Stirling academics join £25m drive to harness data for public good

Stirling academics Professor Rowan Cruft and Dr Fay Niker are among the experts who will advise on a new phase of a major national project aimed at harnessing administrative data for public good research.

ADR (Administrative Data Research) Scotland, a partnership between the Scottish Government and academic researchers, has been awarded £25 million in funding from UK Research and Innovation to continue its work to 2031.

The investment promises to transform data linkage research, drive significant progress towards Scotland’s National Outcomes and answer key questions about health, education, justice, and social equality.

Professor Cruft, a philosopher in the Faculty of Arts and Humanities, said: “Public services hold significant data about their users which can inform the development of fair, just and efficient public policies. This new grant will allow administrative data to be used for the public good.  

“As University of Stirling ethicists, we will provide expertise aimed at ensuring trustworthiness is at the heart of the programme. We will advise the Scottish Government on data ethics and citizen engagement, to ensure the public can contribute democratically to decisions about how this data is used in policymaking and public good research.”

Professor Rowan Cruft

Research from ADR Scotland to date has provided insights into educational exclusion and absences; in partnership with Police Scotland explored policing mental health distress; and an ongoing project is focused on the social and health outcomes of veterans.  

This investment will allow ADR Scotland to expand its work, strengthen collaborations between government, academia and the public sector, and ensure that insights from data are translated into real-world impact. 

Scottish Government, Minister for Public Finance Ivan McKee said, “I am pleased that the innovative work carried out by ADR Scotland will continue to provide data-driven insights on the complexities we face as a nation. The Scottish Government remains a committed partner in ADR Scotland, recognising the power of data to shape more informed, effective policy. We will continue working closely with academic and public sector colleagues to ensure that research is aligned with Scotland’s priorities and delivers meaningful impact.” 

ADR Scotland Co-Director and Chief Statistician for Scotland Alastair McAlpine, said “The work of ADR Scotland is vital to provide high quality evidence in policymaking using our wealth of data. The work of ADR improves specialist researcher access to this data, upholds secure and ethical standards and ensures public confidence is maintained. This significant investment opens up exciting opportunities for Scotland and the wider UK. It strengthens our ability to collaborate across governments, sectors, and disciplines, unlocking the full potential of administrative data to deliver real public benefit.” 

More information on the ADR UK investment can be found here.