Abstract

Events such as the Covid-19 pandemic or the war in Ukraine and the refugee movements it triggered have clearly shown how important it is for science to quickly obtain reliable findings after such unexpected events and to be able to use these as a basis for giving policy and practical advices. To ensure that quality is not compromised, a special research infrastructure is required that is built on a secure foundation but is able to respond quickly to crises: With the new Online Panel for Labour Market Research (IAB-OPAL), the IAB, supported by funds from the BMAS data laboratory, has set up such an infrastructure.