Report from Executive Board to Senate

REPORT FROM EXECUTIVE BOARD TO SENATE

26 NOVEMBER 2013

FACULTY OF MEDICAL SCIENCES

THE FUTURE OF AGEING

Ageing research is fundamental to the Faculty of Medical Science. The Institute for Ageing and Health (IAH) has, for many years, led the way on ageing research and there is a will across the Faculty to expand this, capitalising on this very strong base, by ensuring that ageing research continues to be a very clear focus for all Medical Science’s researchers.

The focus on Ageing,however,is also a Societal Challenge theme which involves everyone in the Faculty of Medical Sciences(and extends across the other Faculties) and it has become increasingly difficult to avoid confusion with people external to the University (and even sometimes within), to explain how the IAH and the Newcastle Initiative on Changing Age (NICA) are distinct.

It is therefore, proposed to ‘elevate’ the IAH into an enhanced cross-cutting Type 1 virtual research institute. This new structure will replace NICA, it will include ‘outward facing’ roles such as public and patient involvement, industrial engagement etc., and will provide a home to the NIHR Biomedical Research Centre and Unit. It is proposed that this new structure willbe re-branded the ‘Newcastle Institute on Ageing’. For management purposes all IAH PIs will move to the existing institute most closely aligned to their area of primary research expertise. Given their interest in ageing, however, they will also become affiliate members of the new NIA. This proposed structure aligns the organisational home of the Ageing societal challenge theme tothe other societal challenge theme Institutes in the other two faculties.

The Campus for Ageing and Vitality will continue to showcase Newcastle’s commitment to ageing research across the translational spectrum providing a physical identity to the Faculty and University’s commitment to ageing research.

There have already been some discussions with academics in IAH around thisproposal and there is support for thisfrom the Faculty Executive Board and University Executive Board.

Senate is, therefore, asked to approve the dissolution of the IAH as a 'vertical' research structure (i.e. organisational unit in which staff are managed) and support the proposal for the creation of a Type 1 virtual research Institute called the Newcastle Institute on Ageing, replacing the Newcastle Initiative on Changing Age (NICA), prior to submission to Council for approval.

Professor Chris Day

Pro-Vice Chancellor (Medical Sciences)

on behalf of Executive Board

14 November 2013