Data retention and disposal
How long you need to retain research data depends on the nature of the research project and the data you generate.
As a general rule:
- All data should be stored for at least the life of the project.
- Most research data must be retained for a minimum of five years after final publication.
- If data is re-analysed and leads to new publications, the retention period restarts from the most recent publication date.
In some cases, you may be required to retain data permanently or to securely destroy it after a designated retention period.
Note
The correct classification and retention period should be documented in your Research Data Management Plan (RDMP) and in the Research Data Store project record.
Click on the sections below to find the answers to common questions about data retention and disposal.
Who manages the retention and disposal?
If your project uses Deakin’s managed storage systems, such as the Research Data Store (RDS), Deakin will manage the scheduling and secure disposal of digital data once the retention period has passed.
For physical (non-digital) data and primary materials, you can transfer materials to the University Records Repository after your project concludes. The University Records team will then manage retention and disposal in accordance with the correct schedule.
Note
We strongly recommend you use the Research Data Store (RDS) for long term storage and preservation.
How do I know how long to keep my data?
Use the research data retention table below or email the University Records team if you’re unsure.
| Retention classification | Examples of data and datasets | Minimum retention period |
|---|---|---|
| Data of regulatory or community significance |
Data with the following stipulated regulatory or community significance:
|
Permanent |
| Data created from clinical trials | Data from clinical trials | 15 years |
| Data created from research involving minors | Any datasets involving people under the age of 18 | 15 years after participants reach the age of 18* |
| Data not from clinical trials and not involving minors | All research data not in the above classes | 8 years |
*The exact retention period for research involving minors is calculated using the lowest age of any participant identified in the ethics proposal, calculated at time of publication or project closure.
Do I ever need to destroy my data?
You may choose to keep data longer than the required period if it doesn’t conflict with ethical, legal or contractual obligations.
However, you must destroy it if:
- for data collected in human research projects, you committed to doing so in your ethics application or participant consent forms.
- If you plan to retain beyond your initial ethics approval, you must seek participant consent again and request a modification to your ethics protocol.
- you no longer have capacity to store it securely
- there are safety concerns (e.g. biological or chemical data)
- a commercial partner or sponsors requires it under the research agreement/contract.
How should I destroy my data?
Destruction of research data must be authorised by the University’s Information Manager. Refer to the Research Data Management Procedure for the most up-to-date policy.
| Type of data | Recommended destruction process |
|---|---|
| Digital data | Email the University Records team |
| Non-digital, paper based data | Deakin provides a secure shredding service. You should shred all confidential, non-digital, paper-based research data (e.g. questionnaire responses). |
| Non-digital, non-paper based data | Follow discipline-specific data destruction methods if you have non-digital or non-paper based data. For example, installations, sculptures, paintings, Polaroid photographs, non-digital film. |
| Chemical data |
Follow the standard operating procedures for the individual laboratory to destroy chemical data. For more information and advice:
|
| Biological data |
Follow the standard operating procedures for the individual laboratory to destroy biological data. For example, biohazards, chemically treated tissue samples. For more information and advice:
|
| Radioactive data |
Follow the standard operating procedures for the individual laboratory to destroy radioactive data. For more information and advice:
|
Learn more about your obligations:
- Research Data Management procedure
- The Deakin University Research Conduct Policy (Clause 25-28)
- The Australian Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research (2018)