ONS Research Excellence award win for UWE Bristol data research group
UWE Bristol’s Data Research, Access, and Governance Network (DRAGoN) has been honoured with the Organisational Excellence Award at the 2024 Office of National Statistics (ONS) Research Excellence Awards.
The award recognises DRAGoN's groundbreaking contributions to UK data services, particularly in developing innovative datasets, tools, and approaches to data research and governance.
Led by Professor Felix Ritchie, the team has made significant strides in transforming national data management through critical projects such as Wage and Employment Dynamics (WED) and Semi-Automated Checking of Research Output (SACRO).
The judges specifically commended DRAGoN's pioneering work in Trusted Research Environments, highlighting the team's ability to set best practices for secure digital research spaces. Their projects, including the Future Data Service Fellowships and ODYSSEY Project, demonstrate a vast impact and comprehensive approach to improving data infrastructure and professional development in the field.
Professor of Applied Economics within the College of Business and Law at UWE Bristol, Felix Ritchie said: “This is a great achievement for the whole team. DRAGoN has been a significant actor in the development of the UK and international data landscape for many years, leading the world in theories of confidential data management, protocols, operating guides and software tools that directly affect research capability across health and social sciences. We work in the background and the researchers which depend on our work rarely notice it, so I’m very pleased with this wider recognition of the team’s efforts.”
DRAGoN has been at the forefront of developing national and international training programs around data management, ensuring the highest standards in data access and management. The team's interdisciplinary expertise has positioned them as leaders in driving innovation and efficiency in data research and governance.
For more information about DRAGoN, click here.
Related news
11 February 2025
Comics could help explain science in court, study finds
Comics explaining the complexities of forensic science in simple terms could improve understanding for jurors in court cases, research conducted at UWE Bristol suggests.
06 February 2025
Opinion: ‘We’re ensuring people have access to diverse images for healthcare’
Flicking through the pages of academic medical textbooks back in 2022, our team spotted a surprising omission: a stark absence of images of health conditions on darker skin tones.
03 February 2025
Groundbreaking UWE Bristol project based on children’s lived experiences of racism in the UK set to transform police training
UWE Bristol researchers have worked with over 1,000 primary-aged children to explore everyday experiences of racism to inform future police training.
30 January 2025
Women exercising in gyms face barriers including body image and harassment, study finds
Women exercising in gyms often feel judged for their appearance and performance, leading to a persistent sense of inadequacy, according to a new study.
22 January 2025
Can DIY greening solutions transform your street and combat climate change?
Do-it-yourself (DIY) greening kits could help safeguard the country's most vulnerable communities from the impacts of a rapidly changing environment, according to a new project supported by UWE Bristol.
14 January 2025
UWE Bristol secures British Council grant to strengthen educational ties with three leading Nigerian universities
UWE Bristol has secured a British Council Transnational Education (TNE) grant to work collaboratively with three of Nigeria’s foremost universities.
03 January 2025
Big leap forward for environmentally friendly ‘e-textiles’ technology
Research led by UWE Bristol and the University of Southampton has shown wearable electronic textiles (e-textiles) can be both sustainable and biodegradable.
19 December 2024
UWE Bristol academic appointed honorary professor at prestigious Danish university
A UWE Bristol researcher has been appointed an honorary professor at a prestigious university in Denmark.
18 December 2024
Opinion: Christmas… are you ‘totally sleighing it’ or wondering ‘what the elf’?
Could singing in a group bring a moment of calm and boost your mood this Christmas?
04 December 2024
UWE Bristol to lead £1.3 million project to evaluate the use of phone app to help with back pain
UWE Bristol will lead a £1.3 million project to evaluate the effectiveness of using an NHS-recommended smart phone app to help people suffering with low back pain.
28 November 2024
Work of UWE Bristol academics features in Government report on air quality measurement
Two UWE Bristol academics have made contributions to an influential Government report on the measurement of air pollution.
27 November 2024
Traffic noise reduces the stress-relieving benefits of listening to nature, study finds
Road traffic noise reduces the wellbeing benefits associated with spending time listening to nature, researchers have discovered.