# Centre for Research, Evaluation, and Social Assessment

> New Zealand social research and evaluation organisation

**Wikidata**: [Q124435171](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q124435171)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/centre-for-research-evaluation-and-social-assessment

## Summary
The Centre for Research, Evaluation, and Social Assessment (CRESA) is a New Zealand-based research institute founded in 1994 and led by director Kay Saville-Smith. It operates as a standalone organization dedicated exclusively to conducting social research and evaluation, distinguishing it from hybrid institutions like universities that combine teaching with research.

## Key Facts
- **Official Name:** Centre for Research, Evaluation, and Social Assessment
- **Alias:** CRESA
- **Type:** Research institute (instance of)
- **Primary Focus:** Social research and evaluation
- **Location:** New Zealand
- **Year Founded:** 1994
- **Director/Manager:** Kay Saville-Smith
- **Website:** https://cresa.co.nz/
- **Wikidata Description:** New Zealand social research and evaluation organisation
- **Classification:** Falls under the global "research institute" class, which is formally classified under Dewey Decimal Classification 001.406 and Geonames feature code S.ITTR.
- **Global Context:** The research institute class is recognized across 41 Wikipedia language editions, indicating its widespread conceptual relevance.

## FAQs
**What is the core mission of the Centre for Research, Evaluation, and Social Assessment?**
CRESA is a research institute whose sole purpose is to generate new knowledge through systematic investigation in the social sciences, specifically focusing on research and evaluation projects.

**Where is CRESA based and how can its operations be identified?**
CRESA is geographically based in New Zealand, a fact supported by its country classification and its website's .nz domain. As a research institute, it is formally identified in geographic databases using the Geonames feature code S.ITTR.

**When was CRESA established and who has led it?**
The organisation was founded in 1994. Its director and manager is Kay Saville-Smith, as documented in recent structured data referencing its official website.

**How does CRESA's organisational model differ from a university?**
Unlike a university, which integrates teaching with research, CRESA exists purely as a research institute without responsibilities for undergraduate education or degree-granting, allowing it to concentrate all resources on investigation.

**In what way is CRESA distinct from a policy-focused think tank?**
While think tanks primarily conduct research to influence government policy, CRESA, as a research institute, engages in fundamental social science inquiry across a broad disciplinary scope, not solely for immediate policy advocacy.

## Why It Matters
CRESA plays a critical role in New Zealand's evidence ecosystem by providing dedicated, independent social research and evaluation. As a pure research institute, it can pursue long-term, methodologically rigorous studies that might be sidelined by the teaching obligations of universities or the short-term commercial goals of corporations. This focus is essential for generating robust evidence on complex social issues—such as inequality, community development, or public health—which informs effective policy and programme design. By existing outside traditional academic and governmental structures, CRESA offers a flexible, specialised platform for investigation that addresses national social challenges while contributing to the global pool of social science knowledge. Its sustained presence since 1994 demonstrates the enduring need for specialised organisations that can commit entirely to the systematic assessment of society.

## Notable For
- **Exclusive Research Mandate:** It is dedicated solely to research and evaluation activities, unlike hybrid organisations that split focus between research, teaching, or commercial pursuits.
- **Social Science Specialisation:** It focuses specifically on social research and evaluation, distinguishing it from multidisciplinary research institutes that cover natural sciences or technology.
- **Long-Term Operational Stability:** Its founding in 1994 marks it as an established, enduring entity within New Zealand's research landscape.
- **Standalone Governance:** It operates as an independent institute rather than as a sub-unit or centre within a larger university or government department.
- **Leadership:** It is directed by Kay Saville-Smith, providing consistent expert oversight.
- **Formal Classification:** It is formally mapped to the global "research institute" class, which carries specific library and geographic identifiers (Dewey 001.406, Geonames S.ITTR).
- **Global Conceptual Alignment:** It is an instance of an organisational form (research institute) that is internationally recognised, with the class itself documented in 41 Wikipedia language editions.

## Body

### History and Founding
The Centre for Research, Evaluation, and Social Assessment was established in 1994. Its inception created a permanent, dedicated institution for social research in New Zealand, filling a niche for specialised evaluation work separate from academic departments.

### Leadership and Governance
The organisation is managed by its director, Kay Saville-Smith. This leadership structure provides focused executive oversight for its research portfolio, ensuring strategic direction aligned with its pure research mission.

### Geographic and Operational Base
CRESA is headquartered in New Zealand. Its operational identity is tied to this location, evidenced by its country classification and its website's national domain (cresa.co.nz). In geographic information systems, it would be identified under the Geonames feature code S.ITTR, which is assigned to research institutes.

### Organisational Classification and Identity
CRESA is formally classified as an **instance of** a **research institute**. This is a distinct organisational class defined by a primary purpose of conducting research. As such, it is differentiated from:
*   **Universities:** Which combine research with teaching and degree-granting.
*   **Think Tanks:** Which primarily conduct policy-oriented research to influence decision-makers.
*   **Scientific Societies/Learned Societies:** Which are membership-based organisations for professionals, not operational research bodies.
*   **Research Centres:** Which are often sub-units within larger institutions like universities, rather than standalone entities.

This classification places CRESA within a globally recognised category. The research institute class is systematically organised in library cataloging (Dewey Decimal 001.406) and structured data frameworks (schema.org/ResearchOrganization), and its conceptual definition is maintained across 41 different Wikipedia language editions.

### Scope of Work and Methodology
The organisation's work is confined to two interconnected domains: **research** and **evaluation** within the **social sciences**. This indicates a focus on systematic investigation into human society, social relationships, and institutional functions, using methodological approaches to both generate new knowledge and assess the effectiveness of programmes, policies, or interventions.

### Distinctions from Related Entities (Detailed)
CRESA's identity as a research institute creates several key differentiators:
1.  **Purpose:** Its charter is singularly investigative. It does not have a concurrent mission to educate students or to advocate for specific policy outcomes, which allows for objective, curiosity-driven, or problem-oriented inquiry.
2.  **Disciplinary Scope:** While it specialises in the social sciences, its work as a research institute is not inherently limited to policy analysis, which is the hallmark of a think tank. Its research can encompass fundamental social theory, behavioural studies, or demographic analysis.
3.  **Structural Independence:** It is not a learned society (which serves a professional community) nor a research center (which is typically embedded within a university). Its standalone status allows for agile, long-term project management without competing for resources with teaching programmes.

### Recognition and Standards
By being an instance of the research institute class, CRESA adheres to an internationally understood organisational model. This model is codified in multiple knowledge systems:
*   **Library Science:** Classified under Dewey Decimal 001.406 (General research).
*   **Geographic Data:** Assigned Geonames feature code S.ITTR.
*   **Structured Data:** Mapped to schema.org/ResearchOrganization.
This formal recognition facilitates its integration into global academic and research networks, data aggregators, and funding databases.

## References

1. [Source](https://cresa.co.nz/our-people/)