How does a research centre evolve from a strategic initiative into a sustainable infrastructure with both academic and societal impact? Our new publication explores this question through the case of the University of Gothenburg Centre for Person-centred Care (GPCC).
The motivation for this enquiry was the growing demand for evidence-informed policy and practice, which follows public investment in policy-relevant research. But what kinds of research infrastructures are needed to turn these investments into lasting knowledge, practice and policy?
Drawing on documents, bibliometric data and interviews with key internal and external interest-holders, the study examines how GPCC has taken shape over time through the interplay between research policy, knowledge development, committed researchers and societal partners.
Government strategic funding enabled collaborative research and societal impact
The findings show how governmental strategic research funding created opportunities for interdisciplinary and societal collaboration, enabling the development of a sustainable research infrastructure and an adaptive research programme. Over time, the Centre moved towards evidence synthesis with both academic and societal impact - including implementation in healthcare and policy.
Importantly, the study highlights that research infrastructure is about more than organisational structures and scientific production. It is also shaped by relationships, collaboration, adaptability and the capacity to connect research with societal needs.
Publication: The shaping of a research centre: The University of Gothenburg Centre for Person-centred Care – from initiation and development to consolidation
