The World Health Organization (WHO) today formally designated the EngAGE Centre for Research in Ageing at Trinity College Dublin as the new WHO Collaborating Centre for Longitudinal Studies on Ageing and the Life-course.
The Collaborating Centre will play a crucial role in strengthening data measurement, monitoring, and research on healthy ageing. It will assist countries in conducting national surveys on ageing, comparable to established studies, with a focus on addressing population-specific health needs and barriers to equity across the life course.
"The global population is getting older, and while people are living longer, the quality of those additional years is important " said Dr Anshu Banerjee, WHO Director of Maternal, Newborn, Child, Adolescent Health and Ageing. "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. With the support of our Collaborating Centres and global partners, I am confident that we can collectively overcome these obstacles and provide the necessary support to national governments in effectively implementing and monitoring the Healthy Ageing action plan."
An immediate focus of the collaboration will be supporting the implementation of the WHO Global Ageing Population Survey Programme. This project aims to provide countries with the tools and resources to collect standardized data on the health and well-being of older populations, enabling evidence-based policymaking and targeted actions aligned with UN Decade of Healthy Ageing (2021-2030).
The designation as a WHO Collaborating Centre is a testament to its outstanding research and commitment to improving the lives of older people. The centre joins a global network of 15 collaborating centres focused on ageing, with only five within the European Region and the first ageing-focused centre in Ireland.
"This designation is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our team in conducting the Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TILDA)," said Regius Professor Rose Anne Kenny, founding Principal Investigator of TILDA and the new Collaborating Centre Director. "We are thrilled to be recognized as a WHO collaborating centre which 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 collaboration between WHO and TILDA exemplifies the power of partnerships in addressing the challenges and opportunities of an ageing world. By combining their expertise and resources, they will contribute to creating a world where everyone can age healthily and with dignity.
