Following an open call for applications in October 2024, DARE UK has awarded £345,000 in fresh funding from UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) to six community groups to deliver activities aligned with the DARE UK programme.
This new funding round builds on the achievements of the 2024 pilot funding round, which saw four community groups—three interest groups and one working group—successfully deliver activities and outputs over a five-month period. These initiatives laid the groundwork for a stronger, more collaborative sensitive data research ecosystem in the UK.
This latest funding cycle continues this momentum by facilitating community-led efforts and input into critical DARE UK focus areas and initiatives, such as supporting community input into the DARE UK Transformational Programme, developing TRE capabilities, streamlining information governance and data access, as well as public involvement and engagement.
After an independent panel review of funding applications, including a member of the public, a decision was made on which group proposals were eligible for funding and endorsement.
Funded community groups
The funded groups comprise four interest groups—three new and one existing—and two newly established working groups. Additionally, DARE UK endorsed two interest groups that did not seek funding but will contribute vital insights into international perspectives on sensitive data research and support the growth of the TRE community in the UK.
Funded and endorsed community interest groups
- Statistical Disclosure Control – Reducing Barriers to Outputs from TREs (SDC-REBOOT)
- An existing interest group awarded £50,883 to continue convening the statistical disclosure control community, including developers of (semi)-automated tools like SACRO and DataSHIELD, to enhance the safeguarding of research outputs and reduce disclosure risks.
- UK TRE Community – Information Governance
- A new interest group awarded £48,000 to bring together Information Governance (IG) professionals across the TRE landscape to address barriers and develop solutions for more consistent and streamlined governance practices.
- Best Practice for Research Imaging (BESTIES)
- A new interest group awarded £59,778 to identify barriers to using imaging data in TREs and propose strategies to overcome them, advancing TRE capabilities in handling unstructured data.
- SATRE: Standardised Architecture for Trusted Research Environments
- A new interest group awarded £52,376 to engage the broader data research community, gathering feedback to shape future versions of the SATRE specification to ensure it aligns with stakeholder needs.
- International Secure Data Facility Professionals Network (ISDFPN)
- An existing group endorsed as a DARE UK community interest group to explore international perspectives on research using sensitive data. Managed in the UK, this network was set up in 2022, and currently has over 30 individual members, from over 20 organisations across 9 countries. ISDFPN is jointly chaired by the UK Data Service and GESIS in Germany.
- Secure Data Access Professionals (SDAP) Network
- An existing group endorsed as a DARE UK community interest group to support the growth and evolution of the TRE community in the UK. This long-standing group led by the UK Data Service was established in 2011 and has grown significantly alongside a number of TREs.
Funded community working groups
- Synthetic Data Working Group
- A new working group awarded £59,491 to explore privacy-preserving techniques to generate and develop governance frameworks for high-fidelity synthetic data, enabling faster and more streamlined data access.
- PEDRI PIE Standards Evaluation and Adoption Working Group
- A new working group awarded £74,156 to develop a standardised evaluation tool to assess approaches to demonstrating trustworthiness in line with the Public Engagement in Data Research Initiative (PEDRI) Good Practice Standards (GPS) and promoting their adoption.
This funding round represents a significant step in advancing a community-led approach to sensitive data research. By empowering community groups to tackle pressing challenges, DARE UK is reaffirming its commitment to fostering collaboration, innovation, and trust in the UK’s data research ecosystem.
DARE UK Deputy Director Fergus McDonald said, “We are thrilled to support these dynamic groups in tackling some of the most pressing challenges in sensitive data research. Their innovative ideas and collaborative spirit embody what DARE UK stands for—fostering trust, driving innovation, and building a stronger, more inclusive UK data research ecosystem. Together, these groups will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of sensitive data research, ensuring it remains secure, impactful, and beneficial for all.”
Join our webinar on 24 February 2025 to explore the DARE UK community groups initiative and discuss the plans and achievements of new and existing DARE UK community groups. Book your place now.
For more information about DARE UK community groups and their activities/outputs, visit the DARE UK Community Groups page or contact us at communities@dareuk.org.uk.
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