Towards a definition of a VRE

• • Virtual Research Environment
  • • “A VRE comprises a set of online tools and other network resources and technologies interoperating with each other to support or enhance the processes of a wide range of research practitioners within and across disciplinary and institutional boundaries. A key characteristic of a VRE is that it facilitates collaboration amongst researchers and research teams providing them with more effective means of collaboratively collecting, manipulating and managing data, as well as collaborative knowledge creation.” (JISC)

• Key criteria

• • research process – framework – interoperating components – institutional
  • Do research – access disparate resources – collaborate – location independent – Multi/inter-disciplinary