The University of Groningen renews strategic partnership with CBS (Statistics Netherlands)

The University of Groningen (UG) has announced the renewal of its strategic cooperation agreement with CBS (Statistics Netherlands), marking a milestone in their ongoing collaboration. The initial agreement, signed in 2017 for five years, concluded in 2022. The recent renewal in February 2024 underscores the mutual commitment to advancing research through data-driven methodologies.

Facilitating collaboration

This strategic alliance between UG and CBS has facilitated efficient collaboration across various social and economic research domains. The framework agreement signed in 2017 laid the foundation for synergistic efforts in methodology and data science, focusing on leveraging CBS microdata under rigorous conditions.

In 2017, Dr. Ronald Stolk, former Director of the Center for Information Technology (CIT) at UG, emphasized the importance of harnessing existing data resources to catalyze scientific inquiry. He underscored the role of the Academic Data Center, established as part of the collaboration, in providing researchers with access to microdata from CBS, thereby facilitating faster and more robust research outcomes.

Unlocking CBS Microdata for UG researchers

One of the key aspects of working with highly classified CBS microdata is the creation of a specifically tailored subenvironment within the CBS platform. While access to the platform's use of microdata is subject to a fee, the benefits of leveraging CBS data are numerous. By using existing datasets, researchers can expedite their investigations, avoid duplicative efforts, and allocate resources more efficiently.

Researchers keen on utilizing the resources offered by CBS undergo a verification process and are required to sign a confidentiality agreement. They will be constricted to work within the CBS environment, may upload their own research data for linking purposes and can request exports of data on an aggregate level. 

Renewed commitment

The recent renewal of the agreement underscores the continued commitment of both UG and CBS to fostering collaborative research endeavors. Moving forward, the UG Digital Competence Centre (DCC) will play a pivotal role in supporting researchers in navigating the CBS platform and maximizing its potential for their research. The DCC mediates in cooperation between the UG and the CBS start up: 

• Internships for master students
• Research projects for PhD’s
• Commissioned research projects by CBS
• Joint research projects
• Secondment of scientific staff