Coupling Public Sector Information and Public-Funded Research Data in Europe: A Vision of an Open Data Ecosystem - Information and Communication Technologies in Public Administration - page 278

Figure 13.1 example of the open Data Barometer visualization tool.

13.2.1.2 Open Data Research Network

The Open Data Research Network* is a collaborative network coordinated by the
Web Foundation † and the International Development Research Centre ‡ to pro-
mote and explore the implementation and impact of open data initiatives across
the world. Like OGP, the Open Data Research Network evaluates national open
data initiatives. Researchers of the ongoing project study “Exploring the emerging
impacts of open data in developing countries,” § for example, conduct regular stud-
ies on the implementation of open data initiatives and strategies and their socio-
economic and environmental impacts in several countries. Along the same lines,
the Open Data Barometer ¶ explores the degree of adoption of open data initiative
in 77 countries, including 17 Member States of the EU (Davies, 2013). The data
visualization tool (Figure 13.1) lets users inspect these data per individual country,
analyze how a country is investing in the development of national open data infra-
structures, and compare different states.
The OGP and the Open Data Research Network play a similar role. Both are
seen as trusted, third-party, supranational entities that can evaluate open data
developments at country levels. Obviously, countries must commit to deliver

* http://www.opendataresearch.org.
† http://www.webfoundation.org.
‡ http://www.idrc.ca.
§ http://www.opendataresearch.org/emergingimpacts.
¶ http://www.opendataresearch.org/barometer.