Health Data Research UK (HDR UK) has launched its first international federated search partnership with the Australian Research Data Commons (ARDC), enabling researchers in the UK and Australia to discover health datasets across both countries through their respective national data catalogues. 

The new integration connects the UK’s national Health Data Research Gateway with Health Data Australia, a national health data catalogue operated by the ARDC. Researchers using either platform can now identify relevant datasets held in the other country, making it easier to find data resources that support international research collaborations and more comprehensive studies.  

Connecting health data discovery across the UK and Australia

For example, a researcher searching for “asthma” in the Health Data Research Gateway will see matching UK datasets and can then select to view the Health Data Australia partner catalogue to discover relevant Australian datasets through the same search. 

Screenshot of the Health Data Research Gateway search results page with the search term "asthma" entered in the search bar. The "Datasets & BioSamples" tab is selected, displaying nine results from partner portals. A filter panel on the left allows users to choose between Health Data Research Gateway and Partner portals as the source. The main results list includes dataset titles, brief descriptions, contributor information, and the Australian Research Data Commons (ARDC) logo. Sorting and save search options appear at the top right.
Australian datasets catalogued in Health Data Australia can be found via the Health Data Research Gateway by selecting “Partner portals” as the source (see the left column).

Researchers using the Australia catalogue can do the same in reverse to discover UK datasets through the same federated search experience. 

Screenshot of the Australian Research Data Commons (ARDC) data portal displaying search results for the keyword "asthma". A left-hand sidebar provides an option to filter results by international partners. The main content area lists multiple health research datasets, each with a title, brief description, keywords, publisher information, and a "View more" link. A search bar and navigation menu are displayed across the top of the page.
Finding UK datasets catalogued in the Health Data Research Gateway (second panel in the left column) via Health Data Australia. Screenshot edited for presentation.

Supporting international health research collaboration

By improving data discoverability across international borders, the partnership has the potential to strengthen research by expanding access to information about larger and more diverse populations. This can help researchers identify datasets that better reflect populations and support studies into major health challenges that extend beyond national boundaries. 

Secure metadata sharing

Importantly, the partnership only enables the sharing of metadata – this is summary information about a particular dataset, which can be administrative, descriptive, structural, and technical, helping researchers decide whether the data itself would be useful for their research project. So, while metadata is now searchable across both national catalogues, data access request processes are managed within each country’s respective national systems. 

No patient data is exchanged between the two countries; the UK’s Health Data Research Gateway and Health Data Australia do not hold or store any health or sensitive data themselves. Where researchers wish to apply to access a dataset, they must follow the governance and application processes established by the relevant data custodian in each country. 

Building a model for future global health data discovery

Neil Postlethwaite, Technical Director at HDR UK, said:  

“This partnership is about much more than improving dataset discoverability. By making it easier for researchers in the UK and Australia to find relevant health datasets, we’re creating new opportunities for international collaboration and helping to answer research questions that benefit from diverse populations and expertise.

 

This integration also provides a model for the future. We’ve developed a technical and operational framework that can be replicated with other trusted metadata catalogues. We see this as an important step towards a more connected global ecosystem for secure health data discovery.”

Dr Adrian Burton, Deputy CEO of the ARDC and Director of the People Research Data Commons, said:  

“Science is universal and global. This federated infrastructure supports and connects the global networks of scientists pushing at the frontiers of knowledge for humanity. HDR UK and the ARDC’s joined up infrastructure reflects the combined efforts to generate the health and medical evidence needed to improve health outcomes for society.”

About ARDC

The Australian Research Data Commons (ARDC) is Australia’s leading facility for research data infrastructure. It facilitates access to research data sets and tools from academia, industry and government for all Australian researchers.

Through its People Research Data Commons, the ARDC is delivering national-scale data infrastructure for health research and research translation. This includes Health Data Australia, a catalogue for health and medical researchers to find and share clinical trials data, with cohort and other data sources to be added soon.

The ARDC is enabled by the Australian Government’s National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy (NCRIS).

About HDR UK

Health Data Research UK (HDR UK) is the national institute for health data science. As a non-profit, HDR UK is connecting academia, government, industry and the public across all four nations of the UK to enable researchers, scientists and healthcare professionals to identify, understand and overcome the great healthcare challenges of our age through data. The Health Data Research Gateway is an online platform providing researchers with a simplified journey to search, discover and request access to health and health-related data and associated sharable resources. The Gateway is developed and maintained by HDR UK.