Research project BR/13/MA/PONS (Research action BR)
The Crossroads Bank for Social Security, a public institution of the social security, has been developing the Belgian Datawarehouse Labour Market and Social Protection (DWH LM&SP) since 2001. The goal of the DWH LM&SP is the disclosure of administrative data for scientific and policy preparatory research. Because the data are derived from administrative databases, it is necessary to study the source data for the creation and optimisation of statistical concepts for scientific and policy preparatory research.
In this respect, the Belgian Science Policy Office decided to finance the “Project for the Operation and development of New Statistics in the DWH LM&SP” (PONS). It is co-financed by the Federal Public Service Social Security, who offers a supplementary allocation of EUR 100.000 in 2014. This project is executed by a network of three partners, namely the Centre for Sociological Research (CeSO, KU Leuven), METICES (ULB) and the Policy Research Centre Work and Social Economy (Steunpunt WSE, KULeuven). The network cooperates very closely with the Crossroads Bank for Social Security and the Federal Public Service Social Security. The tasks are divided based on the expertise among the three partners and the description of the available sources of the DWH LM&SP. Technical support is provided by SMALS. In addition, the network consults a group of experts consisting of the partaking public institutions, the user network, the technical documents of the public institutions and the expertise of the research partners, in order to reach the different objectives.
The PONS project aims at the further development, enlargement and deepening of the DWH LM&SP. These activities will improve the quality, the accessibility and the strategic position of the DWH LM&SP for research purposes and policy assessment. This will be done by sustaining and expanding the DWH LM&SP, as well by developing new variables. These objectives will be realized by utilizing three work packages with the following associated tasks:
• WP 1. General support. The existing material will be improved and updated as new sources and methods are integrated, and the network of data suppliers and users of the DWH LM&SP will be maintained and strengthened.
• WP 2. Support enlargement. The scope of the DWH LM&SP will be extended by integrating new datasets in the DWH LM&SP, aiming at a more comprehensive view on the socio-economic characteristics of the population. The project will examine how new information at the individual level can be linked to the DWH LM&SP in a harmonized and structural way in alignment with international standards.
• WP 3. Deepening. The data of the DWH LM&SP will be further explored, validated and valorised. To this end, new derived variables, international indicators and tools for analysis will be developed. These new instruments will improve the utility and relevance of the DWH LM&SP for research purposes, monitoring and policy assessment.
The further enlargement and deepening of the DWH LM&SP only stresses the importance of the DWH LM&SP as a primary source of data. The PONS-project tries to meet the needs of the scientific community as well as the authorities. By linking the DWH LM&SP to new sources, new lines of research are explored. But the project will not only help the scientific community. By making the aggregated data online accessible, individual citizens are able to consult the DWH LM&SP and, if desired, give their remarks.
The results will be presented to a broad range of stakeholders by means of a multiple valorisation strategy. First of all, the results are presented to the management group of the DWH LM&SP. This group consists out of all the public institutions delivering data to the DWH LM&SP. Secondly, the project’s results are presented twice a year to the users group of the DWH LM&SP, which is organised by the project research team. The users group consists out of researchers, policy makers, representatives of various institutions and other interested parties. Lastly, the updates and innovations are communicated on the website of the Crossroads Bank for Social Security, which can be accessed by the broad public.
Project for the Operation and development of New Statistics in the LM&SP DWH (PONS) : final report 2017
Laenen, Silke - Scholiers, Bart - Mathy, Anne-Laure Brussels : Scientific Policy, 2017 (SP2787)
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