Department for Education publishes new areas of research interest for 2025

The 2025 Department for Education (DfE) Areas of Research Interest (ARI) document has been published.

The Department for Education (DfE) has lead responsibility for the Government’s Opportunity Mission, which aims to break the link between a child’s background and future success.

The Areas of Research Interest (ARI) document sets out departmental research priorities, now framed within the context of the Opportunity Mission, also making reference to their interests in relation to the Growth, Health, Safer Streets and Clean Energy Missions.

DfE have outlined that the document is not an exhaustive list. The ambition is to ensure that their work continues to be informed by the best available evidence to contribute to their priority strategy, policy and delivery decisions.

Researchers and others encouraged to share the new areas of research interest with networks

DfE is keen to encourage research in these areas and for relevant research findings to be shared with them. Researchers, data owners and others are asked to share the new Areas of Research Interest (ARI) widely with their networks; DfE are interested in analysis from a wide range of disciplines and approaches, as detailed in the document.

The document also highlights a number of education and linked datasets which are available for research use, including the ADR UK flagship datasets Longitudinal Education Outcomes and Growing Up in England. 

The new DfE priorities will continue to be used as part of the ADR UK-funded data access programme which aims to make administrative data research more policy relevant and to have greater impact.

Find out more

Get in touch with the Department for Education team

If you have any queries or would like to share information with DfE, you can get in touch: research.engagement@education.gov.uk