Charting the Course: Policy and Planning for Sustainable Research Software
Welcome to ‘Charting the Course: Policy and Planning for Sustainable Research Software,’ a Sloan Foundation-funded project dedicated to supporting the future of research software through evidence-informed policy work.
This site will help you stay updated with our latest news, research, and community engagement activities.
Project Overview
Funded by the Sloan Foundation, 'Charting the Course: Policy and Planning for Sustainable Research Software' is a project aimed at reshaping the future of research software within the scholarly community through evidence-informed policy work. This initiative gathers and analyzes data about existing practices and policies, then communicates this crucial information to stakeholders. Building on established planning by URSSI, the project strives to understand why research software policy changes succeed or fail, and leverages these insights to devise and refine future policy strategies for enhanced software sustainability and impact.
This policy work focuses on grasping and altering the sociotechnical landscape of research software to foster beneficial outcomes like software sustainability and improved research, rather than targeting changes at the individual or project level.
The project's work is being carried out in an open and transparent manner, with the aim of encouraging wider community engagement. All outcomes will be openly shared, supporting the on-going development of the sustainable software community.
Our Approach
'Charting the Course: Policy and Planning for Sustainable Research Software' is a strategic initiative focused on understanding and transforming the sociotechnical landscape of research software for sustainable outcomes. Our goal is to drive policy changes that foster software sustainability and improved research.
Our policy work aims to grasp the nuances of the research software landscape and enact changes that lead to beneficial outcomes. Through evidence-based strategies, we're striving to improve software sustainability and impact in the research community.
This project is built upon the established planning of the URSSI, furthering its vision for software sustainability and impact.
Research
We’re gathering and analyzing data about existing practices and policies, examining why certain research software policy changes succeed or fail. Our findings will inform future policy strategies for sustainable research software. Check back here for updates and publications related to our findings.
Our project’s targeted outcomes extend beyond traditional academic outputs. We aim to effect tangible policy changes, informed by our research. The objective is to initiate policy shifts that make a real difference to the sustainability and impact of research software. Our approach ensures that we learn from past successes and failures, making our policy work evidence-informed and strategic.
- Research goals: The ultimate aim of our research is to contribute to a more sustainable and impactful future for research software. This goal informs the type of outcomes we aim to achieve and share.
- Findings: We are committed to open and transparent communication of our outcomes. We will openly share all findings, not only in academic circles but also to the wider community. This is integral to our mission of fostering the sustainable software community.