On April 8-9, NEAR database managers met at Blekinge Institute of Technology (BTH) in Karlskrona for a two-day workshop onsite and online. The first day started with welcoming and updating everyone about recent NEAR activities. This was followed by two well-attended presentations by Robert Thiesmeier, who discussed missing data methods, and Debora Rizzuto who presented an overview of NEAR. The presentations generated many questions and interest in using NEAR data. The rest of the afternoon was spent discussing non-response rates across all studies, with database managers contributing their insights and recommendations. As the day ended, the group enjoyed dinner at the restaurant “Nivå” in Karlskrona’s picturesque main square.
On the second day, the focus shifted to internal briefings and dialogues pertinent to the NEAR application process. Bolin Wu addressed improving workflow processes for handling data requests and delivery. Additionally, Basile Rommes presented the latest NEAR platform modifications. The session concluded with a roundup of the latest updates from the local databases and NEAR Central. The two days were valuable and productive, culminating in decisions about request management, data preparation, and delivery processes related to secure data transfers. The participants left energized and inspired to continue working together on improving NEAR’s database workflow processes.
As aging is a global phenomenon with challenges that transcend borders, NEAR views building strong international partnerships with similar research networks and studies as essential. Thus, we’re happy to announce our new partnership with the Spanish Seniors-Enrica study. What is Seniors-Enrica? Seniors-Enrica is a national study on nutrition and cardiovascular risk factors, featuring two cohorts: […]
We are excited to share that NordForsk has awarded NEAR 5,515,823 SEK for the NEXT-NORD project: NEXT Generation Transdisciplinary Aging Research for Nordic Excellence, for 2026−2031. Why this matters The Nordic countries are uniquely positioned to lead globally in aging research, thanks to decades of high-quality, population-based studies, which can be linked to registers. However, […]
On November 26, the NEAR and REWHARD infrastructures brought together researchers and stakeholders at Karolinska Institutet for a well-attended symposium on one of the most pressing challenges in research: non-response in cohort and survey studies. After an initial welcome from Debora Rizzuto of NEAR and Martin Hällsten of REWHARD, the symposium featured leading experts who […]