Expertise

The Labour and Education section has extensive experience in carrying out labour market research, research in education and social-economic research. The section’s staff members possess thorough knowledge of microeconomics and econometrics or statistical techniques. These topics provide the basis for our analyses of labour, education and their relationship. Additional knowledge within the section includes macroeconomics, survey techniques (including web-based) and social-scientific research methods.

Areas of expertise

Topics in which the Labour and Education section has developed considerable authority include the estimation of job search durations, wage comparisons, the measurement of preferences not affected by socially desirable answers (conjunct analysis), the explanation of study choices, and the measurement of the effectiveness of active labour market policies.

Econometric techniques

The section disposes of a well-stocked econometric toolbox, which allows the application of a variety of advanced econometric techniques to common research questions that involve selection, uncertainty or measurement problems. Without the application of these econometric techniques, answers would necessarily remain incomplete or biased. Limiting this bias as much as possible is one of the challenges we face in our research. At the same time, we aim to achieve a balance between complexity and practical utility. Techniques that can not be explained to clients are not applied. This way we ensure that our research does not become a black box.

Databases

A number of exclusive databases has been developed for use in several lines of research. These databases include study choices of students in secondary education, the transition from higher education to the labour market, and the development of labour market confidence among the Dutch population. These databases are occasionally expanded in order to facilitate further policy-oriented and scientific exploration.

External collaboration

The Labour and Education section seeks further content-based collaboration with the staff and institutes of the Universiteit van Amsterdam. Through the years, relationships have been developed with the Amsterdam Institute for Advanced Labour Studies (AIAS), Scholar, the SCO-Kohnstamm Institute, and the Hugo Sinzheimer Institute (HSI). We also collaborate with external parties to carry out projects, write articles and organise seminars and scientific conferences. Examples include substantive collaborations with Statistics Netherlands (CBS) and the Employment Insurance Administration (UWV).

Academics

Because SEO Economic Research is a not-for-profit organisation, it invests continually in the intellectual capital of its staff through doctoral research programmes, academic publications, knowledge networks and conference attendance. Two staff members within the Labour and Education section have earned doctoral degrees, and another is currently preparing a dissertation.