Cohort and Longitudinal Studies Enhancement Resources (CLOSER)

Our centre

Director: Professor Jennifer Symonds

CLOSER was funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) and the Medical Research Council (MRC) between 2012 and 2017. Its initial five-year grant has since been extended to September 2028 by the ESRC.

Vision

Our vision is for longitudinal population studies to be at the heart of research, policies, and practices that create a more equal, sustainable, healthy, and functional global society.

Mission

Our mission is to increase the visibility, use and impact of longitudinal population studies, data and research to ensure that longitudinal evidence is used to address the health, social, economic and environmental challenges facing the UK, now and in the future.

Values

Our organisational values are the principles that drive our behaviour and guide our decision-making, both internally and externally.

• Collaboration – We believe that the best solutions come from working together. Our culture of collaboration and teamwork encourages open communication, mutual support, and the sharing of ideas to enhance our collective impact.
• Respect – Respect is at the core of our interactions. We foster a positive and inclusive work environment where everyone feels valued.
• Excellence – We are dedicated to maintaining the highest standards in everything we do. Our expertise is the foundation of our success, and we are committed to ongoing learning and development.
• Sustainability – We are committed to working towards the greater benefit of society. The principles of social responsibility and sustainability are embedded in our activities and outputs.
• Trust – Trust underpins all our relationships. We are committed to transparency in all our operations, ensuring that our actions are guided by integrity and honesty.

Strategic goals

Our three strategic goals are a high-level articulation of our 2024-28 grant deliverables and represent our focus over the next four years:

1. Provide high quality resources for the Longitudinal Population Study (LPS) community.
2. Act as a change agent across data, research, and policy communities.
3. Use our expertise to develop and support funding bids for international and national projects.

For more information on how we will work to achieve our strategic goals, take a look at our 2024-28 Strategic Plan [PDF, 1.6 MB].

Image at the top: sh240 via Adobe Stock.