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IFS part of major new Economics of Education Research Centre to strengthen evidence-based policymaking
The centre will bring together education economists in academia and in government, to bring the best evidence to bear
The Institute for Fiscal Studies is partnering with UCL Centre for Education Policy and Equalising Opportunities and Centre for Economic Performance at LSE to launch the new Economics of Education Research Centre (EERC). The centre, funded by the Department for Education, is a major initiative designed to support policymakers using the highest-quality evidence on education and skills policy in England.
Running initially until March 2028, the EERC will bring together leading education economists to work closely with the Department for Education (DfE). The centre’s Executive Board includes Professor Lindsey Macmillan (UCL), Christine Farquharson (IFS), and Professor Sandra McNally (CEP-LSE).
The EERC will examine how education policies affect outcomes including earnings, productivity, social mobility, mental health, and crime prevention, while helping policymakers assess the value of investment in areas such as early years, SEND, and post-16 education. The centre also aims to build closer links between researchers and policymakers, helping to bring the best existing evidence to bear on key policy questions. The EERC will also build capacity, developing the next generation of education economists in government and in academia.
Christine Farquharson, Associate Director at the Institute for Fiscal Studies said:
“Getting education policy right is critical for young people’s opportunities, and for the growth and success of the country as a whole. The economics of education supports policymakers with the decisions they constantly face – whether learning from the impacts of past programmes, using economic theory to think through new policy options, or assessing the value for money of different choices the government could make. This centre is all about bringing together education economists in academia and in government, to bring the best evidence to bear on today’s questions – and to develop tomorrow’s generation of education researchers.”
Consortium members
The consortium includes the following institutions:
- UCL Centre for Education Policy and Equalising Opportunities, University College London
- Centre for Economic Performance, London School of Economics
- Institute for Fiscal Studies
The Executive Board will include:
- Professor Lindsey Macmillan (UCL CEPO)
- Professor Sandra McNally (CEP LSE)
- Christine Farquharson (IFS)
