Research Development Workshop: Better data. Better research. Better policy

This is an in-person workshop delivered by the University of the West of England, ADR UK and ONS, to present the research potential of administrative datasets. It will stimulate ideas for research using administrative data to improve the evidence base for policymaking. The workshop will begin with presentations, followed by more detailed case studies and facilitated discussions in the afternoon. 

Register for the event

There is no fee for attending. Registration is required to allow planning for catering, registering with security and in case of over-subscription. The event will be limited to a maximum of 50 participants. Delegates will receive confirmation of their place at least seven days in advance of the event. If oversubscribed, delegates who were unable to attend will be sent a summary report and invited to any future events. 

This event is free and open to everyone, but limited to 50 participants. Closing date and time for registration is 16:00 on 14 May. 

Workshop aims

The aims of the workshop are to: 

• bring academics and policymakers together to raise awareness of ADR UK datasets  

• inform academic and government researchers about how they can access these datasets 

• identify what funding schemes are available to support research using these datasets 

• give delegates the chance to connect with others to jointly explore research ideas that can be addressed using new ADR UK datasets. 

Through a combination of presentations and facilitated discussions, the objectives are to stimulate ideas for research, support individuals and research collaborators to bid for funding to further their research agenda, and ultimately improve the evidence base needed for better policy. 

Who should attend?

We expect the workshop to be attended by researchers (from academia, government, and the nonprofit and private sectors) and policymakers (including national and regional government analysts in policy areas). Specifically, this workshop will be of interest to: 

• Researchers who have (or would like to develop) an interest in empirical microdata research, which uses unit level observations (e.g. individual, organisation) 

• Researchers looking to explore new research areas 

• Policymakers with specific questions not currently (or obviously) addressed by existing research 

• Policy analysts wishing to explore the potential for collaborations in their areas of research interest. 

We strongly encourage participation by early-career researchers and PhD students. 

Activities

In the morning session, the workshop will take the form of presentations and Q&As, followed by more detailed case studies and interactive workshops in the afternoon. The workshops will be facilitated by thematic experts with experience of using the datasets. 

Agenda

Location	University of West of England, Frenchay Campus, Bristol Business School (X-Block)
Date	21 May 2024
Arrival	10.00 – 10.30: Registration and morning refreshments
Morning session	10.30 - 10.40: Opening remarks  Professor Yvonne Beach: Pro-Vice Chancellor and Head of the College of Business and Law, UWE Bristol  10.40 – 11.10: ADR UK flagship datasets  Emily Oliver and Elizabeth Pattinson: Research and Capacity Building, ADR UK  11.10 – 11.30: Accessing and working with microdata  Alice McTiernan, Phil Yule and Liam Jones: Office for National Statistics  11.30 – 11.45: Research funding for ADR UK datasets  Alex Beer: Head of Grants Operations and Portfolio Development, Nuffield Foundation  11.45 – 12.00: Panel Q&A
Lunch	12.00 – 12.40
Afternoon session (1)	Research case studies using ADR UK flagship datasets  12.40 -13.00: The value of green jobs  Damian Whittard: Associate Professor, UWE Bristol  13.00 - 13.20: Domestic abuse proceedings in family courts  Dr Ludivine Garside: Senior Research Associate, University of Bristol  13.20 - 13.40: Teacher predicted vs. achieved grades for university admission   Professor George Leckie: University of Bristol  13.40 – 14.00: Low pay and labour mobility Professor Felix Ritchie: UWE Bristol  14.00 – 14.15: Panel Q&A
Coffee break	14:15 – 14:30
Afternoon session (2)	14:30 -15:30: Interactive workshop: Bringing academics, policymakers, and analysts together to explore ideas for new research projects using ADR UK flagship datasets
	15:30 – 16:00: Closing remarks and refreshments

For further information, please contact damian2.whittard@uwe.ac.uk.