The Data Governance Committee, chaired by the VPAB, is established to define standards, framework, and environment conducive to good data management practices, aiming at promoting proactive, secure, and collaborative uses of data assets in the University community.

The Committee focuses on the following tasks:

1. Define and promote the Data Governance Policy (this Policy) and data management guidelines

2. Identify data domains, appoint data owners, approve Data Management Plans (DMPs) for different data domains, and maintain such information in a Data Inventory

3. Monitor compliance and handle non-compliance

Data owners are accountable for, and thus given administrative control on, specific data assets. Following the Guiding Principles stated at the beginning of this Policy, data owners are responsible for defining the DMP for the specific data assets that they are accountable for.

Data owners are usually senior members of the University community responsible for a significant aspect of academic or business operations. To effectively discharge their responsibilities, data owners often need to identify subject matter experts knowledgeable in the relevant data assets and appoint them to serve as data stewards.

In summary, the data owner is responsible for:

1. defining and promoting DMP applicable to their data domains

2. devising and updating the respective data glossary and data dictionary

3. identifying and appointing data steward(s).

As an expert assistant to the data owner, the data steward is responsible for:

4. identifying and reviewing needs of and requirements from data analysts and data users

5. assisting in defining DMP

6. defining data quality standards applicable to their data domains

7. assisting in the effort to maintain an up-to-date data glossary and data dictionary.

The central IT organization serves as the data custodian responsible for the technical control of data assets, supporting the specific needs of the DMP devised by the data owner and enforcing the University’s Data Governance Policy.

While data is continuously collected, generated, or used during day-to-day operations of the University, the collection of past and present data assets would become even more valuable if the University is able to derive insights from it.

Data analysts are the individuals performing data analysis, either in their full-time capacities or in ad hoc manner. While data analysts need to possess good knowledge of analytical tools, they would not be able to work effectively without a good understanding of the relevant data assets. In line with the Guiding Principles, this Policy emphasizes the need for data owners to make available up to date DMP as well as data glossary and data dictionary such that authorized data analysts can perform analysis effectively and efficiently.

Data analyst needs to familiarize themselves with the DMP of the respective data domain and follow the relevant guidelines and good practices. They should also report misuses, data access problems or data quality issues to the data owner or data steward for timely rectification.

Data users are the end users of data made available by the concerted effort of data owners, data stewards, data custodians, and data analysts. Data users are required to understand and follow this Policy as well as other relevant policies and regulations. Uses of data should always be lawful and justifiable by University’s business needs, as noted in the Guiding Principles of this Policy.