Census Programme Coordination 2011-12

Lead Research Organisation: University of Southampton
Department Name: School of Geography

Abstract

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Publications

10 25 50
 
Description This award provided coordination of the ESRC Census Programme in a transition year before the establishment of the new ESRC UK Data Service. The programme delivered census data-sets from 1971-2001, primarily to the academic community for research use. The programme comprised online and secure laboratory data access services, user support and training and small research and development awards.
Exploitation Route The coordination of this award involved extensive collaboration with other sectors in order to influence the specification and delivery of 2011 census data by the UK statistical organisations and helped to influence census output decisions, many of which are reflected in 2011 census data now published and very broadly used in business and public service delivery. Contributions were made to major policy debates, including presentation to House of Commons inquiries and representation on 2011 Census QA panels and advisory boards across the UK. Initial contributions were made to the development of research on potential future replacements for the conventional census. Most of the data and services directly provided by the programme were specifically restricted to use by the UK academic community by data licensing conditions but these were all taken forward into the new UK Data Service and starting with 2011 census data now published under an Open Government Licence these will become increasingly more widely available.
Sectors Communities and Social Services/Policy,Education,Healthcare,Government, Democracy and Justice,Retail

URL http://census.ac.uk/
 
Description The key impacts of this award have been through contributions to the specification of outputs and services from the 2011 censuses in the UK. The award ensured the continued delivery of data infrastructure to higher education and research and collaborations with other sectors, particularly local government and commercial organizations who are also major users of census data and was a key contributor to the establishment of ESRC's new UK Data Service in 2012. The PI worked very closely with staff from the Office for National Statistics on multiple working groups and in ongoing dialogue to provide advice and quality assurance regarding emerging census plans and outputs. There was also close liaison with representatives of local government and the commercial sector in particular in order to identify and progress those areas where we had common interests in influencing census outputs.
First Year Of Impact 2011
Sector Government, Democracy and Justice,Retail
Impact Types Societal

 
Description Analysis : ESRC census position 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Overview of ESRC census analysis plans and capacity.

Closer working between ESRC data investments, researchers and ONS census analysis and outputs teams
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2012
 
Description Census 2011 and beyond : prospects, geography and longitudinal studies 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Regional
Primary Audience Policymakers/politicians
Results and Impact Overview of 2011 census progress, prospects for future census data collection and the role of census longitudinal studies.

Presentation of current academic census development to audience of staff and persons invited by Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2012
 
Description GIS and the census 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Local
Primary Audience Postgraduate students
Results and Impact Invited lecture covering geographical information systems' contribution to UK census operations

Enhanced exposure of Masters students to contemporary census and GIS developments
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2012
 
Description Geography and the census 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Other academic audiences (collaborators, peers etc.)
Results and Impact Invited seminar and discussion, Department of Geography, University of Malta, in collaboration with National Statistical Organization

Sharing UK census practice and ESRC-funded research activity
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2011
 
Description Invited presentation to Market Research Society seminar on census data analysis opportunities, 6 November 2013 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Presented overview of 2011 census research from ESRC community, particularly new geographical referencing developments, challenging business analysts present to interact with academic community, make best use of data and ESRC opportunities such as Secondary Data Analysis Initiative.

Lots of interest and questions from participants, some follow-up enquiries, invitation to contribute a chapter to a commercial-facing handbook being edited for this community
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2013
 
Description Oral evidence 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Policymakers/politicians
Results and Impact Oral evidence given to House of Commons - Science and Technology Committee. Presentation of need for further research on practical consequences of potential census replacement by "Beyond 2011" administrative data linkage options and importance of census-type data to social science research and policy. Importance of independence afforded by census processes and difficulties of implementing any locally-based solutions while retaining such independence: direct quotation of this view in committee's report and recommendations.

Contributed to decisions on 2011 Census in England and Wales - will include parallel online census and administrative data integration.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2012
URL http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201213/cmselect/cmsctech/322/322.pdf
 
Description Overview of UK census and ESRC census programme 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Invited contribution to ESRC workshop for delegation from Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MOSPI), India

Ongoing engagement between ESRC and Indian statistical and scientific organization - including forthcoming visit to UK and data workshop
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2012