In Europe, information systems with the generic name CRIS (Current Research Information Systems) have been built for decades. Nowadays, the contents of the CRIS system are being extended to areas of financial resources for research, information about patents and innovations, use of research results, evaluation of research work, etc. The latest trends point towards adding descriptions of research results, links to other (bibliographic) databases, and multimedia databases to the existing databases. Another important aspect of the development of CRIS is its move to the Internet. This contributed to an increased use of the system, and consequently, an increased amount of data, as data providers are more highly motivated to cooperate. In the past, the integration and expansion of CRIS was often made difficult by uncoordinated methodologies. For this reason, in recent times there has been a strong tendency to move towards standardisation. CERIF: a Common European Research Information Format is one of the universally accepted recommendations, which not only defines the structure of data concerning research projects, but includes recommendations related to research organisations, departments and researchers In compliance with the CERIF recommendations, the web application E-CRIS was developed. The Institute of Information Science (IZUM) offered it to all users of COBISS applications free of charge in order to establish a register of researchers and organisations within the national library information systems, included in the COBISS.Net network. The register is essential for the creation of bibliographies for researchers and research organisations.
The following entities are currently presented in E-CRIS.SR:
The databases are interlinked and most data is available in both Serbian and English. It is possible to search by all key fields. E-CRIS.SR is also connected to the COBISS.SR information system, i.e. the bibliographic database COBIB.SR, which enables its users a direct insight into the researchers' bibliographies.
The RESEARCHERS database includes:
In order to protect personal information, data is available only on the researchers who agreed on its publication.
The PROJECTS database contains data on projects carried out by the research organisation:
Initially, data can be collected by university libraries, unless otherwise agreed by the competent ministries. Data entry to E-CRIS.SR is made online. Later, the updating of particular data can be taken over by individual research organisations or researchers themselves.
The ORGANISATIONS database contains information on all research organisations (faculties, institutes, research & development departments) carrying out projects:
The GROUPS database contains basic information on all research groups within the research organisation:
The entry and control of data for E-CRIS can be published online with different privileges by:
Researchers that are already entered in the E-CRIS system can update some of their data by themselves. At least for the first time, it is necessary to login to E-CRIS using Login/Login with e-mail address. To log in, you have to use your personal e-mail address which must be the same as the one entered in the E-CRIS system. The researcher will receive a time-sensitive link to their e-mail address. Once the login is successful, you can set a password which will allow you to login in the future using the researcher code or e-mail and password (Login/Login with password). If there is currently no e-mail address entered in E-CRIS or if the e-mail address is no longer valid, the e-mail address must be entered first. For this purpose, contact the E-CRIS centre. Researchers that are not entered in the E-CRIS system yet but think that they meet the criteria for entry, can enter their basic data in the system by themselves. The procedure starts in the Services/Researcher registration menu. Enter the name, surname and personal e-mail address into the web form. The researcher will then receive a time-sensitive link to their e-mail address. Once the login to E-CRIS is successful, you have to enter your personal data, print it out, sign it and send it to the e-mail address or mailing address of the E-CRIS centre. Once the responsible person at the E-CRIS centre checks the data and establishes if the researcher meets the criteria for being added to the register of performers of research and development activities, and performs any necessary corrections, the data becomes publicly accessible. The E-CRIS centre then informs the researcher by e-mail about the successful registration or rejection if the conditions were not met.
Research organisations that are already entered in the E-CRIS system can appoint a contact person for E-CRIS who will be responsible for the entry of up-to-date information on the organisation in the E-CRIS system. This person must send their name, surname, e-mail address and telephone number to the E-CRIS centre. Once this data is entered into E-CRIS, the contact person of the organisation will be able to login and update the organisation data. Research organisations that are not entered in the E-CRIS system yet but meet the criteria for entry appoint a contact person who will be responsible to the entry of up-to-date information on the organisation in the E-CRIS system. The procedure starts in the Services/Organisation registration menu. Enter the name of the organisation and the contact person’s e-mail address into the form. Once the login to E-CRIS is successful, you have to enter the organisation’s data, print it out, sign it and send it to the e-mail address or mailing address of the E-CRIS centre. Once the responsible person at the E-CRIS centre checks the data and establishes if the organisation meets the criteria for being added to the register of performers of research and development activities, and performs any necessary corrections, the data becomes publicly accessible. The E-CRIS centre then informs the contact person at the organisation by e-mail about the successful registration or rejection if the conditions were not met.
The National E-CRIS centre is in charge of organising and coordinating the acquisition of data in the E-CRIS system, checks the conditions for entry (registration) and performs data quality control of data sent in by research organisations and researchers.