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About the department

Vision, mission, and strategy

The department had its humble beginnings in 2007 but has now evolved into a robust and unique structure that spans across hospitals and regions.

IRS constitutes a network of dedicated individuals who contribute with a diversity of expertise and skills that extend beyond traditional research environments. We foster relationships and create space for involvement, responsiveness, and a willingness to embrace change.

IRS has a vision that all research environments within individual hospitals are sustainable. Sustainable research environments work purposefully and balancedly based on a set of strategic factors within the given conditions of each hospital.

This vision is realized through the local research leadership at the hospitals developing strategies, goals, and actions based on an assessment of the given conditions and a realistic developmental trend. Such trends could involve growth, breakthrough, stability, or (re)establishment.

You can learn more about the work on sustainable research environments here.

IRS aims to contribute to improving human health through research related to the holistic well-being of individuals.

IRS is based on two forms of strategy: Patient-oriented and resource-based.

As a university, significant portions of the department's strategy are externally imposed through university law. Developing the core tasks of research, education, and knowledge dissemination is perceived as patient-oriented strategy. The resource-based strategy development supports the patient-oriented strategy development.

Patient-Oriented Strategy

Research strategies are developed by the region and at individual hospitals. Teaching strategies are primarily developed through the faculty's education management and administration. Dissemination of knowledge occurs through IRS's organization with the placement of research environments in individual hospitals and through part-time positions, where researchers apply new knowledge in clinical work at hospitals.

Resource-Based Strategy

To realize the vision of sustainable research environments, IRS, as an department, focuses on resource-based strategy development, which involves a set of strategic factors:

  • Knowledge sharing and collaboration across projects, units, and hospitals.
  • Talent and career development.
  • Recruitment.
  • Diversity and equality.
  • Communication and dissemination.
  • External funding.
  • Collaboration between research leadership, department leadership, and department leadership.


  • Clinical research in somatics and psychiatry.
  • Whole patient pathways from various professional perspectives.
  • Person-centered treatment and care.

Establishing sustainable research environments.

  • Research leadership.
  • Career paths.
  • Recruitment.
  • External funding.
  • Implementation of research in clinical practice and society at large.
  • Interdisciplinarity in research projects.

Scientific Approach

  • Develop and pursue original and innovative research ideas.
  • Involve patients and relatives in research projects.
  • Collaborate across disciplines and co-create ideas.

Education and Teaching

  • Educate pre- and postgraduate candidates.
  • Contribute to researcher education.

Communication/Visibility

  • Publish peer-reviewed articles and books.
  • Participate in scientific conferences, meetings, committees, networks, and collaborations.
  • Communicate and involve patients and relatives.
  • Maintain visibility on social media, news outlets, and professional journals.

Research Support and Collaboration

  • Provide strategic, administrative, legal, and financial support to researchers.


Last Updated 19.10.2023