SafePod Network

ADR UK is transforming the way researchers can securely access the UK’s wealth of public sector data for research.

The SafePod Network is a major innovation that provides a network of standardised safe settings (known as SafePods and SafePoints) across the UK to improve secure access to data for research that benefits the public.

The SafePod Network has been created to:

Develop, provide and maintain standardised safe setting facilities for secure access to administrative and sensitive data for public benefit research
Significantly improve the quantity and diversity of public benefit research by providing researchers with equitable and local secure access to data across the UK
Improve and widen the sharing of data held by data centres across the UK for public good research.

The establishment of the SafePod Network overcomes the geographical, time and cost barriers that may have previously existed for researchers accessing data securely. The SafePod Network will also provide data centres with a flexible and low-cost solution to securely share and widen access to their data for public benefit research.

The major benefits of SafePod Network services are:

Security controls ready – Meets the strict requirements of data centres for secure data access.
Improved research opportunities – Enables researchers to apply for and access data directly from their organisation.
Multi-access data platform – Provides researchers with access to data from different data centres.
Simplicity – A simple plug in safe setting for secure data access.
Scale and speed – Quick installation at any approved research organisation.
Collaborative research – SafePoint supports up to four researchers working together.
Widens data access – A secure and flexible way for data centres to share data for research.
Future-proofed – Designed to support various hardware and connection solutions.
Flexibility – Can be used for an organisation’s own confidential research projects (subject to approval).

What services are available?

SafePod

A SafePod is a small, prefabricated safe setting which provides the necessary security and controls to enable a researcher to access and work on data that requires secure access. A SafePod includes:

Door access control system
Separate secure storage for IT hardware
CCTV system
Automatic monitor protection
Height adjustable desk
Air ventilation system
Adjustable lighting
Emergency and fire alarms
Locker storage for researcher possessions

The SafePod has been designed with accessibility in mind, including wheelchair access.

SafePods are primarily based at universities across the UK, and will be available to approved researchers to book and use. There are 24 SafePods in the network based primarily at universities across the UK. The locations of SafePods can be seen on the map below.

SafePoint

SafePoint is a new development from the SafePod Network to provide a low cost, scalable and standardised safe setting to organisations that require secure access to data for research. SafePoint includes similar security controls to a SafePod.

For more information on SafePoint, including funding and application procedures, visit the SafePod Network website.

Data centres joining the SafePod Network

A wealth of government administrative datasets, as well as study and survey datasets are available for secure access from SafePod Network services. This includes datasets from:

Other data centres are expected to join the network to provide access to their datasets over time.

How do you access datasets from SafePod Network services?

SafePod Network services can support both remote and local access to data, dependent on requirements and conditions from data centres that are part of the SafePod Network. Researchers must have their projects approved by a data centre before they can access their project data from SafePod Network services.

SafePod Network services are managed by the SafePod Network under their security policies and controls, and a team of coordinators based at each organisation manages their SafePod Network service's day-to-day operation. Each data centre sets the conditions for a researcher to access and use a SafePod Network service for the datasets they hold.

SafePod Network services are booked through the SafePod Network website, and priority of access, where needed, will be given for research that is considered critical to society and the economy.

The SafePod Network is funded by the Economic and Social Research Council and run by the Scottish Centre for Administrative Data Research as part of the ADR UK programme.

SafePod locations

An interactive map of data access points can be found on our annual reports website.

England

Durham University
Lancaster University
London School of Economics and Political Science
Northumbria University
The National Archives
University of Bath
University of Bristol
University of Cambridge
University of Central Lancashire
University of Exeter
University of Leicester
University of Liverpool
University of Manchester
University of Nottingham
University of Oxford
University of Sheffield
University of Warwick
University of York

Northern Ireland

Ulster University

Scotland

Glasgow Caledonian University
University of Aberdeen
University of Dundee
University of the Highlands and Islands

You can find out more about each SafePod by visiting the SafePod Network website.

Further information

For further information about the SafePod Network, please visit their website. If your institution is interested in hosting a SafePoint, please call 01334 463901 or email safepodnetwork@st-andrews.ac.uk.

SafePods and SafePoints are registered trademarks of the University of St Andrews.

Apply to use or host a SafePoint

Booking a SafePod or SafePoint

If you are a researcher who would like to use a SafePod Network service please visit the SafePod Network website for more information.

Hosting a SafePoint

If your organisation is interested in hosting a SafePoint please call 01334 463901 or email safepodnetwork@st-andrews.ac.uk.

What would you like to look for?