Dear all, On Monday April 13 Rainer Schnell and Severin Weiand will offer a course on record linkage (see information below). Please sign up here on a first come first-serve basis https://www.berd-nfdi.de/berd-academy/record-link-2026/ before March 23rd. Introduction to Record Linkage (2026) With Rainer Schnell and Severin Weiand Duisburg, April 13th 2026 [???] Monday, April 13, 2026 [?] 9 a.m. – 1 p.m [??] Universität Essen Duisburg Record linkage refers to the process of identifying and linking records from multiple data sources that correspond to the same underlying entity – for example, matching individuals across distinct administrative databases. By enabling the integration of separate datasets of the same persons or organisations, record linkage substantially expands the analytical potential of available data. Applications include the construction of historical panels, the validation of survey responses by using process-generated data, and the estimation of the size of rare populations. This in-person workshop provides a comprehensive introduction to record linkage for practitioners across diverse scientific disciplines, including medicine, the social sciences, and economics. It addresses the fundamental methodological challenges of record linkage, particularly data quality, classification error, and privacy protection. Participants will gain a practical understanding of these challenges and the conceptual foundations required to address them effectively. More information on signing up https://www.berd-nfdi.de/berd-academy/record-link-2026/ In the afternoon we will also host a retirement party for Rainer Schnell with contributions from Ulrich Kohler, Johannes Kopp, Sonja Haug, Jonas Klingwort, Günther Heller, and Louise Dye. Should you want to stay on for that please email jonas.klingwort@gmail.com separately so we know the head count. Best regards, Frauke Kreuter