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TILDA joins Global WHO Network for Ageing and Life Course Research

Posted on: 9 September 2024

The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TILDA) was proud to announce its designation as a World Health Organization (WHO) Collaborating Centre for Longitudinal Studies on Ageing and the Life Course. This prestigious designation recognises the ongoing collaborative efforts between TILDA and WHO in supporting research and initiatives to promote healthy ageing across the life course (an approach to studying and understanding the different life phases across the entire life span).

To mark this significant achievement, TILDA officially launched the WHO Collaborating Centre (WHOCC) in Trinity College Dublin with the Provost, delegates from the WHO and and representatives of the Department of Health and the Health Research Board in attendance, to celebrate TILDA’s collaborative work and ongoing commitment to improving the understanding and well-being of ageing populations globally.

This new WHOCC is the first in Trinity College, one of five in Ireland and one of only 15 out of 800 centres worldwide that focusses on ageing.

Professor Rose Anne Kenny, Regius Professor of Physic, speaking at the launch, Trinity Long Room Hub.

Why is this designation important?
WHO Collaborating Centres (WHOCC) are institutions that form an international collaborative network carrying out activities to support WHO’s programmes. Collaborating centres are designated by the WHO Director-General in recognition of world-leading research and expertise that supports WHO’s health agenda. Through this global network, WHO gains access to expertise to support and ensure the scientific validity of its global health work, while the collaborating centres receive greater visibility and recognition nationally, and attract public attention to the issues they address.

The WHO Collaborating Centre for Longitudinal Studies on Ageing and the Life Course at Trinity College Dublin will provide expert knowledge to inform development, design, and best practices in conducting national surveys of ageing, supporting WHO’s target to have data on older populations in over 60% of member countries worldwide by 2030. The Centre will facilitate knowledge exchange, translation, and dissemination across international networks of ageing studies, and the network of centres in the field of ageing and life course research.

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Pictured from left to right: Brendan Tuohy, Professor Alan Barrett, Terry Neill, Dr Mairéad O'Driscoll, Dr Muiris O'Connor, Professor Rose Anne Kenny, Yvonne Keane, Dr Anshu Banerjee, Trinity Provost Dr Linda Doyle, Paddy Donnelly, Professor Cathal McCrory, Long Room Hub.

Regius Professor Rose Anne Kenny, founding Principal Investigator of TILDA and Director of the new Centre, said:

"Ireland now has one of the highest life expectancies in Europe. Unpacking the reasons behind this can provide insights that are valuable not only nationally, but globally. The Centre will investigate factors driving increased longevity, offering a wealth of data and solutions that can influence global approaches to life course science and longer healthy lifespan. Working in conjunction with WHO, TILDA, and Trinity College, the Centre aims to create global solutions for health policy and practice across the life course – worldwide.

This designation is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our team at TILDA. We are thrilled to be recognised as a WHO Collaborating Centre.

The Centre allows us to further our research and collaboration with WHO, Trinity College, and international partners to develop solutions that improve health and well-being across the lifespan. Our work will provide crucial data to inform policies and practices globally."

The life course approach employs longitudinal studies which collect repeated measures at regular and frequent intervals over prolonged periods of time (i.e. decades) to understand how humans grow, develop, and decline.

This new WHOCC is the first in Trinity College, and one of five in Ireland. The other WHOCCs are in the areas of; suicide prevention (University College Cork); health research with refugees and migrants (University of Limerick); health promotion research (University of Galway); and nursing regulation and continuing professional development (RCSI).

Dr Anshu Banerjee, Director of Maternal, Newborn, Child, Adolescent Health and Ageing, WHO Headquarters , said

"WHO values the unique expertise of the Collaborating Centre for Longitudinal Studies on Ageing and the Life Course. This partnership will enhance our insights into healthy ageing and support the implementation of the WHO Global Ageing Population Survey across high, low, and middle-income countries, advancing the measurement, monitoring, and evaluation of the UN Decade of Healthy Ageing 2021-2030. We look forward to a fruitful collaboration."

Dr Linda Doyle, Provost, Trinity College Dublin, said:

Around the world, people are living longer than ever before so our understanding of the ageing process and how to age well is becoming ever more important. This Collaborating Centre, which will bring together expert researchers in Trinity and leaders in global health in WHO, will enable us to shape global understanding of and approaches to health and ageing. I am incredibly proud that Trinity will be part of this network.”

TILDA marked the establishment of the WHOCC with a panel discussion in the Long Room Hub to explore the impact of longitudinal studies on policy and practice, moderated by Professor Alan Barrett, CEO of the ESRI and Chair of the Commission on Care for Older People. Afterwards, Taoiseach Simon Harris joined representatives from WHO, TILDA and Trinity College Dublin at Government Buildings for a photocall.

Pictured from left to right: Professor Cathal McCrory, Paddy Donnelly, Dr Mairéad O'Driscoll, Dr Anshu Banerjee,
Taoiseach Simon Harris, Professor Rose Anne Kenny, Dr Chris Ryan, Trinity Vice Provost Professor Orla Sheils, Yvonne Keane, at Government Buildings.

Pictured from left to right: Yvonne Keane (TILDA Participant and PPI Member), Taoiseach Simon Harris,
Paddy Donnelly (TILDA Participant and PPI Member), at Government Buildings.