Exercise 4: Discovering ORD Platforms

Author
Affiliations

Julien A. Raemy

docuteam SA

University of Bern

Published

February 9, 2026

Modified

February 17, 2026

Discovering Research Data Platforms

NoteInstructions

re3data (Registry of Research Data Repositories) is a global registry of research data repositories from different academic disciplines. It provides detailed information about repository features, standards, and policies. Visit https://www.re3data.org/ to answer the following questions.

  1. Persistent Identifiers: Which cross-institutional repository based in Switzerland provides ARK (Archival Resource Key) identifiers? Find and provide an example ARK from this repository.

  2. Repository Software: How many life sciences repositories built on Invenio RDM are listed on re3data? Name another well-known general-purpose repository that also uses Invenio RDM.

  3. Data Accessibility: Examine Yareta (University of Geneva’s research data repository). What types of data access does it support? Is all data openly accessible, or are there restrictions?

  4. Certification & Trust: Which Swiss research data repository has received the CoreTrustSeal certification? What does this certification indicate about a repository?

  5. Terms of Use and Licences: What licences does the OLOS repository (Open Access Repository of Bern University of Applied Sciences) support for deposited materials?

  6. Repository Policies: Does Yareta have a preservation policy? If so, what does it specify about long-term data retention?

  7. Additional Information: Compare the subject coverage between OLOS and Yareta. Which repository is more discipline-specific, and which is more general-purpose?

  • a) Persistent Identifiers: On re3data, try filtering by country (Switzerland) and by persistent identifier type (ARK). The repository you are looking for is tied to a national-level infrastructure for research data in the humanities and social sciences. Once you find it, browse its collections to locate an example ARK — these typically start with ark:/.
  • b) Repository Software: Use re3data’s filters to narrow down by software (Invenio RDM) and subject (life sciences). For the general-purpose repository, think about the most well-known open-access platform used by researchers worldwide to deposit datasets — it is operated by CERN.
  • c) Data Accessibility: Look at the Yareta entry on re3data and check the “Data access” section. Pay attention to whether the repository distinguishes between metadata access and data file access — not all content may be freely downloadable, even if the metadata is visible.
  • d) Certification & Trust: On re3data, filter Swiss repositories by certification type (CoreTrustSeal). CoreTrustSeal is a community-based certification focusing on sustainable and trustworthy data infrastructure. Think about what guarantees it gives depositors and reusers.
  • e) Terms of Use and Licences: Check the OLOS entry on re3data and look at its licence information. Consider whether it supports Creative Commons licences and if depositors can choose from multiple options.
  • f) Repository Policies: Look at Yareta’s re3data entry for its preservation policy details. Check whether a specific retention period is mentioned and whether it commits to keeping data beyond the end of a research project.
  • g) Additional Information: Compare the “Subject” fields of both OLOS and Yareta on re3data. One is affiliated with a specific university of applied sciences (which may reflect in its subject focus), while the other serves a broader research university context.
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