Background
The Strategic Promotion of Ageing Research Capacity (SPARC) programme is one example of the UK research council's commitment to meeting the challenge of the ageing population. Following the launch of the Government’s EQUAL Initiative (a research-focused drive to extend the quality of active and healthy life) EPSRC and BBSRC responded by establishing mission-relevant research programmes. The EPSRC EQUAL Initiative focussed on the built environment, design for all and rehabilitation. It supported nearly 34 projects that ranged in size from £30,000 to £300,000 (total value of £5.4m), five consortia projects each exceeding £500,000 and substantial continuation awards to three of these consortia. The BBSRC Science of Ageing (SAGE) and Experimental Research on Ageing (ERA) programmes addressed the basic biology of the normal ageing process and funded 49 projects to a value of £9.15m. These programmes produced a groundswell of interest in ageing research. This was prompted partly by widespread and growing concern with meeting the needs of an ageing population, and more generally by the desire for a more inclusive society. In policy circles interest was also been stimulated by the public success of both EQUAL and SAGE/ERA.
The EPSRC-sponsored EQUAL Research Network facilitated the creation of a strong and sympathetic relationship between members of the research community, end users and intermediaries (many of whom did not normally view EPSRC as a natural source of support). As a result there was substantial encouragement from these groups for the further development of this network and calls to broaden the networking activities to include the biological sector. In 2003-4 representatives of the research community and of BBSRC and EPSRC explored the potential for joint activities in ageing-related research and identified that considerable scope for collaborative working existed between the “natural communities” of the two councils. This opportunity was matched by a strong commitment to meeting the challenges of old age from those who are directly involved with EQUAL, ERA and similar programmes. In late 2004 the decision was taken to establish a research network that would capitalise on this good will resulting in SPARC.
SPARC was a combined EPSRC-BBSRC network which was supported for four years. It complemented, but was distinct from, other research council funded activities such the ESRC-led cross-council New Dynamics of Ageing programme (which has core interests in, for example, ageing across the lifecourse, ageing and its environments, and the conceptualisation of future dependency).
EQUAL, SAGE and ERA permitted the development of small but dynamic research communities which included many younger researchers. However it was apparent that the aspirations of these younger researchers (and of established researchers wishing to enter ageing research) were not always well served by large grants. Indeed these researchers were largely overlooked by attempts in the early amd mid 2000s to coordinate ageing research across the research councils, leading to the loss of productive research potential.
To meet this challenge EPSRC and BBSRC provided SPARC with funds to make awards to academics for research with the potential to enhance national capacity for ageing research. SPARC defined capacity building activities as those which were likely to lead to an increase in the ability of the UK to conduct ageing research in the medium (5-6 year) term. The most efficient, fair and transparent mechanism by which these funds could be dispersed was through peer-review of short individual applications for support.
Research into design for old age, engineering and the biology of the human ageing process are all yielding potential improvements in the quality of life of older people. Accordingly a primary aim of SPARC was to represent the interests of researchers to key policy makers and the media. Communicating the potential benefits of successful reseach into ageing was seen as almost as important as conducting the research itself.
SPARC was led by Professor Peter Lansley of the University of Reading and co-directed by Dr Richard Faragher of the University of Brighton. The directors were supported by an Advisory Committee that included researchers, non-researchers who represent the interests of other stakeholders and Research Councils representatives.
The SPARC Coordinators were Verity Smith, who was Coordinator of the EQUAL Network and, since June 2006, Nicky Hewson. Reading was the main focus of design, engineering and physical sciences orientated activities and Brighton for biology and biotechnology activities, but there was a large overlap in responsibilities.
Further background details of the EQUAL Initiative and SAGE and ERA programmes can be found at www.fp.rdg.ac.uk/equal/ and www.bbsrc.ac.uk/science/initiatives/era.html respectively.
About SPARC: Overview | Objectives | Background | Advisory Committee | SPARC Secretariat | SPARC Reports | Membership Registration - Register your interest in SPARC |
