This document describes the common open access policy to provide access to research infrastructures of Metropolia University of Applied Sciences Ltd.
This common policy includes all research infrastructures with sole ownership of Metropolia. Policies for research infrastructures with joint ownership are agreed upon separately between co-owners. More specific policies for the use of a research infrastructure may be defined separately for each research infrastructure and details are agreed with the user in a separate agreement.
This policy is based on the following universal guidelines: Metropolia is committed to good research practices in accordance with the Research Integrity Guidelines as well as the ethical principles of research with human participants.
Furthermore, certain areas of research have their own specific research ethical guidelines. Following these guidelines is binding for the committed organisations in all research activities, including university– business cooperation.
Metropolia is committed to the principles of Open Science and they are applied in all academic cooperation as well as in university-industry cooperation when applicable.
Definitions
Research Infrastructure
The facilities, equipment, networks, databases, research data and services available in a centralised, decentralised or virtual environment owned by Metropolia which enable research to be carried out at different phases. They also support researcher education and training and develop research and innovation capacity.
Open Access to Research Infrastructure
The practise of providing access to the services provided by the Research Infrastructures. The information about available services can be found on individual Research Infrastructures’ web pages.
Services
Services offered by Metropolia related to Research Infrastructures to users can be 1) knowledge-based resources, 2) scientific equipment, laboratories, sets of instruments, or 3) any other services essential in research and innovation.
Academic Users
Academic Users are research organisations as defined in applicable EU state aid regulations and individuals affiliated with these organisations. For clarification this includes also the employees of Metropolia when using the Research Infrastructure for their academic research that is not directly part of their work tasks at Metropolia.
Users
Users are individuals and organizations other that the Academic Users.
Research Data
Physical, analogue or digital material produced or used in the research. The research question is addressed by analysing the data and the research results are based on the data. The research data contains also metadata.
Metropolia principles
Prerequisites
Metropolia provides a non-discriminatory Open Access for the Users to the Services provided by the Research Infrastructures. However, Metropolia reserves right to:
- prioritise internal use of the Research Infrastructures over use by external Users,
- limit access Research Infrastructure based on export control, sanctions regulations, applicable rules and legislations and comparable reasons,
- limit access to Research Infrastructures due to Metropolia’s existing contract and license agreements or other similar commitments,
- limit access to Research Infrastructure due to Metropolia’s Code of Conduct or the Sustainable Development Goals
If the research involves students, staff, clients or other representatives of Metropolia, a research permit is needed. The research permit is Metropolia’s permission to approach its representatives, and it does not replace the individual’s consent to take part in research.
Research data and results
Each Research Infrastructure has its own data management policy that follows Metropolia’s Research Data Policy, ethical guidelines, laws and other agreements, and defines the principles including but not limited to:
- general data management in research infrastructure, including quality control procedures and processing of sensitive data,
- agreement on intellectual property rights and usage rights,
- opening and sharing data and databases, including recommended open licenses and persistent identifiers (PID),
- supported documentation and metadata practices and tools, and
- storage, backup and access control.
Metropolia does not claim ownership of the data or other intellectual property produced by Users utilizing the Research Infrastructures, when used for carrying out User’s work tasks at Metropolia and/or unless agreed otherwise between Metropolia and the User.
All Users are requested to appropriately acknowledge their use of Research Infrastructure in their published reports, documents, results and datasets. The use of Metropolia’s name and logo for marketing purposes is agreed upon separately.
The authorship of publication (including research datasets) is agreed upon in advance by Metropolia and the Users following good research practices, TENK’s recommendations of authorship for research publications (pdf) and discipline-specific practices.
Pricing policy
Research Infrastructures are available to all approved Users at market prices separately agreed by Metropolia and the User. Academic Users who carry out publicly funded, non-commercial activities may be entitled to at-cost pricing. Pricing information is available through individual infrastructures.
The main principles in pricing are:
- Free of charge for Metropolia students when the use is part of their studies,
- At cost price for Academic Users if Research Data and results are openly published
- With a profit margin for companies and if research data and results are not openly published 4(4)
Profits gained by Metropolia from offering the Services and/or Research Infrastructure will be used for Research Infrastructure maintenance and development.
Non-compliance
In the event the User does not comply with this policy, Metropolia may at its sole discretion interrupt the use of the Research Infrastructure or restrict the use or access to the Research Infrastructure in future and take any other actions as applicable.