DASSI now accessible for data storage and download
DASSI – Data Archive for Social Sciences in Italy is fully operational and available to the scientific community and citizens: the service for the secure, long-term curation, preservation, and sharing of social research data in Italy.
After developing the infrastructure and support services, the archive is now available to social science researchers to deposit their datasets and to anyone who wishes to freely consult and download the data already made available, in accordance with the principles of Open Science and the European standards defined by the CESSDA network – Consortium of European Social Science Data Archives.
DASSI is the result of a joint effort, begun in 2021, between the National Research Council (CNR-DSU, CNR-IRPPS and CNR-ISTC) and the University of Milan-Bicocca.
In particular, CNR-IRPPS contributes to the documentation and communication working groups.
What does this mean for those who do social research?
Sharing your datasets represents an opportunity for researchers to:
• Increase the visibility of your results: the deposited data are anonymized, distributed in open format, and well documented through metadata and supporting materials so that they can be found, understood and cited correctly.
•Meet European demands on open access , offering secure storage, comprehensive documentation, appropriate licensing, and DOIs for each dataset. It also ensures FAIR-compliant management and long-term preservation, facilitating accountability and responsible data reuse.
•Receive assistance and support during the dataset uploading and sharing process: researchers are assisted in the data deposit process and in assigning the license for use by staff with expertise in the social sciences domain, who can then provide specific guidance to improve data usability.
What does this mean for the community?
DASSI is a strategic resource for the entire community because it provides reliable, documented, and verified social research data, useful for understanding complex phenomena and guiding informed decisions.
For policymakers, DASSI provides direct support for the design and evaluation of public policies: anonymized, standardized, and comparable data enable more accurate analyses and more effective decisions.
For journalism, access to certified datasets means being able to report reality based on solid evidence, countering misinformation and improving the quality of public debate.
For citizens, the availability of open data fosters transparency, participation, and awareness of social issues that affect everyday life—from inequalities to services, from work to well-being.
In this way, DASSI contributes to building a more open, democratic, and quality-oriented information ecosystem. With DASSI, Italian social science datasets enter a structured, secure, and quality-oriented European ecosystem.
A resource designed for social researchers, aimed at the community, and dedicated to growing open research in Italy.
