Prof Peter Urwin

Prof Peter Urwin


Professor Peter Urwin has over 15 years’ experience leading large-scale econometric evaluations for government departments, including HMRC, DfE, DWP, BIS (now BEIS), MoJ and MoD; and has been providing expert advice to HMRC for 15 years. His research has contributed to spending review submissions across departments; and his academic and policy work covers around 100 published outputs. Peter is an expert member of various Advisory Panels and his expertise in research has been recognized with an invite to Number 10. He is Principle Investigator for the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) funded study, Managerial competences, engagement and productivity; and the Nuffield Foundation study of Post-16 Educational Pathways.

Since 2010 Peter has led a series of innovative econometric studies of large government administrative datasets that identify evidence on the value of Further Education (FE) learning. This has provided evidence to inform major decisions on the Adult Skills Budget; it has helped change attitudes to FE learning and understanding of its role in social mobility; and has informed government data practice across the admin datasets that make up LEO, including in productionise environments. Peter recently lead an ESRC-funded study of Young People at Risk of Poor Educational and Labour Market Outcomes, which used LEO and his Nuffield funded study continues his work with this dataset. 

Peter is a committed communicator of Economics to a wider audience and alongside his many media appearances, he hosts Economist Questions on Share Radio. 

Education

PhD Econ: Older workers: Discrimination or Disadvantage? 

MSc Economics, Birkbeck College/University of London 

Postgraduate Certificate in Education, Worcester College of Higher Education 

BA Honours (Econ.), Liverpool University


Prof Urwin’s research investigates issues of education and social mobility, equality and diversity, entrepreneurship, employment relations and tax policy, with a focus on the use of advanced econometric techniques to capture causal impacts from policy interventions. Peter’s academic and policy work covers over 100 published outputs and he has provided expert advice to a range of bodies including DfE, Cabinet Office, National Audit Office, Ernst and Young, Diageo, Acas, DIT and HM Treasury.

Peter ensures that all his work is driven by practical questions of policy and is produced to the highest academic standards, securing publication in top-ranked academic journals.


  • Centre for Employment Research

In brief

Research areas

Policy Evaluation and Education and Employment [Labour] Economics

Supervision interests

Economics and Econometrics and Education and Employment [Labour] Economics