Administrative Data Research Centres 2018

There is great potential for understanding more about our society through better use of data that already exists and by linking different datasets together. Using existing data is not only efficient and cheaper than collecting new data, but it can also provide a powerful means to consider what action is needed to tackle a wide range of social issues, guiding the development, implementation and evaluation of government policies. This can be achieved in a way that ensures that the public have the maximum confidence that their data are being used appropriately and that the safeguards of these data meet the highest international standards. The Administrative Data Research Centre (ARDC) in Northern Ireland (NI) comprises the two universities and NISRA, the local governmental statistics agency. Over the last five years, in collaboration with government bodies and the voluntary and community sectors, the widened access to administrative datasets in Northern Ireland, has enabled us to undertake a range of research projects that have informed government and public services. We have also greatly increased the number of researchers both in academia and government able to manage and analyse these large and complex datasets required to undertake this type of research. While our primary objective for the ADRC over the next 30 months will be to maintain the confidence of the different publics in the use of administrative data for research, our renewed focus will be to build on our work in fostering commitment from Government in NI and throughout the UK to an increased access to and use of administrative data. This will help us maximise the potential of administrative data as a rich resource for evidence-based policy making and evaluation. Our emphasis in this short period will be the rapid delivery of targeted, high impact research-related activities essential to data custodians. To do so, we will extend the use of administrative data that is available and accessible. Importantly, we will continue to strengthen the impact of our research portfolio through more focused knowledge exchange activities. In collaboration with our NISRA partners, we will engage with data custodians ensuring that we take into account their priorities in the policy process cycle and that our research activities in this period are focussed on the timely delivery towards NI Government objectives. We will also undertake a modest portfolio of world-class research projects at both NI and UK level that quickly demonstrates to respective data owners the utility and potential policy impact of using administrative data for research. Within NI, the ADRC and NISRA, will help develop Strategic Impact Programmes (SIP), prioritising the needs of the different Government departments and informing the NI Program for Government (PfG). Each of the SIPs will be accompanied by focused knowledge exchange packages co-designed and delivered by the data custodians. A major objective for the ADRC will be to demonstrate to Whitehall Departments the potential utility of their administrative data. We will therefore continue to develop large multipurpose research datasets under the 'Growing Old' Themed Partnership and undertake a series of research programmes addressing the Areas of Research Interest (ARI) that set out the most important research questions facing the collaborating UK Government Departments. We will also contribute to the development and delivery of the wider pan-UK research agenda arising from the Strategic Hub.