Project completion

Handling data correctly at the end of your project is crucial.

You must ensure that it is not possible to identify individuals in any publications. Especial care must be taken if your project involved a small study population.

You must determine whether personal data will be anonymized, deleted or archived and which, if any, data can be shared.

Finally, Sikt must be notified when processing of personal data is complete, that is, when you have deleted or anonymized your data.

Anonymize, delete or archive personal data

At the end of your project, personal data must be deleted, anonymized, or archived as described in the Sikt notification form and information letter to participants.

If you intend to delete all data related to the project, remember that all copies must be deleted as well. Confirm that all project members delete any copies as well.

Many researchers choose to anonymize their project data so that they can continue to work with it after the project ends. “Data is anonymous if it is no longer possible, with the tools that can reasonably be expected to be used, to identify individuals in a data set...When personal data are anonymized, they are no longer deemed to constitute personal data. The processing of such data therefore falls outside the scope of the Data Processing Act.” (Datatilsynet) Anonymizing data and avoiding the risk of reidentification can be challenging. The Data Protection Authority has created a guide to help those attempting to anonymize personal data. Once data is anonymized, remember to send a project completion notification to Sikt to confirm that you are no longer handling personal data.

If personal data will be archived after the end of the project, information must be given to the participants, in the notification form to Sikt, and, if applicable, in the application to REK. The project leader must explain the purpose of further storage, which societal interests can be safeguarded, and any disadvantages for the participants. The data must be stored in accordance with VID’s guidelines. Assessment from Sikt or REK will normally specify how long data can be saved.

Sharing data

According to VID Guidelines, research data should be shared, unless there are legal, ethical or security reasons for not doing so (section 2.2). VID supports the FAIR principles, that data should be Findable, Accessible, Interoperable and Reusable. Properly sharing research data can help increase the value, validity, and visibility of your research. The goal is that research data be "as open as possible, as secure as necessary".