Faster, easier, and more comprehensive. Researchers using microdata from CBS will soon be better served. The Macroscope is expected to be developed by 2030. This extension of the existing research infrastructure will enable scientists to conduct groundbreaking studies. The Macroscope project is a joint initiative of two major Dutch collaborations: ODISSEI and CLARIAH. In November, these consortia received funding from the Dutch Research Council (NWO). CBS is a member of ODISSEI. Ran van den Boom, Team Manager Microdata Services, responds enthusiastically: Researchers will be able to utilize our microdata even better in the future, with new research methodologies, new tools, and larger, more complex datasets.
What was the annual income of residents of the Netherlands and what was their educational level? The answers to such questions can be found in the treasure trove of microdata held by CBS. Scientists often and gladly use it. Research with CBS microdata has been possible for over twenty years. It is done safely: data cannot be traced back to individual citizens or companies. Access to CBS microdata always requires compliance with the conditions set by CBS. To better serve researchers, CBS has been part of ODISSEI (Open Data Infrastructure for Social Science and Economic Innovations) for eight years. This is a collaboration of 45 organizations, including faculties of social sciences, research institutes such as the Social and Cultural Planning Office (SCP) and Central Planning Bureau (CPB), and CBS. The goal: to increase accessibility and findability of data.
In November, NWO granted new funding to ODISSEI and CLARIAH. This amount is intended to develop a research infrastructure of an even higher level, under the banner of the Macroscope project.

Enormous large datasets

Van den Boom: ODISSEI was initially set up to make microdata from CBS and other organizations more effectively and easily available for social and economic research. CLARIAH was developed with the same goal, but for cultural and linguistic research and media studies. From 2024, ODISSEI and CLARIAH work together on a new research infrastructure. This takes place within the SSHOC-NL project. This continues in the Macroscope project. This should lead to researchers being able to link and analyze enormously large datasets about the Dutch population. This will be done safely.

Macroscoop will help

How do certain social dynamics develop in a society? How much trust do residents have in others? The Macroscope will help researchers answer such complex questions. According to Van den Boom, the main benefit of the Macroscope will be that large amounts of data can be more easily integrated, and relationships between data can be found earlier than is currently the case.

Better accessibility

Lona Verkooijen, account manager ODISSEI at CBS, mentions the words uniformity and standardization in this context. She explains: There are many parties where researchers can collect data. They all have their own working environment with their own technology, methods, and procedures. A common approach can facilitate researchers work. For example, they only need to fill in one application form once. Or they can more easily build on research conducted by someone else. The Macroscope will make data more accessible.
Part of the funding granted in November goes to CBS. This covers the hours CBS spends on developing the Macroscope. Verkooijen: We can make choices about our contribution based on our expertise and frameworks. We remain autonomous in this collaboration.

Stronger foundation

One of CBSs tasks is to make data as available as possible for science and society. The Macroscope represents a huge improvement in this respect. It creates an even stronger foundation for our relationship with scientists, and they can make even better use of our data. We expect users to greatly appreciate the extra facilities CBS will offer.