Scottish Data for Research Alliance
Find out how we are working with alliance partners to improve the Scottish data system
About the Scottish Data for Research Alliance
The Scottish Data for Research Alliance (SDRA) is a leadership group to support shared working between Research Data Scotland (RDS), EPCC, National Records of Scotland (NRS), Public Health Scotland (PHS), the Scottish Centre for Administrative Data Research (SCADR) and the Scottish Government.
The SDRA aims to steer the data system to deliver better population outcomes and continuous improvement, seizing opportunities and providing a forum for partners to identify and resolve system wide issues.
The group meets every month to discuss system wide proposals for access to data for research and analysis.
Alliance Technical Group
A subgroup, known as the Alliance Technical Group, has been formed to focus on technical aspects of making public sector data available for research whilst keeping it safe and maintaining public trust.
The members of the Alliance Technical Group have a depth of expertise in different technical areas and are well placed to make collaborative decisions on the data research landscape in Scotland.
Our work and impact
Since its inception in October 2022, the SDRA has worked on a range of issues affecting the data research landscape, to understand blockers and explore how prioritisation should happen across the system. Achievements include agreeing:
- A strategy for synthetic data
- An approach to prioritising and arrangements for undertaking data sourcing
- And overseeing transformation to the arrangements for accessing research data
- Arrangements for delivering and developing the Researcher Access Service.