The volume presents an updated overview of the background ideas of the NEPS and its conceptional framework. It informs about the longitudinal structure of the multicohort sequence design and discusses its key methodological challenges as well as data protection issues. It also describes the organizational structure of the consortium of leading educational scientists and research institutions who have not only jointly developed the basic design but are continuously further adjusting it. Finally, it provides background information for users who want to utilize NEPS Scientific Use Files for their research projects. The volume is a revised edition of the ZfE Special Issue on the NEPS which appeared in 2011. 

The volume presents an updated overview of the background ideas of the NEPS and its conceptional framework. It informs about the longitudinal structure of the multicohort sequence design and discusses its key methodological challenges as well as data protection issues. It also describes the organizational structure of the consortium of leading educational scientists and research institutions who have not only jointly developed the basic design but are continuously further adjusting it. Finally, it provides background information for users who want to utilize NEPS Scientific Use Files for their research projects. The volume is a revised edition of the ZfE Special Issue on the NEPS which appeared in 2011.