We are delighted to announce the full programme for the UK Census Longitudinal Studies (UKCenLS) Conference 2026, taking place in Belfast on Tuesday 24th November 2026.
The conference will bring together researchers, policymakers, government representatives and data providers from across the UK to showcase innovative research using the Northern Ireland Longitudinal Study (NILS), Scottish Longitudinal Study (SLS) and Office for National Statistics Longitudinal Study (ONS-LS).
The day will provide an opportunity to hear about developments across the longitudinal studies, learn about recent research using these datasets and explore opportunities for future collaboration.
If you have not done so yet, please register here.
| Time | Session |
| 09:30 – 10:00 | Arrival & registration |
| 10:00-11:00 Session 1: Introduction & Updates from the Longitudinal Studies | 10:00: Welcome address from the Director |
| 10:10 – 10:30: Updates from the NILS, SLS and ONS-LS Peter Wilgar/Dr. Estelle Lowry, Dr. Lee Williamson, Merilynn Pratt | |
| 10:30 – 10:45: Value of LS data in government Dr. Philip Wales, Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) | |
| 10:45 – 11:00: Value of LS data within the UK data landscape Ben Martin, Economic & Social Research Council ESRC | |
| 11:00-11:15 | Coffee break |
| 11:15 – 12:30 Session 2: Research Talks (Part 1) | 11:15 – 11:30: Modelling social class differences in subject choice preferences for upper secondary school students in Scotland Dr. Peter Barlow, University of Glasgow |
| 11:30 – 11:45: Conflict Scarring on Labour Market Outcomes in Northern Ireland Dr Anne Devlin, Economic and Social Research Institute | |
| 11:45 – 12:00: Exploring social and geographic inequality across the life course using the ONS Longitudinal Study Claire Bloss, Office for National Statistics | |
| 12:00 – 12:15: The Intergenerational Transmission of Deprivation in Northern Ireland Catherine Pope, Queen’s University Belfast | |
| 12:15 – 12:30: Q&A | |
| 12:30 – 13:30 | Lunch |
| 13:30 – 14:30 | Session 3: Keynote Address Professor Orla McBride, Ulster University |
| 14:30 – 15:45 Session 4: Research Talks (Part 2) | 14:30 – 14:45 National Identity in Transition: A Longitudinal Study of National Identity by Ethnic Group in England Dr. Momoko Nishikido, Queen’s University Belfast |
| 14:45 – 15:00 Health inequalities among adolescents and young people: From census snapshots to longitudinal understanding Katrin Metsis, University of St Andrews | |
| 15:00 – 15:15 An Analysis of Mixed Marriages and Co-habiting Relationships in Northern Ireland and their Influence on Child Wellbeing and Social Integration. Aislinn Hoy and Dr. Marvin Suesse, Trinity College Dublin & Centre of Economic, Policy and History (CEPH). | |
| 15:15 – 15:30: Association Between Neighbourhood Greenspace Availability and the Development of Multiple Long-Term Conditions: A Follow-Up Study in Urban Areas of Scotland Dr. Chunyu Zheng, University of Edinburgh | |
| 15:30 – 15:45: Q&A | |
| 15:45 – 16:15 | Coffee break |
| 16:15 – 16:45Session 5: Small Grants Scheme | 16:15 – 16:25: Launch of the Small Grants Scheme Dr. Estelle Lowry, Queen’s University Belfast |
| 16:25 – 16:35: Impact projects funded by the Impact Accelerator Accounts Kevin Fearon, Queen’s University Belfast | |
| 16:35 – 16:50: Roundtable to promote ideas & collaboration | |
| 16.50 – 17.00 | Summary & Close |
| 19:00 | Dinner |
We look forward to welcoming many of you to Belfast!
Best wishes,
The UKCenLS 2026 Conference Organising Committee