BISHOPS - Belgian Infrastructure for Social Sciences and Humanities (doi:10.34934/DVN/G1ZNSI)
(BISHOPS - Belgian Infrastructure for Social Sciences and Humanities)

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Part 2: Study Description
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Document Description

Citation

Title:

BISHOPS - Belgian Infrastructure for Social Sciences and Humanities

Identification Number:

doi:10.34934/DVN/G1ZNSI

Distributor:

Social Sciences and Digital Humanities Archive – SODHA

Date of Distribution:

2025-11-10

Version:

2

Bibliographic Citation:

Johan Van der Eycken; Rolande Depoortere, 2025, "BISHOPS - Belgian Infrastructure for Social Sciences and Humanities", https://doi.org/10.34934/DVN/G1ZNSI, Social Sciences and Digital Humanities Archive – SODHA, V2

Study Description

Citation

Title:

BISHOPS - Belgian Infrastructure for Social Sciences and Humanities

Subtitle:

Project results of the BISHOPS project

Alternative Title:

BISHOPS - Belgian Infrastructure for Social Sciences and Humanities

Identification Number:

doi:10.34934/DVN/G1ZNSI

Authoring Entity:

Johan Van der Eycken (State Archives of Belgium)

Rolande Depoortere (State Archives of Belgium)

Grant Number:

FSIRI/32/BI1

Distributor:

Social Sciences and Digital Humanities Archive – SODHA

Access Authority:

Admin, Dataverse

Depositor:

Admin, Dataverse

Date of Deposit:

2025-11-10

Holdings Information:

https://doi.org/10.34934/DVN/G1ZNSI

Study Scope

Keywords:

Arts and Humanities, Computer and Information Science, Law, Social Sciences, research data

Abstract:

Fundamental research is crucial for progress and innovation. However, researchers often face financial constraints, making it essential to maximize the use of existing resources and avoid duplicating efforts. One key strategy is to share research data, aligning with the growing movement toward open data—though this also brings challenges, such as the need for quality frameworks and researcher protection (e.g., intellectual property rights). To support this, the BISHOPS project (Belgian Infrastructure for Social Sciences and Humanities Open Science) was launched. It complements the SODA project, which aims to create a data archive that meets the standards of the Consortium of European Social Science Data Archives (CESSDA). The SODHA archive (www.sodha.be) allows social science research data to be preserved and reused. BISHOPS expands this infrastructure to better serve the humanities, ensuring that valuable and hard-to-collect data in these fields are not lost. Major research funders in Belgium—FWO, F.R.S.-FNRS, and BELSPO—support this initiative. For example, recent Brain 2.0 calls require the use of the SODHA/BISHOPS infrastructure. Objectives of the BISHOPS Project: Analyze the needs of future users. Study metadata standards across disciplines. Design an infrastructure tailored to those needs. Provide training and share best practices. Develop a sustainable business model for long-term operation.

Time Period:

2019-2024

Date of Collection:

2019-2024

Country:

Belgium

Geographic Unit(s):

Europe, Norway

Methodology and Processing

Sources Statement

Data Access

Notes:

<a rel="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"><img alt="Creative Commons License" style="border-width:0" src="https://i.creativecommons.org/l/by/4.0/88x31.png" /></a><br />This work is licensed under a <a rel="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License</a> (CC-BY).

Other Study Description Materials

Related Studies

https://orfeo.belnet.be/handle/internal/14603

Other Study-Related Materials

Label:

20191119_BISHOPS_presentation_survey_analyse_vdef.pptx

Text:

This presentation provides an overview of the BISHOPS project (Belgian Infrastructure for Social Sciences and Humanities Open Science) and its connection to the SODHA data infrastructure. It introduces the project objectives, the FAIR‑based data archiving approach, and the integration with national and European research data infrastructures. The slides also summarise the user needs analysis carried out in 2020 among the Belgian Federal Scientific Institutions (FSIs), including key findings on data management practices, metadata use, storage approaches, data reuse behaviour, and legal considerations.

Notes:

application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.presentationml.presentation

Other Study-Related Materials

Label:

20200104_Enquête_Bishops_correctie_vdef.pdf

Text:

This file contains the full bilingual (FR/NL) questionnaire used for the BISHOPS user needs assessment among the Belgian Federal Scientific Institutions (FSIs). The survey collects detailed information on research data management practices within the social sciences and humanities domain. Topics covered include data archiving, metadata standards, documentation habits, data sharing, reuse of existing datasets, software usage, storage infrastructure, and legal and ethical aspects. The questionnaire consists of 68 structured questions, including multiple-choice items, open fields, and conditional follow-ups.

Notes:

application/pdf

Other Study-Related Materials

Label:

20200515_RAP_kruistabellen_SODHA_VPUB.xls

Text:

This spreadsheet contains the cross‑tabulated analysis of the BISHOPS user needs survey, completed by respondents from multiple Belgian Federal Scientific Institutions (FSIs). The file compiles aggregated numerical results for each survey question, organised per institution and category. It provides quantitative insights into research data practices, including archiving behaviour, metadata familiarity, data reuse, storage approaches, software tools, and legal issues.

Notes:

application/vnd.ms-excel

Other Study-Related Materials

Label:

20201013_presentatie_BISHOPS_SODA_KBR_vdef.pptx

Text:

This presentation introduces the BISHOPS project (Belgian Infrastructure for Social Sciences and Humanities Open Science) and outlines the preparatory work leading to the user needs survey among the Belgian Federal Scientific Institutions (FSIs). It provides context on the emerging Belgian and European Open Science landscape, the motivation behind establishing a national data infrastructure for the humanities and social sciences, and the methodological foundations of the survey. The slides also explain the purpose, scope, and thematic structure of the questionnaire distributed to FSIs.

Notes:

application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.presentationml.presentation