Interest in data integration (also known as data linkage) has grown steadily in recent years, driven by technological developments and the emergence of new data types. The opportunity to combine social media, smart and administrative data with established surveys, at the individual or small-area level, provides researchers with a new prospect for innovative and impactful social science research.
Throughout 2026 and 2027, we are running a series of webinars on discovering integrated data. The series will showcase the potential of integrated data for survey researchers from both the angle of the skills involved in using these data and their access requirements. Each webinar will consist of guest speakers focusing on a specific type of linked data and a showcase of research cases.
As the data landscape continues to evolve, this is an appropriate moment to consider how access arrangements and skills development can support a broader community of integrated data users. Current access protocols, shaped in part by the number of stakeholders involved and the conditions attached to data use, have meant that uptake has not yet reached its full potential. At the same time, the skills required to work with linked data are varied and rapidly evolving.
Discovering integrated data
Follow the links below for access to the slides and recordings of the previous webinars and to book for the webinar on 7 October.
A concluding event in Summer 2027 will consolidate the discussions and explore the way forward.
An overview of survey data linkage
10 February 2026
This initial webinar opened the series by providing a broad overview of the landscape of data integration, focusing on areas that are most relevant to survey researchers and analysts: biological measurement, digital trace data and administrative records.
Linked digital trace and survey data for secondary research: Potential and constraints
26 March 2026
Digital trace data are records of human behaviour online such as the websites they visit and the content they post on social media. When we link these data with participant survey data, we can unlock new insights and avenues of research for social scientists. This event is co-organised by the UK Data Service in collaboration with the DIGISURVOR project, which explores the technical, scientific and ethical challenges to making these linked datasets available for open research.
Linking survey data with smart data: A taster
23 June 2026
Smart data is generated through our everyday digital transactions and activities, such as interactions with financial services, electronic payment or energy usage. This webinar will explore how linking survey data with such smart data can expand the evidence base for policy-relevant research. Drawing on a case study that combines survey responses with bank account and energy-use data, it will demonstrate how linked financial and behavioural data can be used to produce small-area consumption estimates. How to access the survey data needed for this type of linkage will also be explained.
Untapped potential: Linking survey with satellite image data
7 October 2026
Advances in remote sensing and artificial intelligence are making satellite imagery increasingly accessible for social science, public health and policy research. Imagery-derived datasets can provide measures of urban development, environmental conditions, pollution, prosperity and wellbeing across space and over time. Combined with survey and administrative sources these data can support a wide range of analytical applications. This webinar will describe satellite imagery data, present a real-life case study, and discuss availability and conditions of access.