Unifying Research Information Management Systems

Our Approach

The path to data-driven research intelligence that transcends silos

Universities’ greatest challenge today around RIMS is not the software—there are many useful vendor and open-source products available. The challenge is pulling together the data from several disparate systems. 

Most universities’ RIMS systems can answer siloed questions that leverage publication data alone. But how many of those RIMS systems can also leverage faculty activity reporting? Grants and awards? Core facilities? Full text from dissertations? Analytics from strategic communications? The most valuable decision making transcends those categories, so your RIMS needs to encompass those disparate sources too.

Unfortunately, bringing this data together is more than just a technology problem. These silos are owned by different departments and organizations within your institution, so this is also a challenge of policies, collaboration, data governance, and politics. 

West Arete specializes in “messy” and unique problems like these. Our approach is not just about technology—our multidisciplinary team takes a holistic and strategic approach to building new paths of collaboration between your universities’ departments and organizations. The common vision is a comprehensive and unified Research Information Management System (RIMS) that provides research intelligence for the next generation of modern research universities.

Schedule a RIMS Strategy Session

West Arete’s RIMS Strategy Sprint is an interactive engagement where we uncover the landscape around your university’s research information, in all its forms. This includes the software, data, policy, governance, and political considerations. In the process we build a shared understanding of the RIMS challenges, potential, and vision for your particular university. This exercise can be a stepping stone for additional engagements with us, or it can be an invaluable standalone engagement for your internal RIMS team.

Contact Us

The Future of RIMS – A Unified, Intelligent Ecosystem

Imagine a RIMS that continually draws from multiple vendor products, creating a single source of truth that encapsulates your institution’s research metadata. Envision this data catering to sophisticated decision-making across your university, while also enhancing each product’s individual value. This is the unified RIMS that we see – it’s the future of research information.

Key Features:

  • Continuous data integration from diverse vendor products.
  • A unified source of truth for all research metadata.
  • The ability to implement sophisticated AI and business intelligence for holistic decision-making.
  • Enhancement of each ancillary system through clean metadata feedback.

Most research universities struggle with siloed data systems, leading to limited insights and disjointed research progress. West Arete’s vision counters this trend, aiming for a seamless and integrative RIMS that empowers comprehensive analysis and decision-making across your university.

Our Unique Approach

Holistic, People-Centric Approach

At West Arete, we recognize that effective RIMS solutions extend beyond mere technology. Our strategy is rooted in a people-centric approach, emphasizing collaboration across various institutional boundaries, policies, and strategic frameworks. This ensures that both systems and people work in harmony from the outset, fostering a cooperative and integrated research environment.

Vendor-Agnostic Integration

Our RIMS solutions are designed to be vendor-neutral, enabling us to seamlessly integrate all ancillary systems within your research infrastructure. This vendor-agnostic approach ensures that your RIMS framework can accommodate and enhance various existing systems, creating a unified and efficient research management ecosystem.

Dual-Benefit Metadata Integration

We believe in delivering mutual value. Our approach not only centralizes metadata for comprehensive research insights but also enriches each ancillary system by feeding refined metadata back. This dual-benefit model enhances the individual capabilities and value of each system, contributing to an overall more powerful and effective research framework.

Proven Technology Architecture

Our experience in this domain is grounded in a proven track record. We have successfully implemented technology architectures adept at managing complex tasks like shuttling, deduplicating, and reconciling metadata. This expertise ensures that your RIMS solution is built on a foundation of reliability and efficiency.

Institutional Ownership and Flexibility

With West Arete, your institution gains an ownership stake in all software and intellectual property. This approach ensures that you are not tied to our services indefinitely, providing your university with the flexibility and autonomy to adapt and evolve your RIMS solution as needed.

Financially Advantageous Asset Capitalization

Recognizing the financial implications of such investments, our shared ownership model allows the capitalization of this asset over several years. This approach eases the financial burden, offering a more favorable financial perspective that aligns with long-term strategic planning, something your CFO will find particularly appealing.

Commitment to Positive Change and Impact

As a certified B Corp and benefit corporation, West Arete is committed to driving positive change and societal impact through our software solutions. We believe that advanced RIMS systems are pivotal in fostering more sustainable universities and enhancing societal benefits through improved research capabilities.

The first step is scheduling a
RIMS Strategy Session

Partner with us in redefining the future of research data management, optimizing your research ecosystem. Embark on a journey to redefine your research landscape. We invite you to schedule a RIMS Strategy Session with our team and discover how our customized solutions can enhance your research capabilities, empower decision-making, and lead to groundbreaking innovations.
Let’s shape the future of research together.

Let’s Connect

Interested in elevating the way that the information at your institution can serve your people and your mission? Contact us to explore how West Arete’s solutions can help.

Contact Us