The CLOSER project is part of the UCL Institute of Education. Its aim is to bring longitudinal data together in a consistent format - a process known as data harmonisation. This is allowing longitudinal researchers to compare data from different studies for the first time - revealing how and why the country is changing.

CLOSER is leading research to link data held by the government to survey data collected by longitudinal studies. Linking this data enables researchers to gain rich insights into how different aspects of people’s lives interrelate. 

CLOSER’s search engine, CLOSER Discovery enables researchers to search and browse questionnaires and data from the UK’s leading longitudinal studies to find out what data are available. This is opening up new opportunities for working together across different longitudinal studies. 

The eight studies are:

  • Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (Children of the 90s)
  • 1970 British Cohort Study
  • Hertfordshire Cohort Study
  • Millennium Cohort Study (Child of the New Century)
  • 1958 National Child Development Study
  • 1946 MRC National Survey of Health and Development
  • Southampton Women’s Survey
  • Understanding Society: The UK Household Longitudinal Study

CLOSER is run by a group of researchers and professionals at leading academic institutions and data management centres. 

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