ADR Northern Ireland

Administrative Data Research Northern Ireland (ADR NI) is a partnership between the Administrative Data Research Centre Northern Ireland (ADRC NI) and the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA). The partnership is supported by the Health and Social Care Research and Development (HSC R&D) Unit.

The partners

The Administrative Data Research Centre Northern Ireland (ADRC NI) is a partnership between research specialists at Queen's University Belfast and Ulster University. ADRC NI brings extensive knowledge and experience in developing innovative research for public benefit, analysing complex data sets and independent public engagement.

They partner with NISRA, who are experts in statistics and research with a proven track record in curating, linking, and managing large-scale data sets. They employ world-class technological and methodological innovation to facilitate researchers access to data sets, ultimately transforming research and informing policymaking.

The main focus of the ADR NI partnership is to provide quality evidence for policymakers by acquiring and conducting research in safe settings using public data. The researchers, from both academia and the government, are working on important issues in Northern Ireland society, such as the well-being of children in care, access to mental health and social care services, educational achievements, and the needs of an ageing population.

 


The Strategy

ADR NI’s Strategy 2022 – 2026 focuses on delivering high quality and impactful evidence that supports policy and practice in Northern Ireland, and more widely, across the UK.

Visit the ADR NI Strategy

How is it funded?

ADR NI is funded directly by the Economic & Social Research Council (ESRC) with a dedicated portion of the total investment in ADR UK, currently until March 2026. To find out more about how ADR UK is funded, see About Us. Further details of the grants awarded to NISRA and Queen's University Belfast can be seen on UK Research & Innovation (UKRI)’s Gateway to Research platform.

ADR NI flagship datasets

Information on flagship datasets currently available for research through ADR NI can be found below.

Explore the datasets available

ADR NI partners