The Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) invested in four Administrative Data Research Centres (ADRC) and an Administrative Data Service (ADS).
- ADS led by the University of Essex
- ADRC England led by the University of Southampton
- ADRC Northern Ireland led by Queens University Belfast
- ADRC Scotland led by University of Edinburgh
- ADRC Wales led by Swansea University
Together these formed an Administrative Data Research Network which benefited from a grants package totalling approximately £34 million.
The core aim of the ADRN was to provide access to de-identified administrative data routinely collected by government departments and facilitate linkage of this data, thereby stimulating opportunities for innovative research and policy-making.
The ADRN was a partnership between government departments, research funders, national statistical authorities and the research community, which will reach across the UK to facilitate research based upon linked, administrative data.
HSC R&D Division partnered with ESRC in funding the ADRC in Northern Ireland. (HSC R&D contribution was £750K over 5 years)