Lithuania Joins SHARE-ERIC – Europe’s Largest Ageing Research Initiative

Lithuanian researchers have received significant support from the Government of the Republic of Lithuania, enabling the country to become a full member of SHARE-ERIC (Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe – European Research Infrastructure Consortium). The research in Lithuania is conducted by scholars from the Faculty of Philosophy of Vilnius University (VU), Kaunas University of Technology, the Lithuanian Centre for Social Sciences, and Vytautas Magnus University.

The government’s support allows Lithuania to participate in SHARE and contribute to the ERIC as an active participant with decision-making power.

Population ageing is a pressing issue both in Lithuania and across the European Union, significantly affecting the labour market, the social and health care systems, education, and many other societal sectors. The ageing index is rising rapidly: According to Eurostat, the EU ageing index, which stood at 30.5 in 2017, is projected to reach 51.6 by 2060. In Lithuania, it is expected to be even higher, reaching 63.9, indicating that the majority of the population will consist of older people. Preparation for these fast-approaching challenges is crucial and requires reliable research and data – a vital opportunity provided by Lithuania’s participation in the SHARE-ERIC network.

"Joining this network is a major achievement for the country. The research findings will ensure data-driven decisions, which are crucial for Lithuania in addressing current and future challenges," said Justina Jakštienė, Vice-Minister of Social Security and Labour.

According to Prof. Antanas Kairys, one of the coordinating researchers from the Institute of Psychology at the VU Faculty of Philosophy, "It is very encouraging to see Lithuania becoming a full member of SHARE. While we have been collaborating with SHARE since 2014, Lithuania’s full involvement opens up even more opportunities. Lithuanian researchers gain access to high-quality and internationally comparable data covering ageing issues and can, therefore, enhance their competencies in research and data analysis. Moreover, the institutions determining social and healthcare policies can use this data to assess the need for specific decisions and measure their impact on older adults’ lives. It is also highly important that Lithuania’s full engagement in SHARE-ERIC grants it the opportunity to actively shape decisions regarding the implementation of this study."

Assoc. Prof. Vytis Silius, Vice Dean of the VU Faculty of Philosophy, emphasised the significance of this research: "As part of the SHARE study, researchers from the VU Faculty of Philosophy are collecting and managing data for the research they are conducting to analyse the challenges posed by population ageing. They also propose solutions to improve quality of life and health. It is gratifying that Lithuanian public institutions and researchers increasingly recognise the value of SHARE. By bringing together colleagues from other universities and research institutes into the SHARE Lithuania Consortium, we have also developed an operational plan for SHARE Lithuania research infrastructure, which has been well received by international experts."

SHARE is a large-scale, continuous survey of health, ageing, and retirement in Europe, collecting and analysing data on social security, employment, health, socio-economic status, family networks, and other areas. For this purpose, around 2,000 individuals over the age of 50 are surveyed every other year. The survey results are not only used for research purposes but also serve as a basis for making optimal policy decisions. It is, therefore, crucial that Lithuania also has a voice in the decision-making processes.

Since 2004, SHARE has surveyed 140,000 people over 50 in 28 European countries and Israel. The initiative gained momentum in 2011 with the establishment of the European Research Infrastructure Consortium (ERIC). Up until 2023, SHARE was coordinated by the Munich Center for the Economics of Aging, while in 2023, its headquarters moved to the newly established SHARE Berlin Institute.