INSTITUTE FOR FISCAL STUDIES

Their core work

The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) is one of the UK's leading independent economic research institutes, specializing in applied microeconomics, public policy evaluation, and empirical analysis of individual and household behavior. Their H2020 work focuses on econometric methods, the economics of food and health choices, and human capital development in low-income countries. They produce rigorous empirical evidence that informs government policy on taxation, welfare, education, and public spending.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

All four H2020 projects started between 2016 and 2018, so evolution within this window is limited. The earlier projects (2016) emphasize core econometric methodology (ROMIA) and behavioral economics of consumption (FOODHABITS), while the later keyword data highlights a shift toward development economics — specifically human capital and early childhood development. Their most recent project (HealthcareLabour, 2018) signals growing interest in health economics, suggesting a broadening from pure methodology toward policy-relevant applied research in health and development.

IFS is moving from core econometric methodology toward applied development and health economics, making them increasingly relevant for policy evaluation partnerships in global health and education.

How they like to work

IFS overwhelmingly leads its own projects — 3 of 4 H2020 grants are ERC awards where IFS is the sole coordinator, which is typical for prestigious individual researcher grants rather than consortium projects. With only 1 unique consortium partner across all projects and collaboration limited to 1 country, they operate as an independent research powerhouse rather than a network builder. Partnering with IFS means accessing top-tier econometric expertise, but expect them to lead the research agenda rather than play a supporting role.

IFS has an extremely narrow H2020 collaboration network — just 1 unique partner in 1 country. This reflects their ERC-heavy portfolio, where grants fund individual excellence rather than multi-partner consortia.

What sets them apart

IFS stands apart as one of Europe's most respected independent economics research bodies, with deep expertise in rigorous causal inference applied to real-world policy questions. Their ERC-heavy portfolio (3 Advanced/Consolidator grants) signals exceptional research quality — ERC grants are among the most competitive in Europe. For anyone needing world-class empirical economic analysis in a consortium, IFS brings both methodological rigor and policy credibility that few other partners can match.

Highlights from their portfolio

• HKADeC
  Largest grant (EUR 1.78M ERC Advanced Grant) studying human capital in developing countries — combines economics with global development impact.
• ROMIA
  ERC-funded foundational research on microeconometric methods — the methodological backbone that supports all their applied work.