Centre for Welfare Studies (CVS)
The Centre for Welfare Studies (CVS) at the University of Borås is focused on the opportunities and challenges facing the modern welfare society in terms of governance, organisation, and management.
One long-term goal is to contribute to a sustainable welfare society, both for those who govern, lead, and work in different welfare services as well as for those in need these services.
Objectives and visions
The Centre for Welfare Studies (CVS) wants to contribute to regional as well as national growth through knowledge development in the welfare sector. The activities are based on the university’s objectives and visions. Read more about the university’s objectives and visions here.
In order to contribute to this development and grown, CVS intends to:
- Identify collaboration partners for building networks in order to become a driving actor in the development of the welfare sector at different levels (individual, organisational, governmental, political) and sectors (private, public, non-profit)
- Work interactively and border-crossing through interdisciplinary research and development with relevant actors
- Contribute to societal development by problematizing, analysing, and reflecting on the challenges of welfare
- Arrange and support competence-enhancing activities for active people at different levels (individual, organisational, governmental, political) and sectors (private, public, non-profit) in the form of seminars, workshops, conferences, contract educations, etc.
- Participate in the public debate on social issues of relevance for welfare and the welfare services
- Collaborate with other centres at the university, all three faculties, with Science Park, as well as other parties mainly in the region Västra Götaland but also nationally
Our work intends to inspire and support by developing channels with politicians and leaders related to current welfare issues. CVS conducts border-crossing and interdisciplinary research and continued education with a basis in different scientific disciplines, for example leadership and organisation, learning and communication, health science, working life science, social science, and technology.
CVS also arranges external activities such as seminars, workshops, and conferences. Among other things is the annual recurring awards ceremony for the SydVästen prize for sustainable leadership in the welfare sector.
Focus areas
- Cross-sectorial and collaborative organisation for a sustainable welfare society.
- Governance, management, and organisation for competence provision in welfare.
- The challenges and opportunities of digitalisation for the organisation of welfare and its professions and users.
Organisation
CVS has a reference and competence group consisting of research expertise from all three faculties at the University of Borås. This group acts as a sounding board for planning activities at CVS and can also be used as resources when conducting different types of research, development, and innovation initiatives.
CVS also has a steering group consisting of representatives from Region Västra Götaland, Science Park Borås, Borås Stad, the Faculty of Caring Science, Work Life and Social Welfare, and the university’s Vice-Chancellor. Their task is to provide advisory boards to the directors of the centre and among other things suggest current areas, implement the work in practice, and forward results to decision-makers and politicians.
