Funded by the ESRC, the CLOSER consortium helps researchers find and use Longitudinal studies. 11 new studies have joined the consortium during CLOSER’s first expansion phase.
The UK Data Service looks forward to the possibility of acquiring more harmonised cohort datasets for the research community, to add to the CLOSER harmonised datasets currently available.
The 11 new studies are:
- Born in Bradford (Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust)
- English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (UCL)
- Generation Scotland (University of Edinburgh)
- Growing Up in Scotland (The Scottish Government)
- Health and Employment After 50/HEAF (University of Southampton)
- LSYPE 2 (Department for Education)
- Next Steps (UCL)
- NICOLA (Queen’s University Belfast)
- ONS Longitudinal Study (Office for National Statistics)
- Whitehall II Study (UCL)
- Wirral Child Health & Development Study (University of Liverpool)
This brings the total number of studies in the CLOSER consortium to 19, including the initial 8 partner studies:
- Hertfordshire Cohort Study (University of Southampton)
- MRC National Survey of Health and Development (UCL)
- 1958 National Child Development Study (UCL)
- 1970 British Cohort Study (UCL)
- Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children / ALSPAC (University of Bristol)
- Southampton Women’s Survey (University of Southampton)
- Millennium Cohort Study (UCL)
- Understanding Society: The UK Household Longitudinal Study (University of Essex)
This exciting development is in response to the progress made by CLOSER since its inception in 2012, changes in the longitudinal studies landscape and an increasing need and desire for studies to work together.
Professor Rebecca Hardy, CLOSER Director said:
“I am delighted that the first stage of expansion has come to fruition, and I am excited to welcome all 11 new studies to CLOSER in line with my vision to expand and broad CLOSER’s reach. I am very much looking forward to working with them as we continue CLOSER’s commitment to bring the longitudinal studies community together and provide the resources to support their needs.”
As well as welcoming these new studies, CLOSER has already widened membership of its Communities of Practice. These include three professional networks designed to cultivate knowledge exchange, share best practice and encourage innovative and collaborative projects, open to all in the wider longitudinal community:
- Data Managers Network
- Data Linkage Working Group
- Longitudinal Communications Network
Professor Bobby Duffy, Chair of the CLOSER Advisory Committee, said:
“It’s very exciting to see CLOSER begin to expand its network and help bring the longitudinal research community closer together. I believe this community is so much stronger when working collaboratively and the benefits to this, particularly when thinking about future developments in areas such as policy engagement, data linkage, and data discoverability, will prove invaluable.”
CLOSER’s future plans include the phased expansion of the consortium to include additional longitudinal studies based across the UK and beyond.