SafePod

The SafePod Network (SPN) is the first service in the world to provide a countrywide network of standardised safe settings (known as SafePods) to enable approved researchers across the UK to securely access data to better understand our society and economy.

A SafePod is a small, prefabricated room, which provides the necessary security and controls to enable a researcher to access and work on data that requires secure access. In most cases no data needs to be held inside a SafePod, and instead access is provided by secure remote connection to the dataset-holding organisation’s server. Policies and procedures are also in place for SafePod management and use. The University of Dundee SafePod is situated on the top floor of the Main Library.

A wealth of government datasets, as well as study and survey datasets, are available for secure access from the SafePod. This includes new linked datasets created by Administrative Data Research UK (ADR UK) projects, such as the ground-breaking Data First programme at the Ministry of Justice, and the majority of datasets held by the Office for National Statistics’ Secure Research Service, the UK Data Service and SAIL Databank.

There are four main principles that underpin secure access to data for research from a SafePod: Safe researcher, Safe access, Safe data and Safe analysis.

The SafePod Network is funded by the Economic and Social Research Council and run by the Scottish Centre for Administrative Data Research as part of the ADR UK programme.