Love Data Week 2026: Why there are so many reasons to love data
Categories: Blogs, ADR UK Partnership
10 February 2026
Eleanor Collard, Communications & Engagement Manager at ADR UK, reflects on some of the blog highlights from the past year across ADR UK’s research and communications work.
There are lots of reasons to love data, and International Love Data Week is a perfect moment to pause and reflect on why.
In my role at ADR UK, one of the things I enjoy most is pulling together stories from across our partnership and research community. Over the past year, our blogs have ranged from personal reflections on historical data, to cutting-edge discussions about data infrastructure, to research tackling some of the most pressing social issues facing the UK today.
Together, they show the breadth of what data-driven change can mean, and why administrative data - used responsibly - has the power to improve lives.
Here are a few highlights from the past year that, for me, capture why this work matters:
From census sheets to flagship data: A social historian’s journey with administrative data
Dr Bogusia Wojciechowska, Senior Research Manager at ADR UK, reflects on her work linking 19th-century census records with modern administrative data. Her research shows how tracing lives over time can illuminate societal change and ensure that data serves the people it represents.
Unlocking new frontiers in linked data with ODISSEI
Tom Emery, Executive Director of ODISSEI, explores the development of the Dutch national social science infrastructure. By addressing access, linkage, and metadata challenges, ODISSEI opens new possibilities for research that can inform effective and fair public policy.
School absences, deprivation, and crime involvement – or the egg, the farmer, and the chicken
ADR UK research fellow Dr David Buil-Gil investigates causal links between school absenteeism and crime. Using linked datasets, he examines how broader contextual factors shape outcomes, providing insights for more targeted interventions.
The power (and challenges) of evaluation to inform policy: Insights from the UK Evaluation Society Conference 2025
Holly Greenland, Head of Communications and Engagement at ADR UK, highlights the importance of combining administrative data with other methods and perspectives. This approach allows for nuanced evaluation and a more robust understanding of policy impact.
If you want to follow more insights and updates from ADR UK this week and beyond, join the conversation on LinkedIn (featuring interactive polls throughout the week):
