ESRC/MRC Population Research UK Coordination Hub

Funding to identify a coordinating hub team to lead, coordinate and manage Population Research UK (PRUK).

The Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) and Medical Research Council (MRC) are inviting applicants to be the coordinating Hub team to lead, coordinate and manage Population Research UK (PRUK).

PRUK is a new national resource funded by the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Infrastructure Fund and is designed to maximise the use of, and benefits from, UK longitudinal population studies across social, economic and biomedical science. It is aligned with strategies at a UK government, UKRI and council level.

UK longitudinal population studies (LPS) are a national asset based on detailed longitudinal data by participants provided over decades. PRUK will maximise the potential of this data by bringing together and developing the infrastructure, processes and people that will enable LPS data to be efficiently enhanced, accessed and analysed.

PRUK will comprise a ‘hub and spokes’ model with the hub managing the spokes and all parts working cooperatively towards achieving the overall vision. ESRC and MRC are seeking to appoint a team to provide leadership, coordination and management of PRUK. Together, members of this team will form the coordinating hub for PRUK.

The overarching role of the directors and hub team will be to:

• Coordinate the design and delivery of the spokes (approximately five). This process should start with a series of community co-production workshops, followed by an open competition led by the hub conducted in line with UKRI funding principles.
• Foster community-building, pluralism and inclusion across all involved communities.
• Facilitate and incentivise collaboration across the spokes and wider community to share learning and information.
• Ensure effective coordination and collaboration between PRUK and other parts of the research data infrastructure landscape, and alignment with the ESRC data infrastructure strategy.
• Coordinate PRUK programme level communication and public engagement activities.
• Manage the governance processes of PRUK and lead on programme level reporting and assurance, including reporting to the funders.
• Provide financial management of the spoke awards and the collaboration and innovation fund.

The hub is required to lead and deliver a separate funding opportunity for the spokes (or functions), of PRUK later in 2023. Funding will be awarded to the hub for onward distribution and management.