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| EPPI-Centre | |
|---|---|
| Name | EPPI-Centre |
| Formation | 1996 |
| Founder | Social Science Research Unit |
| Location | Institute of Education, University College London |
| Focus | Evidence-based policy |
| Methods | Systematic review |
EPPI-Centre
The EPPI-Centre is a research centre based at the Institute of Education, University College London that specialises in systematic reviews and evidence synthesis to inform public policy and practice. It was established to adapt methods from clinical Cochrane Collaboration reviews for application across social and public sectors, engaging with actors such as Department for Education (UK), National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, World Health Organization, and UNICEF to translate research into decision-making. The centre combines methodological innovation with applied reviews across health, education, and social care, producing outputs used by Parliament of the United Kingdom, European Commission, and international agencies.
Founded in 1996 within the Social Science Research Unit at the Institute of Education, University College London, the centre emerged during a period of growing interest in evidence syntheses inspired by the Cochrane Collaboration and developments in evidence-based medicine promoted by figures linked to NHS England reform. Early leaders engaged with policymakers from Department for Education (UK), Department of Health and Social Care, and international funders including World Bank and UK Research and Innovation. Over subsequent decades the centre broadened methods beyond randomized controlled trials to include qualitative synthesis and mixed-methods appraisal, collaborating with bodies such as the National Institute for Health Research and programmes at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
The centre’s mission is to improve the use of research evidence across public policy and practice sectors by developing rigorous synthesis methods and producing accessible reviews for decision-makers in organisations such as Department for Education (UK), NHS England, Public Health England, and agencies within the United Nations. Objectives include advancing methods originated in the Cochrane Collaboration, extending standards from PRISMA reporting, and training personnel from institutions like King's College London, University of Cambridge, and London School of Economics to conduct systematic and policy-relevant reviews.
Methodological work builds on protocols and standards influenced by Cochrane Collaboration, PRISMA, and frameworks used by National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. The centre developed tailored tools for integrating evidence from randomized controlled trials linked to ClinicalTrials.gov records, qualitative studies associated with researchers at University of Oxford and University College London, and economic evaluations akin to those used by National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. Innovations include techniques for mapping evidence similar to those used by European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control and mixed-methods synthesis employed by analysts at RAND Corporation and Brookings Institution.
Major projects include systematic reviews commissioned by Department for Education (UK) and syntheses for World Health Organization guidance, as well as rapid evidence assessments for Department of Health and Social Care and impact evaluations used by UNICEF. The centre produced influential reviews informing interventions examined by Education Endowment Foundation, appraisals cited in reports by Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology, and guidance used in NHS England initiatives. It contributed methodological chapters to publications by Sage Publications and co-authored evidence products used by the European Commission in policy proposals.
The centre partners with universities and agencies including University College London, King's College London, University of Oxford, London School of Economics, National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, World Health Organization, UNICEF, Department for Education (UK), and National Institute for Health Research. Collaborative networks extend to international consortia linked to World Bank projects, research programmes funded by UK Research and Innovation, and service evaluations conducted with non-governmental organisations such as Save the Children and Oxfam.
Outputs have informed policy instruments and practice guidelines used by Department for Education (UK), Department of Health and Social Care, NHS England, and global actors like World Health Organization and UNICEF. Reviews contributed evidence to parliamentary inquiries handled by the House of Commons and to standards-setting by National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. The centre’s methods have been cited in guidance produced by the European Commission and in technical reports from Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and World Bank operations.
Hosted within the Social Science Research Unit at the Institute of Education, University College London, the centre is staffed by researchers, methodologists, and information specialists drawn from institutions including University College London, King's College London, and University of London. Funding has come from commissions by Department for Education (UK), grants from National Institute for Health Research, contracts with World Health Organization and UNICEF, research council awards from UK Research and Innovation, and philanthropic support linked to foundations such as the Wellcome Trust and Nuffield Foundation.