EQUAL is a national research initiative designed to encourage university based academics and researchers  to become involved with quality of life research for the benefit of older people, and disabled people and more generally to meet the challenges of the ageing population in the United Kingdom.

EQUAL has been pursued vigorously by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council. In 1998 EPSRC launched a special initiative to enable research engineers, designers and physical scientists and social, medical and health scientists to collaborate, and to work directly with older people, disabled people and their representatives on issues fundamental importance to improving the quality of life.

As a consequence of three separate invitations for research proposals, attracting over 200 proposals, EPSRC has  sponsored 34 separate research projects, involving 42 research teams from 27 Universities. Some projects have been completed, most are in progress, a few will commence in early 2002.

For background to the initiative please visit the archives.

Return