Make public data more accessible to researchers, ministry told

A report commissioned by the Dutch ministry of education, culture and science has called for the appointment of a national chief public data officer.

The report, produced by the KNAW academy of sciences, says that the role of the officer would be to help make public data more accessible and useful for scientists.

Government organisations have a wealth of data at their disposal, for example on people, companies, traffic and emissions, the KNAW said. The more accessible these data are to researchers, the more knowledge they can provide for science and for the government. If the government can access reliable scientific analyses, it can also pursue more effective policy, the report said.