Definition Governance

Lastly, by "governance" we refer to the collective processes, structures, and practices through which research institutions can develop a shared vision and sense of accountability for the sustainable development, deployment, use, sharing, and maintenance of research software. Rather than involving top-down control or enforcement, governance enables, coordinates, and empowers institutions to manage research software responsibly as a critical part of their research outputs. Importantly, governance is not about regulating individual software projects. Instead, it fosters an environment in which research software can flourish through trust, shared ownership, and institutional commitment.