In its guideline, Fulda University welcomes employees publishing their publications via open access. At the same time, it signed the Berlin Statement on Open Access to Academic Knowledge. Its proponents support the idea of open access and actively support the further development of the open access paradigm with the aim of achieving the greatest possible benefit for research and society.

To implement the guideline, the Presidential Board Office recommends that all researchers archive their publications on the open access server"FulDok - Fulda University of Applied Sciences Document Server" of the University and State Library (parallel, embargoed or secondary publication). The SHERPA/RoMEO list shows which publishers allow self-archiving of articles. Irrespective of contractual agreements, authors have the inalienable law of secondary publication in accordance with Section 38 (4) UrhG.

Major funding organisations have been supporting Open Access for some time. Researchers at Fulda University of Applied Sciences are free to choose how they wish to publish.

Further information:

• Open Access Policy of the Fulda University of Applied Sciences
• Berlin Statement on Open Access to Academic Knowledge
• SHERPA/RoMEO publishers Copyright guidelines for self-archiving
• Creative Commons Licence Chooser

The ten principles of the guideline provide an interdisciplinary framework for the contemporary handling of (digital) data in accordance with general academic standards and in the sense of a balance between academic freedom, data protection law, university law, industrial property rights (e.g. blocking periods, patents), ethical issues and the general benefit of unhindered access and free re-use. They are aimed at all researchers at Fulda University of Applied Sciences and are intended to serve as university-wide standards for the handling of research data.

The research centres, research networks, departments and doctoral centres at Fulda University of Applied Sciences are called upon to identify and develop appropriate professional standards for the generation, processing and provision of research data for proper implementation. The methods of subject-specific research data management should be appropriately anchored in the research and teaching of the centres, alliances and departments. Employees, doctoral candidates and students should be instructed in the responsible handling of research data as early as possible. The main aim is to ensure that researchers can fulfil their responsibilities as described in this guideline and comply with the requirements of research funding bodies and other legal entities.

National and international science sponsors are increasingly demanding binding statements from researchers on the handling of research data during project progression. When applying for funding, researchers are regularly asked to explain how they will handle the research data expected at the end of the project. Publishers are also increasingly demanding that data be made available or deposited in certain repositories.

Further information:

• Guidelines for handling research data at Fulda University of Applied Sciences
• Guidelines for Safeguarding Good Academic Practice (Code) of the German Research Foundation (DFG)
• Guidelines on FAIR Data Management in Horizon 2020
• Subject-specific recommendations for handling research data