- What? In partnership with the statistical service of the Ministry of National Education (DEPP), IDEE facilitates secure access for researchers to administrative data on education.
- Why? To reduce data collection costs and strengthen the impact of educational research.
- How?
- By supporting the creation of Depp@logue, a public catalogue of administrative data and surveys relating to the French education system.
- By promoting the development of Depp@thèque, a free platform for secure remote access to administrative data on education.
Innovation, Data and Experiments in Education (IDEE)
The Innovation, Data and Experiments in Education (IDEE) programme helps education researchers produce actionable evidence in France by facilitating access to administrative data, providing research resources and measurement tools, and structuring partnerships with policy-makers and practitioners.
Visit our website (in French)
The IDEE programme is a key research infrastructure initiative aimed at developing large-scale experimental research in education, in particular through rigorous impact evaluations, and at promoting the use of its findings. It is aimed in particular at stakeholders in research and education (policy-makers, senior officials, staff from the Ministry of National Education, associations, etc.) in France, but also internationally.
The programme helps researchers produce experimental findings, thereby contributing to the debate on public policy and professional practice in education in France. To this end, IDEE facilitates access to administrative data, develops a catalogue of resources and tools for research, and fosters partnerships between researchers, education professionals and public decision-makers.
The IDEE consortium brings together a multidisciplinary group of leading researchers and laboratories in economics, sociology, psychology, education sciences and cognitive sciences. It is coordinated by the École Normale Supérieure/PSL and led by J-PAL Europe at the Paris School of Economics.
The IDEE programme is funded by the French National Research Agency (ANR) as part of the “Investissements d’avenir” programme (reference: ANR-21-ESRE-0034). Scheduled to run for eight years (2021–2029), it is divided into two phases: an implementation phase ending on 30 June 2026, followed by an exploitation phase until 31 December 2029.
The main objectives of the IDEE programme
Facilitating access to administrative data
Developing and sharing methodological tools and measurement instruments
- What?
- IDEE provides methodological resources and measurement tools for research, freely available via our website.
- It also offers researchers tailored methodological support in the implementation of research projects.
- Why? To enhance the quality of research whilst reducing its cost.
- How?
- By developing and documenting innovative measurement instruments, survey and analysis tools, as well as legal and administrative protocols.
- Examples of resources and tools related to this research area:
- Loan of measurement equipment: the loan platform includes tablets for administering questionnaires, mobile kits (video and audio recording systems), and electroencephalography headsets (EEG).
- Power calculator: an application for researchers to calculate the required sample size (N) or minimum detectable effect size (MDES) for comparing the results of two groups (Student’s t-test).
- Methodological guides: designed to facilitate the use of measurement tools for observing pupils in different settings, intended for research teams and the education sector.
- Seminar series and thematic days: to enable research teams to present their work and exchange ideas with peers.
Strengthening capacities and developing a network of partners
- What? IDEE also aims to foster and facilitate new links between stakeholders in the education sector, policy-makers and research teams.
- Why? To launch high-quality experimental research and promote the use of findings in public policy-making and in practice.
- How?
- By developing collaborations to support experimental research and promoting the use of these research findings in education.
- By offering support and training to researchers interested in conducting randomised evaluations; and to policymakers and practitioners interested in using evidence.
- Examples of resources and tools related to this focus area:
- Webinar series: organised in partnership with the Canopé Network, to disseminate evidence in education and promote its use.
- Online training courses: access to the MOOC ‘Research-informed education: an introduction to impact evaluations’, to raise awareness of the concepts and methods of impact evaluation, particularly in the field of education.
- Notes and Toolkit with the Scientific Council of the French Ministry of National Education: summaries of research findings for use by education professionals in their work.
- Dynamic overview of randomised evaluations: carried out in all French metropolitan academies and overseas departments and regions (DROM-COM).
Our News
- Closing Event “Five Years of Impact: Review and Outlook for the IDEE Programme” (May 2026): A major event to present the results of the first supported trials
- Seminar Programme: Discover all our upcoming and past events here, including webinars, training sessions and conferences.
 | IDEE is funded for a duration of 8 years (2021-2029) by the French National Research Agency (Agence Nationale de la Recherche, ANR) under the program "Investissements d'avenir" with the reference "ANR-21-ESRE-0034". |
Key Facts
Sector: Education
Office: J-PAL Europe
Scientific Coordinator: Marc Gurgand / Director: Adrien Pawlik
The IDEE Team
- Marc Gurgand: Scientific Coordinator
- Adrien Pawlik: Programme Director
- Clémence Lobut: Senior Research Project Manager
- Harmonie Martin: Operations and Communications Associate
- Sophie de Rouilhan: Public Policy and Communications Associate
- Lucie Fourel: Senior Research Associate
- Angela Ciceri: Senior Research and Public Policy Associate
- Katharina Kaeppel: Senior Research and Public Policy Associate
- Joseph Thornton: Senior Public Policy Associate
Our Partners
The IDEE programme is implemented in partnership with the French Ministry of National Education, and in particular its Directorate for Evaluation, Forecasting and Performance (DEPP).
It is supported by six higher education and research institutions:
- Paris Sciences et Lettres, which includes the École Normale Supérieure (ENS) and its Department of Cognitive Studies (DEC)
- The Paris School of Economics, which includes the J-PAL Europe laboratory
- Sciences Po, including the Interdisciplinary Laboratory for the Evaluation of Public Policies (LIEPP)
- Grenoble Alpes University, including the Laboratory for Research on Contextual Learning (LaRAC)
- The French Atomic Energy Commission (CEA), including the NeuroSpin laboratory
- The French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS)
The strategic vision of the IDEE programme is guided by a steering committee, which brings together all the partners mentioned above, under the scientific coordination of Marc Gurgand.
The activities of the IDEE programme are also informed by a data user committee.
Furthermore, the IDEE programme involves a wider network of French and international stakeholders interested in promoting experimental research in education
Find out more
- Further information on the Innovations, Data and Experiments in Education (IDEE) programme is available on our dedicated website.
- For partnership opportunities or to find out how to support and contribute to the IDEE programme, please contact: Adrien Pawlik