What we do
The Open Data Policy Lab works to accelerate the responsible re-use of data by lowering existing barriers and building a center of expertise that will be available to all stakeholders involved in democratizing access to data. The Open Data Policy Lab will achieve these goals through four areas of work.
Using comparative research and analysis, the Lab identifies best practices in the field of open data to inform the development of responsible data initiatives and open data policies.
The Lab develops and curates guidelines, toolkits, frameworks, case studies, and other materials to support more effective data re-use and data-driven decision-making.
The Lab fosters a network of data stewards within the public and private sectors to share knowledge, undertake collaborative work, and spur responsible data sharing.
Through its Open Data Action Labs, the Lab convenes stakeholders from across the globe to rapidly resolve specific policy challenges that limit unlocking data for good, whether these are related to a specific governance tool (such as data sharing agreements) or whether these are geographical in nature (exploring the state of open data policy across the African continent for example).
Why
Governments play a critical role in providing data that is vital to addressing today’s most pressing problems and improving people’s lives. It is essential that governments at all levels work collaboratively to share data across the public and private sectors in a responsible manner.
Similarly, governments at all levels can benefit from functional access to private-sector data to address important public policy challenges. It is essential to create an ecology in which governments can engage with industry to identify data that may be useful in addressing important public policy issues.
Our work seeks to address a variety of barriers currently standing in the way of streamlining access to data across a continuum of openness, including the absence of an enabling and scalable policy and legislative agenda, a lack of internal capacity, and limited access to external expertise and resources.
From the blog
Event
Fourth Wave of Open Data Seminar: Data Commons for the Public Good
How can we build and sustain data commons that balance openness, and trust, while fueling innovation for the public good? Can they ensure...
By Christopher RosselotNew Commons Challenge
Signals of Demand: What the New Commons Challenge Tells Us About the Need and Opportunity of Data Commons
With over 170 applicants spread across six continents and countless sectors, it’s clear that there is an urgent need for resources to develop data commons.
Last week, we closed applications for our New Commons Challenge—an open innovation challenge seeking to foster the use of data...
By Claire Skatrud, Andrew...New Publication
Reimagining Data Governance for AI: Operationalizing Social Licensing for Data Reuse
A new report on how communities can gain a say in how their data is reused in AI systems.
As artificial intelligence systems become more reliant on data from low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), fundamental questions arise...
By Stefaan Verhulst, Adam Zable,...
