The Psychometrics Centre
The Psychometrics Centre at
the University of Cambridge
has established itself as the bridgehead between research and practical applications of the discipline in the
UK. The Centre traces its origin to 1989, when John Rust, Director of the MSc in Psychological Assessment in Organisations in the University of London, gained the contract from the Psychological Corporation to carry out a standardisation of the world famous Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC) in the UK. The Centre moved to
City
University,
London, in 2003 and John became the
UK's only Professor of Psychometrics.
The Centre's relocation to the University of
Cambridge in November 2005 offered huge opportunities to develop work through the international links, expertise and research capabilities of the
University. The appointment of Tim Croudace, Senior Lecturer in Psychometric Epidemiology, as Research Director, and of Professors Jim Flynn, Nick Mackintosh and Bob Sternberg as Distinguished Associates has further raised the profile of the Centre and widened its areas of activity. The Centre is in the middle of an ESRC funded Development Initiative in Applied Psychometrics, focusing on training for academics in new software packages and latent variable modelling.