As part of the constant evolution of the research landscape, the University of Lausanne is committed to the development of a new information system, IRIS, aimed at modernizing and optimizing the management of research-related information within the institution.
The program was launched because of the need to modernize Serval, which is considered critical as the lack of evolution of its editor entails high risks for its proper functioning, thus compromising its ability to support research at UNIL and meet Open Access requirements.
IRIS, based on the DSpace-CRIS software, offers functionalities for coherently integrating the profiles, publications, research calls/projects/funds and various research products of UNIL researchers.
What's in it for you?
The panorama of research information management will undergo a gradual process of transformation over the next few years.
If you are a researcher, administrator or research support staff (both in terms of data entry assistance and research management), you will be affected to a greater or lesser extent. However, production start-up and the arrival of the various modules and functionalities will be gradual from 2024 onwards.
A change management plan has been put in place to prepare for this change and make the necessary resources available to researchers, faculties, management and central services.
Voici quelques exemples de ce que vous pouvez vous attendre ces prochaines années:
- Staggered production start-up to allow Serval (outdated technology) to be decommissioned and new entities to be added
- One-stop shop for managing all research-related information (profile, publications, projects, funding) in one place
- One-stop shop for context-sensitive access to all UNIL research information
- New unique interface different from Serval and Unisciences according to current standards (same interface for all items)
- Integration with Compasciences, a tool for semantically linking knowledge, experts and themes
- Integration with your ORCID profile for one-stop management of your researcher profile
What won't change
- Enhanced visibility for your research-related information
- Central management to cater for the needs of the users
- Local support tailored to your needs
Program roadmap
The first project in the IRIS program, Serval X, involves migrating our institutional repository into IRIS.
But IRIS has a lot to offer! Indeed, it is possible to integrate and contextualize a large number of research-related elements, offering a diverse, global and integrated view of research activities at UNIL.
Subsequently, the IRIS program will explore the Unisciences perimeter, in order to enhance the profiles of our researchers.
Finally, the IRIS program will also address issues of external funding, fund-raising and the collection of metadata for data and other research products.
This version of the IRIS Program roadmap was validated in May 2023. It is reviewed and updated periodically.
A joint development process
Each project team makes the decisions needed to move the various projects forward. This is why there is always a business referent, who ensures that the researchers' needs are reconciled with technical constraints.
This also involves consulting, listening to and integrating the opinions of the faculty representatives who make up the IRIS advisory commission, CCIRIS, which meets every two months to report on the progress of the program, as well as to share their opinions and find compromises regarding the development of IRIS.
CCIRIS members, including one researcher and one research support staff member per faculty, not only help to make strategic decisions, but also act as liaisons and ambassadors within the faculties.
The valuable work of the CCIRIS forms the basis of a consultative process for co-constructing tomorrow's research information management tools.
IRIS program projects
To find out more about the projects that make up the IRIS program, visit the pages below.
Serval X project
Serval X is the first project in the IRIS program. Its aim is to migrate UNIL publications to the new information system.
Researcher profile enrichment project
This project aims to integrate researcher profiles into IRIS. In particular, it is studying the dimensions to be added and their articulation with data from Unisciences.
Research projects, calls and funding project
Ce projet d’étude vise à intégrer dans IRIS les appels à projet, ainsi que les projets et financements de recherche de l’UNIL.