Chris Phillipson's EMRAN Launch presentation

1. Manchester Institute for
Collaborative Research on Ageing
(MICRA)

2. DEVELOPMENT OF MICRA
• MICRA established as a network in 2010
• Designated as a research institute in 2013
• Core funding from Medical Health Sciences
& Humanities

3. MICRA: Strategic Objectives
• To establish the University as a major interdisciplinary
centre for research into ageing
• To develop a global presence in working with national
and international partners in seeking solutions to the
challenges associated with population ageing
• To advance knowledge about ageing through the pursuit
of high quality research
• To transform public and professional perceptions of
ageing
• To engage with older people and organisations working
on their behalf

4. MICRA: Research Themes
• Social and cultural change in later life
• Later life working, retirement and pensions
• Frailty, cognition and dementia
• Physical decline and tissue regeneration
• Biology of ageing and the life span
• Inequalities, health and well-being
• Engineering, environment and technology
• Public policy and care provision

5. MICRA: Public Engagement Strategy
Shaping the debate on population ageing through:
• Influencing government, IGOs, key policy groups working in
the field of ageing
• Developing partnerships with organisations working on
behalf of older people e.g. Age UK,
International Longevity Centre-UK
• Work with local authorities, third sector and housing
associations.
• An electronic newsletter which reaches over 1400
academics, practitioners, policy makers and older people.
• A re-designed website launched in January 2014

6. MICRA: Organisation and
Research Activities
Inter-disciplinary team of co-directors
Institute Manager and .6 administrator
• Supporting age-related research bids across the University
• Annual national Ph.D student conference
• Seedcorn funding: 95 applications since launch in 2010 with
31 supported
• Cross-faculty workshops (e.g. biomedical and social aspects of
frailty, work and retirement)
• Supporting areas of research collaboration
• Supporting early career researchers

7. Internal capacity-building and
support for research applications
• Dementia Research day: 110 participants
• Research event with Engineering and Physical Sciences:
50 participants
• Support for development of research network on
‘Work, Retirement and Pensions’
• Continuation of discussions around Centre for Frailty
• Support for Horizon 2020 application led by Life
Sciences
• Support for two successful ESRC Impact Accelerator
Account applications

8. Annual Lecture and seminars
• MICRA Annual Lecture given by Professor
Peter Whitehouse attracted attendance of
c.170, drawn from wide range of professions
and academic groups
• 18 seminars in 2014 organised in association
with wide range of academic
schools/faculties/partner organisations

9. Links with external partners
• Signing of memorandum of agreement with
AgeUK
• Extensive programme of work with Greater
Manchester and Manchester City Council
(likely to be extended with devolution)
• Developing formal partnerships with
international research centres (e.g. ANU)

10. Communications and marketing
• Resourcing of website/ e-newsletter
• New sections added to website reflecting
particular research strengths in age-related
areas
• MICRA network increased to c.1,500
• Increasing use of Twitter account
• Around 1400 people attended MICRA events
in 2014/15

12. SOME ISSUES
• Where do networks/institutes fit in University
structures?
• Accept that not everyone will want to become
involved
• Interdisciplinarity is hard work – co-directors
drawn from all faculties is important
• There may be a case for identifying key themes
• Importance of targeting early career researchers