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Background
The ICSU World Data System (WDS) came officially to existence through a decision of the 29th General
Assembly of the International Council for Science (ICSU) in October 2008 guided by the following strategic vision:
"...WDS will support ICSU’s mission and objectives, ensuring the long-term stewardship and provision of quality-assessed data and data services to the international science community and other stakeholders."
The new WDS replace the World Data Centre system. The WDS is committed to advance the universal and equitable access to scientific data and information and to encourage multidisciplinary science.
The WDS concept aims at a transition from existing stand-alone WDCs and individual services to a common globally interoperable distributed data system, that incorporates emerging technologies and new scientific data activities.The new system will build on the potential offered by advanced interconnections between data management components for disciplinary and multidisciplinary scientific data applications. Applications for the new WDS are already being investigated, including the WDC online portal which is being considered as a proof of concept for an element of the new system.
WDS Data Policy
- There will be full and open exchange of data, metadata and products shared within WDS, recognizing relevant international instruments and national policies and legislation;
- All shared data, metadata and products will be made available with minimum time delay and at minimum cost;
- All shared data, metadata and products being free of charge or no more than cost of reproduction will be encouraged for research and education.
Membership of WDS
The WDS Scientific Committee has adopted criteria for membership and certification for a WDS which will provide for the evaluation and accreditation of WDS candidates as well as for periodic assessment of the WDS facilities and the overall performance of the system.
WDS membership classes are:.
- Regular members: nodes that deal directly with data curation and data analysis services. Former WDC, FAGS, National data centers, University data centers, etc would fall in this category.
- Network members: represent groups of regular members. Serve as coordinating agents across regular nodes that have common characteristics and mostly common disciplines (e.g. IODE).
- Partner members: members who do not deal directly with the nuts-and-bolts of data collection, curation, and distribution, but who contribute funding or other support to regular nodes. (e.g. IUGG who supports services -- former FAGS, agencies or commercial members if they provide financial support).
- Associate members: members who are interested in the endeavor, and participate in the discussion, but do not contribute direct funding or other material support (ICSU National Members, Academies, and some commercial entities, could be in thiscategory)
The IODE has been accepted as a Network member of WDS.
Subsections of this Article
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Information about this article
Short title: World Data System
Description: The WDS is committed to advance the universal and equitable access to scientific data and information. WDS replaces the World Data Centre system
Expertise level: beginner
Author: Greg Reed
Approval status: approved
Approved by: Greg Reed
Last change: 2012-2-2
Subsection of: Data Centers
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