Implementation survey on Data Policies for Times of Crisis (DPTC) facilitated by Open Science

Background infromation

The Data Policies for Times of Crisis (DPTC) facilitated by Open Science is a toolkit developed jointly by UNESCO and the International Science Council’s Committee on Data (ISC CODATA). It provides guidance to support effective, ethical, and coordinated data governance before, during, and after crises, recognising that science and access to reliable data remain essential throughout all phases of crisis management. The Toolkit consists of:

• Factsheet: a concise briefing for leaders and decision-makers. It outlines the mandate, scope, and value of crisis data policies and aligns with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction and the updated UNDRR-ISC Hazard Information Profiles (HIPs).
• Guidance: a structured playbook for policy codesign across preparedness, response, and recovery. It details roles and responsibilities; legal bases and safeguards; interoperability and transparency requirements; ethics and duty of care; and pathways for whole of system adoption across borders.
• Checklist: a practical readiness tool for teams. It supports drills, gap analysis, and quarterly monitoring. Each item can be mapped to Sendai priorities and HIPs fields in platforms, data dictionaries, and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).

Objective of the survey

This survey translates the DPTC Checklist is to assess current practices, capacities, and needs related to data policies for times of crisis, and to better understand how organisations align their data governance, infrastructure, and processes with open science principles in the UNESCO Recommendation on Open Science (2021).

This survey also serves as a maturity assessment and benchmarking exercise, helping to identify strengths, gaps, and opportunities to strengthen data governance, accessibility, collaboration, and preparedness for future crises.

Your input

Your responses will contribute to UNESCO and ISC CODATA’s efforts to improve guidance, support capacity building, and promote responsible and effective data management practices in times of crisis.

Please answer the questions based on your organisation’s current practices and experience. Where applicable, you are encouraged to provide examples or additional information.

Survey content

The survey is structured around eleven key sections reflecting the main components of the Developing Data Policies for Times of Crisis facilitated by Open Science Checklist. It explores:

• How organizations establish clear objectives, roles, and responsibilities for crisis data governance, ensure the availability of adequate resources, and uphold ethical standards and human rights in data management.
• It also examines practices related to data governance protocols, open data collection and accessibility, and the development of resilient data infrastructure.
• Additional sections focus on interdisciplinary and international collaboration, public engagement and communication, mechanisms for documentation, monitoring and evaluation, and long-term preparedness and resilience.

Together, these sections provide a comprehensive overview of how organizations implement open science principles in managing data before, during, and after crises.

This survey will take approximately 10–15 minutes to complete.