Share and collaborate

Research is often a collaborative effort crossing institutional and international boundaries.

It’s important to consider how working collaboratively will affect how you manage your research data, how you will share data securely and effectively with research partners outside of the University, and to ensure a data sharing agreement between all parties is created and in place.

  • Sharing with collaborators

    The University offers a range of tools which allow you to share research data with collaborators. 

    UofA Box is an online cloud storage and collaboration tool, allowing University of Adelaide staff and students to securely share and collaborate on content from any device, anywhere. 

    Ensure you refer to the University of Adelaide's Information Classification and Protection Guidelines and review the University's Box Acceptable Use Policy before you begin to use UofA Box, as your data classification may restrict who is permitted to have access to it.   

    LabArchives  is a cloud-based electronic research notebook for the storage of research information. All current University of Adelaide staff and students have remote access to LabArchives and there is no limit to the size or number of notebooks users can create and share with collaborators inside and outside the University community. 

    More information about LabArchives and its applications can be found here, as well as support and quick start guides  to store, manage and secure research data. 

    Figshare is the University of Adelaide’s official data and digital repository, where you can preserve and share your research outputs, including figures, datasets, software/code, images, videos, posters and presentations.  It is a platform for publishing the University community's research outputs.  

    When you publish your data or metadata on Figshare, it is assigned a DOI and becomes more discoverable including on Research Data Australia, Google Datasets, and other platforms.   

    Figshare is cloud-based, allowing you to access it anywhere and at any time. 

    All current staff and HDR students can access and publish research data and digital objects on the University of Adelaide's figshare site.  

    More information about Figshare can be found here, as well as support and quick start guides. 

  • Sharing big and/or sensitive data

    FileSender is a powerful and user-friendly file-sharing service designed to simplify the process of exchanging files securely and efficiently over the internet. It can be used to securely transfer data to any research collaborator, regardless of affiliation or location. Up to 1,000 files can be shared at a time with a combined maximum size of 50TB per upload. End-to-end encryption keeps data safe during transfer, while senders have full control over data availability and user access. 

    Find out more about FileSender at https://www.aarnet.edu.au/filesender 

    Globus is a research data management service that streamlines rapid big data transfer requirements of researchers. Using the Globus web app, researchers can quickly and efficiently migrate large datasets off instruments into cloud storage environments, and package up large volume of data up for secure transfers over high-speed networks such as AARNet, Australia’s national research network, to other sites connected to Globus around the world. 

    Find out more about Globus at https://www.aarnet.edu.au/globus  

  • Data sharing agreements

    A data sharing agreement – also known as a data access or data transfer agreement - is an agreement between 2 or more parties which allows one party to access and use another party’s non-physical data. 

    It specifies the conditions under which the data will be shared and provides details about how data may be used, ownership of data and related intellectual property, timeframe for a usage licence, etc., providing clarity and certainty to all parties.  

    For assistance with data sharing agreements, contact the Project Initiation Team in Innovation and Commercialisation Services (ICS). 

    The ARDC’s Data Sharing Agreement Development Guidelines provides helpful advice on what a DSA should include and how it should be developed.