R-QRM – Register-based Quantitative Research Methods in Education
R-QRM is a national research school that offers advanced training in register-based quantitative research methods for educational research. Building on the success of earlier Research Schools for Quantitative Research Methods in Education (QRM I and II), R-QRM focuses on the unique opportunities and methodological challenges of working with register data. R-QRM brings together four leading Swedish universities—University of Gothenburg, Uppsala University, Umeå University, and Stockholm University—to strengthen methodological competence, foster collaboration, and support high-quality, policy-relevant research in education.
Why R-QRM?
Education systems face increasing challenges related to equity, student performance, teacher supply, and long-term outcomes. Addressing these challenges requires robust, data-driven research. Sweden’s high-quality population registers offer unique opportunities to study educational trajectories across the life course, link individuals to families, schools, and labor markets, and evaluate reforms and interventions over time.
Despite this potential, register data remain underutilized in educational research. One reason is that advanced methods for register-based analysis have primarily developed in other fields such as economics, sociology, and medicine, and are still not widely embedded in educational research training.
R-QRM addresses this gap by offering structured, applied training in register data management, statistical analysis, and causal inference—tailored specifically to educational research questions.
Objectives
The main objectives of R-QRM are to:
- Strengthen quantitative methodological competence in educational research
- Advance the use of register-based and longitudinal data
- Support evidence-based educational policy and practice
- Build a sustainable national and international research network
- Promote collaboration across education, sociology, economics, and psychometrics
Target Group
R-QRM is open to researchers at different career stages, including:
- Doctoral students admitted to postgraduate education
- Postdoctoral researchers and early-career scholars
- Senior researchers, lecturers, and supervisors seeking advanced or updated methodological training
- Researchers from related disciplines with an interest in education
Participants from outside Sweden are welcome.
Programme Structure
The R-QRM programme consists of:
- Third-cycle research courses (PhD level)
- Workshops and seminars led by national and international experts
- A yearly conference
- Membership in the QRM research network
Courses are offered throughout the academic year, with two to three courses per semester, and are largely applied in nature. Teaching typically combines online preparation with intensive on-campus or hybrid course meetings, followed by continued online activities.
Research Environments
R-QRM is hosted by four strong research environments with extensive experience in register-based research:
- University of Gothenburg – Prerequisites, Education, and Results (FUR) – educational longitudinal data infrastructures (UGU, GOLD, ILSA)
- Uppsala University – Higher Education and Research as Objects of Study (HERO) and Sociology of Education and Culture (SEC) – sociology of education, higher education research, and geometric data analysis
- Umeå University – Department of Applied Educational Science, mainly from the Educational Measurement Unit (BVM) and Umeå School of Business, Economics and Statistics (USBE) – educational measurement, assessment, and policy-oriented register research
- Stockholm University – Department of Economics – economics of education and causal inference using register data
Together, these environments provide access to rich data, methodological expertise, and active research communities.
Data Infrastructure
Participants in R-QRM gain exposure to some of Sweden’s most comprehensive educational data resources, including:
- Gothenburg Educational Longitudinal Database (GOLD)
- Evaluation Through Follow-up (UGU)
- International Large-Scale Assessments (ILSA) linked to national registers
These infrastructures support advanced analyses of educational trajectories, inequality, policy reforms, and long-term outcomes.
Annual Conference
Each year, the QRM consortium organizes a two-day conference where participants and instructors meet to present research, deepen methodological skills, and engage with invited international experts.
Organisation and Coordination
R-QRM is coordinated by the University of Gothenburg and led by a steering group with representatives from all four partner universities. The programme is supported by teachers from all universities that works to promote course development, quality assurance, and pedagogical innovation.