معرفی
Dr. J.J.G. Schmeets is a part-time Professor of Social Statistics in the Department of Political Studies at the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, Maastricht University. He is simultaneously a senior researcher and project manager at Statistics Netherlands (CBS), where he has worked since 1987. His work bridges academic research and national statistical practice, focusing on social cohesion, political participation, survey methodology, and large-scale data integration.
His research interests include social statistics, political participation, migration, trust in institutions, and quantitative methods. He leads interdisciplinary collaborations across Maastricht University’s faculties and with institutions like the Netherlands Institute for Social Research (SCP) and the Scientific Research and Documentation Centre (WODC). His work emphasizes the use of register and survey data to inform public policy.
The recent publications reflect a strong focus on social cohesion, migration, political engagement, and institutional trust, often using advanced quantitative methods and large datasets. Themes include urban well-being in Heerlen, citizenship acquisition, tax-induced migration, and electoral participation across socioeconomic groups. His work frequently combines statistical modeling with policy relevance.
Dr. Schmeets is actively involved in national and international projects. He serves on the advisory board of the Foundation Election Studies in the Netherlands (SKON) and has led the Dutch Parliamentary Election Studies in 1989, 1994, and 2006. He has coordinated the Social Statistical Database and the strategic programme on nonresponse at CBS. He has also contributed to over 50 international Election Observation Missions (EOMs) with the OSCE, developing methods to assess election integrity.
He advises on major statistical initiatives and collaborates with graduate schools and policy centers. His role includes strengthening ties between Maastricht University and external expertise centers, promoting empirical research using large-scale databases.
Dr. Schmeets leads research teams in the Department of Statistical Analysis at CBS (60 employees, mostly PhDs) and contributes to the Maastricht Graduate School of Governance. His work is central to the development of a national reputation in quantitative social research.
