Centre of Methods and Policy Application in the Social Sciences

COMPASS uses quantitative methodologies to answer policy-relevant questions, to improve health, wellbeing, and equity in Aotearoa

Our team of researchers have experience and expertise in a range of disciplines and social science research methodologies. COMPASS has a broad health and wellbeing focus, uniquely positioning it to address research questions related to the impacts of key societal changes.

COMPASS uses three main methodological approaches in its research.  First, COMPASS analyses whole population administrative data to understand equity and wellbeing, particularly using data from the Integrated Data Infrastructure (IDI).  Second, COMPASS analyses survey data to understand New Zealanders’ attitudes, views, and wellbeing status. COMPASS runs annual social attitudes surveys as one of ~50 countries involved in the International Social Survey Programme (www.issp.org), thus enabling the views of New Zealanders to be compared to other countries.  Third, COMPASS assesses the impact of policies using ‘micro-simulation’ – simulating the life-course development of individuals over time.

COMPASS 2025 Community Session

We ran our second annual Community Session on Friday 9 May 2025, hosted by Langimalie Research Centre in Manukau. Many thanks to all of our academic colleagues and the community groups that attended! Megan Fowlie wrote us an article to cover the events of the day:...

New Publication: Activity limitations for Māori

Barry Milne worked with a team of researchers led by Tristram Ingham at University of Otago Wellington to publish a paper describing activity limitations for a representative sample of Māori. Ingham, T. R., Perry, M. A., Jones, B. H., King, P. T., Sporle, A., Elliott,...

Media: Increase in MS prevalence

Research on the epidemiology of MS in Aotearoa New Zealand, led by Natalia Boven, was written up in Multiple Sclerosis News Today. This study, recently published by the New Zealand Medical Journal, found that the estimated prevalence of MS rose by around a third...

New Publication: Māori Health, Wellbeing and Disability

Barry Milne worked with a team of researchers led by Tristram Ingham at University of Otago Wellington to publish a paper describing the health, wellbeing, and cultural identity of a representative sample of Māori. Ingham TR, Jones BH, Perry MA, Sporle A, Elliott T,...

Event: Inaugural Lecture

Inaugural Lecture of Professor Barry Milne Wednesday, August 6 6 - 8pm NZST Register here COMPASS Director, Barry Milne, will give his professorial lecture on August 6. Registration details are below for those who want to attend. About the lecture My research career...

Marsden Fund update

The Royal Society Marsden Fund project application, “Developing methods for economic mobility research using New Zealand's administrative data”, involving COMPASS’s Barry Milne (PI) and Natalia Boven, with Andrew Sporle and Nicole Satherley, has made it through to the...

Our People

Meet our team of researchers, and our collaborators.

Projects

Read about the projects that the COMPASS team has undertaken.

Publications

Browse the list of journal articles, technical reports, and other outputs from our research.

Short Courses

Browse the social science research methods courses we run as the NZ Social Statistics Network.

Browse links to other centres, organisations, and resources within our research community.