Summary

The workshop combines short expert presentations with guided, hands-on group activities, encouraging exchange between academic researchers and policy experts. Participants explore key theoretical frameworks, relevant European social data, and practical approaches to applied social research that inform inclusive and equitable policymaking.

Description

Speakers:

• Professor Susan Banducci, University of Birmingham
• Dr. István György Tóth, Tárki Social Research Institute
• Dr. Francesco Berlingieri, Joint Research Centre, European Commission
• Dr. Yuliya Kazakova, GGP, Netherlands Interdisciplinary Demographic Institute
• Dr. Ruxandra Comănaru, ESS, City St George’s, University of London
• Dr. David Consolazio, EVS, University of Milan

Make it Equal is an interactive workshop introducing the Equal Pillar of the NextGeneration Programme, with a focus on how social science research can support policies that reduce inequalities, promote social inclusion, and ensure equal opportunities for the young generation across Europe.

Academic experts introduce the core concepts and models underpinning the Equal Pillar, alongside an overview of major European surveys such as the European Social Survey (ESS), European Values Study (EVS), Generations and Gender Programme (GGP), and the CRONOS-3 dataset. Experts from the Joint Research Centre (JRC) share insights into how social research is used to support evidence-based policies that foster inclusion, equality, and fairness for young people in Europe.

Participants work in small groups to develop policy-relevant research questions, identify suitable data sources, and outline feasible analytical strategies. Guided group sessions support preliminary analyses and the preparation of short presentations or visual summaries. The workshop concludes with group presentations and discussion, promoting reflection on research design, findings, and next steps.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the workshop, participants will be able to:

• Apply theoretical frameworks and European social data to research questions on social inclusion, equality, and reducing inequalities among young people
• Formulate feasible and policy-relevant research questions, including appropriate data and analytical choices
• Communicate preliminary research findings clearly to academic and policy audiences, with a focus on advancing a more equitable European society
• This workshop is well suited for participants interested in collaborative, practice-oriented learning at the intersection of social research and policymaking

​​​Register via Zoom

This event is organised by ADP – Slovenian Social Science Data Archives.

About the speakers

Susan Banducci is a Professor of Political Science at the University of Birmingham and fellow of the British Academy and the Academy of Social Sciences. She was Professor of Politics at the University of Exeter from 2006-24, including as founding director of the Exeter Q-Step Centre.

István György Tóth PhD is Director of the Tárki Social Research Institute. He has experience in managing research projects in Hungarian and international contexts and was lead researcher in a number of comparative research projects on social structure and inequalities.

Dr. Yuliya Kazakova is a research fellow for GGP based at the Netherlands Interdisciplinary Demographic Institute (NIDI KNAW). Her work centres on the Make it Equal and Make it Strong pillars in the Infra4NextGen project. This involves close collaboration with leading European academics, the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre experts, and the Youth Board to engage young Europeans in data-driven discussion on key issues for future generations. Yuliya’s research interests lie in the field of health economics together with the evaluation of public policies with a particular focus on childhood health, childhood poverty and maternal employment.

Dr. Ruxandra Comănaru is a research fellow at the European Social Survey HQ based at City St George’s, University of London. She is primarily working on the Make it Green pillar within the Infra4NextGen project, as well as coordinating the collaboration between the other strands of the project. Ruxandra’s research interests include the design and adaptation of surveys for mixed modes of data collection, with a focus on enhancing the methodological accuracy of self-completion methods. She is also interested in questionnaire design, translation and cultural equivalence of research concepts.

Dr. David Consolazio is Assistant Professor at the Department of Social and Political Sciences of the University of Milan. Within the Infra4NextGen project, he works mainly on the Make it Digital and Make it Healthy pillars. David’s research interests lie at the intersection of sociology, epidemiology, and urban studies, focusing on the interplay of individual and contextual-level factors in shaping health and social outcomes, with particular attention on the social determinants of health and residential segregation phenomena.