Economics centre led by UCL academics granted Research Institute status

The UK's Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) has granted Research Institute status to a leading economics research centre led by UCL academics. The Centre for the Microeconomic Analysis of Public Policy (CPP) at the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) is directed by Professor Sir Richard Blundell (UCL Economics) and co-directed by UCL Economics Professors Orazio Attanasio, Eric French and Imran Rasul. This status acknowledges that the CPP has demonstrated a significant and long-term impact on public policy debates, particularly in economic and fiscal policy. Announced by Sir Mark Walport, it is one of only two research centres in social sciences in the UK to be awarded this new status. The CPP is also recognised for its excellence in developing new young researchers, many of whom have gone on to take leading roles in public policy, the media and academia. Through building expertise and skills, the CPP has enabled itself to be at the heart of UK public policy debate and compete at an international level. Highlights from the CPP's past include: Being at the forefront of the empirical revolution, meaning that fine-grained data on individuals, households and firms is now used widely in academic research and in public policy to better understand behaviour and improve people's lives.