Coordinated Access for Data, Researchers and Environments (CADRE)

The Challenge

The Coordinated Access for Data, Researchers and Environments (CADRE) project is establishing a shared and distributed sensitive data access management platform for the social sciences and related disciplines.

The Response

The CADRE project is developing the integrated infrastructure required to implement the Five Safes Framework in Australian research institutions and collaborating government and private sector agencies. 

This framework is being adapted for use by the Office of the National Data Commissioner, which is developing new legislative and data governance frameworks designed to reduce barriers to access to data held by governments while maintaining public trust that sensitive data is only released and used appropriately. 

A central and critical element of this will be the Five Safes Framework, which will provide a basis for the release of government data. 

The project involves the following elements:

• Shared Conceptual Framework — A shared conceptual framework for efficiently and reliably connecting the elements of the 5 Safes (People, Projects, Data, Settings and Outputs), with agreed identifiers and template accreditation protocols for each element.
• Information Exchange Protocols — Protocols for exchanging identifier and accreditation information between data users, providers and trusted access facilities.
• Access Management Platform — An integrated access management platform for data access requests.
• Pilot Platform Integrations — Pilot integrations of the CADRE platform in four secure access settings: the ERICA secure access environment; the Cloudstor and SWAN systems; the Data CO-OPS environment and the Australian Urban Research Infrastructure Network (AURIN).
• Training and Development — A training and development program for CADRE users to raise awareness of and capacity to use the CADRE platform for future research.

Who Will Benefit

The humanities and social sciences (HASS) research community, research organisations, infrastructure providers and governments will benefit from the project core features:

• Shared Understanding — An agreed method for implementing the Five Safes Framework, so that the requirements for accessing Australia’s sensitive data are clear.
• Research Transformation — An infrastructure that will allow researchers to request the data that they need to answer important questions, so that Australia can truly realise the benefits of increased access to government data.

The Partners

Our partners are:

• Australian Data Archive
• Australian Access Federation
• AURIN
• AARNet
• Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 
• Australian Institute of Family Studies 
• Swinburne University of Technology
• Australian National University
• The University of Queensland
• University of New South Wales
• The University of Melbourne
• Research Graph Foundation.

Target Outcomes

The CADRE platform will enable data owners and users to address the core concerns around governance, creation, management and sharing of sensitive data for research. As a result, Australia’s research sector will have improved access to the data needed to develop solutions to a wide range of public problems.

Key Resources

• Visit the CADRE website
• See the project’s latest presentations and papers
• Watch the Five Safes video
• Watch the What is Sensitive Data? video
• View the online Learning Modules