 Why is metadata important for research? Research generates large volumes of data, such as individual participant data, drug effects and disease outcomes. This research data is invaluable and leads to improvements to patient outcomes and advancing treatment pathways. This data may be sensitive and has to be handled and stored carefully by the data custodian. Alongside the core data that is produced, research also generates metadata. Metadata is information about a data set or resource that describes its characteristics. Imagine all your research data are contained in a box. The metadata is the label that describes what is inside the box. Other researchers can learn a lot about your data from the metadata without seeing the data itself, therefore preserving confidentiality and security. For example, if you have collected information about participant age or gender, the metadata will allow others to know that you've collected this information without revealing the age or gender of the participants. Making metadata available through a catalogue such as Health Data Australia allows other researchers to search the metadata about many health research studies in one place. Researchers can then identify data sets that may be valuable for their research projects and request access to the data via a secure portal. The metadata can be seen by everyone, but the data custodian always maintains control over their data and determines who it is shared with. Using metadata to enable data sharing can extend the life and impact of the original research, reduce research duplication and costs, and improve health outcomes for all Australians. To find out more on how you can share your research data and how we can help, visit our website.