IEDI - a reliable framework for the implementation of large social science survey programs
The interdepartmental “Integrated Survey and Data Infrastructure” (IEDI) provides a reliable and long-term perspective for successful conducting large social science surveys since 2017. The IEDI will develop new services for social scientists to effectively collect and analyze digital behavioral data from 2022 onwards.
The Integrated Survey and Data Infrastructure provides relevant, high-quality research data for the social sciences which allow answering pressing societal questions. The data collected by the studies allow for short- and long-term analyses of attitudes, values, behaviors, and of the German social structure in a comparative perspective. IEDI projects also collect digital behavioural data and promote the linking of digital behavioral data and survey data in order to exploit the potential of research on digitalisation and digital behaviour.
The Integrated Survey and Data Infrastructure includes several studies. These studies will be further developed by realizing substantive and methodological synergies as part of the infrastructure:
In addition to these core studies, further large-scale population studies are associated with the Integrated Survey and Data Structure:
- FReDA - Family Research and Demographic Analysis
- PIAAC - Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies
Services in the following areas are currently under development for the collection and processing of digital behavioral data (DBD):
Funding and organization
The Leibniz Association provides funding for the IEDI via a “Sondertatbestand”. The German Science and Humanities Council (Wissenschaftsrat) welcomes this infrastructure, as it "has the potential to have a considerable impact on the structure of international empirical social research". Moreover, "the scientific communities can exert influence on the implementation of the survey programmes - as has been practised for a long time in the ALLBUS, for example." To systematically ensure the integration of the scientific communities into the development of the IEDI, five coordination groups (see below) have been established. A Standing Committee further provides advice to GESIS on the implementation of the integrative goals of the infrastructure.
In 2022, the Leibniz Association approved funding for another “Sondertatbestand” on digital behavioral data (DBD) which aims at making digital behavioural data accessible by providing methods and tools for data collection, processing and analysis. The German Science and Humanities Council attests the project to have a "unique selling point in Europe". In the course of the establishment of the Sondertatsbestand DBD, DBD services will be integrated into IEDI to enable innovative social research with new data and methods. A DBD coordination group will accompany and advise GESIS in this process.
Participation of Scientific Communities and Integration of the Studies
The representation of the scientific communities, support in integrating the different studies and the collaboration with both GESIS' Advisory Boards is detailed in an Agreement of Procedures (177 kB). The five Study Coordination Groups (CG) meet at least twice a year and advice GESIS on methodological aspects and content of the respective studies. The integration of studies is supported by a Standing Committee. The Standing Committee exchanges annually with the GESIS User Advisory Board on the development of the studies and integrational efforts.
| KG ALLBUS | KG GESIS Panel |
|---|---|
Prof. Dr. Andreas Hadjar (Speaker) Prof. Dr. Katrin Auspurg Prof. Dr. Christoph Bühler Prof. Dr. Steffen Hillmert Prof. Dr. Ulrich Wagner | Prof. Bella Struminskaya, Ph.D. (Speaker) Prof. Mick Couper, Ph.D. Prof. Marcel Das, Ph.D. Prof. Tom Emery, Ph.D. Prof. Joe Sakshaug, Ph.D. Prof. Vera Toepoel, Ph.D. |
| KG GLES | KG International Surveys |
Prof. Dr. Sigrid Roßteutscher (Speaker) Prof. Dr. Marc Debus Prof. Dr. Thorsten Faas Prof. Dr. Harald Schoen | Prof. Lena Hipp, Ph.D. (Speaker) Dr. Heiko Giebler Prof. Dr. Axel Franzen Prof. Dr. Sylvia Kritzinger PD Dr. Daniel Seddig Dr. Karin Schuller Prof. Dr. Bernhard Weßels Prof. Dr. Christian Welzel |
| KG Digital Behavioral Datan (DBD) |
|---|
Prof. Dr. Michaela Maier (Chair) Prof. Dr. Silke Adam Prof. Dr. Matthias Schonlau Prof. Dr. Anita Gohdes Prof. Dr. Nils Weidmann Prof. Dr. Florian Keusch (Vice Chair) Prof. Dr. David Garcia Prof. Dr. Yannis Theocharis Prof. Dr. Preslav Nakov Prof. Dr. Robert Jäschke Prof. Dr. Benno Stein |
