Stephen Morris

Professor Stephen Morris is a faculty member at Manchester Metropolitan University, serving as Professor of Evaluation since 2016. He specializes in causal inference, program evaluation, and mixed-method social science research, with applications in education, social care, labour markets, and crime and justice. Morris pioneered randomised trials in UK social policy and co-authored the government’s Magenta Book.

• Editorial Board: Sociological Research Online (2020–2023)
• Advisory Roles: UK Government Trial Advice Panel, What Works Centre for Children’s Social Care, Youth Futures Foundation, Youth Endowment Foundation, Education Endowment Foundation.
• Honorary Positions: Honorary Fellow of the Institute for Employment Studies.

Morris’s research focuses on evaluation methodology, particularly cluster randomised controlled trials (RCTs), formative assessment tools, and intervention studies in education and social policy. His recent work includes evaluations of educational technology, literacy programs, and mentorship initiatives for at-risk youth. Trends in his publications emphasize quantitative methods, policy impact, and program design.

Scientific Awards:

• Honorary Fellow of the Institute for Employment Studies.

Advising and Grants: Morris supervises Gail Mann (focus: agency and reflexive interventions) and Andrew Smith (generalisability of RCT findings in education). He has secured substantial funding for high-profile national evaluations, including projects for the Education Endowment Foundation, Youth Endowment Fund, and UK Ministry of Justice, with grants ranging from £2,400 to £649,753. His consultancy spans UK and international organisations, focusing on programme evaluation.