Research data retention
Researchers are responsible for retaining research data in accordance with the Research Data Management Policy and the University’s retention periods outlined below.
These are the University’s default retention periods, which may be extended through ethics approval processes or contractual agreements with funders or data providers.
Minimum retention periods for research data
| Description | Minimum period | Data classification |
|---|---|---|
| Health data including clinical trial data and routinely collected health data used for research |
10 years when research involves only adult participants Research data involving children must be kept until the participants are 16, plus 10 years |
Sensitive, where the data are subject to full human ethics approval processes (excluding expedited reviews for low-risk applications) Internal, where data are subject to expedited ethics approval for low-risk applications |
| Research data associated with a registered patent | 20 years from filing | Public where the data are included in the published patent. Otherwise, classified as sensitive. |
| Specified ethics committee requirements | Ethics requirements may increase the minimum retention period for research data in certain circumstances, e.g. legal requirements. Ethics requirements may differentiate minimum retention periods and deletion requirements for [personally] identifiable data and for de-identified data, in accordance with the Privacy Act 2020. |
Sensitive, where the data are subject to full human ethics approval processes (excluding expedited reviews for low-risk applications) Internal, where the data are subject to expedited ethics approval for a low-risk application. |
| Community interest, heritage value, long-term preservation | Dependent on particular access agreements and any applicable legislative requirements. | All data classifications |
| All research data not otherwise described | 6 years from completion of the research activity | All data classifications |
Contact
Head of Research Ethics
Email: Dana Wensley
eResearch Engagement Lead
Email: Laura Armstrong