Abstract

"The FP7 funded project 'Data without Boundaries' (DwB) showed the need for transnational research and gave first hints for needed developments. Main characteristics for future research projects in the Social Sciences (and beyond) are: need for detailed data on individuals (persons, households, institutions), need to link different data sources (sometimes without having them physically in one place), interdisciplinary approaches, new methods of data analysis, and irrelevance of national boundaries. Data used may range from open data to highly confidential data; whereby confidentiality arises from different reasons. In modern research projects data can be confidential because of disclosure risk or/and intellectual property. While new data sources and research methods ask for effective, fl exible and understandable statistical data protection methods; the irrelevance of national boundaries asks for secure and fl exible infrastructures to support research projects and data owners. Virtual Research Environments (VREs) are made for modern infrastructure networks; but at the same time they focus on open and non-confidential data. According to that adjustments to the VRE concept are needed that bring together researchers and data sources from different locations and offer security levels that enable work with open as well as with confidential data. This paper will highlight first steps and concepts towards a secure VRE for Europe." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))