Octopus.ac integrates with UK government database
Octopus.ac, the global primary research record, has announced its integration with the Areas of Research Interest (ARI) database. The database is a UKRI-funded platform where government departments post their areas of research interest
By presenting the ARIs as research problems, researchers are empowered to formulate ideas and theories directly linked to government priorities. Researchers can propose investigation plans, bridging the gap between policy and academia.
The integration will facilitate greater collaboration by allowing researchers to share relevant contact details and links to their work with the relevant government departments.
The change will also make it easier for government departments to automatically keep track of academic work relevant to their areas of interest. This proactive approach encourages collaboration between researcher teams and the government, ensuring valuable research reaches decision-makers.
Alex Freeman, founder of Octopus, said: “It’s fantastic to be able to provide this easy way for government departments to publish their research questions, and for researchers from any institution, worldwide, to be able to publish their responses – openly and transparently. I hope it results in a much broader base of research and researchers being involved in policy-making, and easier global sharing of policy-relevant insights.”
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One of the key benefits is that researchers can cite their ARI-linked work on Octopus to get credit for the societal impact of their research. This could help secure potential funding, while providing government departments with fresh ideas and insights as well as a broader range of academic contacts.
Octopus is free for governments, academics and non-academic researchers to read and publish internationally, so work published linked to the ARIs will help share policy-relevant knowledge globally.
The Octopus-ARI database integration ensures that every ARI published on the ARI platform is available as a research problem on Octopus. Each ARI represents specific topics or questions that government departments would like to see more research on. Every week, Octopus will automatically check for new ARIs and updates to existing ones, ensuring that the latest content produced by government is always accessible to researchers on Octopus.
Professor Dame Angela McLean, government chief scientific adviser (GCSA) at the Government Office for Science, said: “Areas of Research Interest questions are designed to help researchers and government organisations identify relevant evidence for policy making and highlight opportunities for collaboration, and this UKRI-funded initiative can help with those aims. The integration of the ARI Database with Octopus.ac represents a new opportunity to connect users with research interests across various government organisations.”
Professor Dame Jessica Corner, executive chair at Research England, said: “This integration offers an excellent way of linking the research community with the research requirements of UK government departments. This can help to build links between academic research and policy, and to support the development of research reflecting key areas of interest for government, and so achieve impact through informing and influencing the direction of policy and public services in the UK.”
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