health data borders
- This session was part of a RESPIRE co-hosted webinar series with the NIHR Global Health Groups, ASTRA and RECHARGE entitled ‘Global health research: Challenges with data management and data sharing across continents.'
Dr Mona Kanaan – ASTRA – University of York
Reflections: global health research data management training needs – results from pilot and rollout of updated survey live
- Video: Dr Mona Kanaan - ASTRA - Reflections: global health research data management training needs
- This session was part of a RESPIRE co-hosted webinar series with the NIHR Global Health Groups, ASTRA and RECHARGE entitled ‘Global health research: Challenges with data management and data sharing across continents.'
Presentation slides
If you would like to give any feedback on the recordings, ASTRA, RECHARGE and RESPIRE would love to hear your thoughts.