IT
The use of administrative databases in Italy to inform policymaking
Guest editors: Fabio Berton (European Commission, Joint Research Centre), Roberto Leombruni (Università di Torino)
SINAPPSI is launching a call for papers for a special issue entitled ‘The use of administrative databases in Italy to inform policymaking’.
Context
Effective policymaking relies on solid empirical evidence. Understanding which groups are in need, how many and which beneficiaries have been reached by a policy intervention, what outcomes have been achieved, and who has benefited most—or least—from the measures implemented is crucial to the continuous improvement of policy design. In this context, data availability plays a central role. In this perspective, information systems – now increasingly digitalised—for the delivery of public services hold a vast amount of data on citizens, businesses, the environment, and on the services and policies implemented. These data, structured into administrative databases, can also serve research purposes, offering valuable insights for public decision-makers and supporting the ongoing refinement of public policies.
Administrative databases offer several advantages: they typically cover the entire population, allowing for detailed analyses even at local level; they contain highly accurate information; and their collection, maintenance and updating are already funded through their primary administrative function. In other words, administrative databases have the potential to align with the FAIR principles outlined in the European Data Strategy, which state that data should be Findable, Accessible, Interoperable and Reusable. Making greater use of administrative databases to determine what works in public policy would enhance understanding without requiring additional expenditure—often a significant barrier.
All stakeholders would benefit from better access to administrative sources: the research community would improve the quality (and quantity) of relevant publications, policymakers and citizens would gain a clearer understanding of how policies operate and how they might be improved, businesses would benefit from greater transparency in how markets and regulations function, the social and political system would be less exposed to fake news, and democracy itself would be strengthened.
However, more widespread use of administrative databases also presents challenges. These include the development of secure IT infrastructures for on-site or remote access, the establishment of transparent, accountable and open access procedures, and compliance with personal data protection legislation. Across Europe, countries are progressing at different rates along this path. None yet offers a single model for accessing administrative databases, but all—albeit to varying degrees and across different aspects—offer valuable experiences from which the wider research, policy and institutional communities can learn.
Contributions
Issue 2/2026 will feature contributions that explore the potential of administrative databases for analysing how public policies operate and how effective they are. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the use of administrative databases in Italy to investigate labour policies, social security and welfare systems, health policy and the third sector, migration, and the effects of digital transition and climate change.
Contributions may also adopt a more methodological approach, addressing such topics as the systems currently in place for accessing data held by major national institutions such as INAPP, INPS and ISTAT; regional disparities and the broader European context; the advantages and limitations of administrative databases compared to survey data; the role of data collection design within policy design, and the framing of data as a public good; the legal and technical conditions required to ensure secure and research-friendly access to sensitive data; and the potential for incorporating administrative and operational data from private organisations and companies.
Within these themes, we encourage the submission of original papers (not submitted to other journals), of length of between 5,000 and 8,000 words (about 10-16 pagine) for publication in Issue 2/2026. Submissions should be sent to the editorial office of Sinappsi ([email protected])by 15 February 2026, to be submitted for refereeing (double-blind peer review) following acceptance by the journal’s Scientific/Editorial Committee. Please compile the Submission form.
CONTACTS
Editorial team: [email protected]