The Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal) is the result of an innovative alliance between the "la Caixa" Foundation and academic and governmental institutions to contribute to the international community's efforts to address health challenges in a globalised world. At the heart of ISGlobal's success is the alignment of the institutional strategy with the internal strategies of the different areas. The Projects Unit, which brings together research management and administration, defines its strategy to ensure that it is aligned with the overarching goals of the institution and contributes to its growth and impact. It is based on the shared decision-making of the institution's leadership and the vision of the external experts who evaluate the centre, including the External Advisory Committee and the International Panel of Experts from the Administration. Our strategy is implemented through specific actions and activities that respond to institutional needs and challenges. One of these actions - "Strengthening the capacity, leadership and internationalisation of the Projects Unit" - aims to strengthen the internal capacity and expertise of the institution through the development of an individual career plan for the members of the Unit, and to promote participation and leadership in national and international networks and other initiatives. This action is framed in the context of Action 17 of the ERA Policy Agenda and the Catalan Research Law, both recognising the role and importance of research managers. Two elements are crucial for the implementation of this action: i) a strong institutional support and commitment - the integrative approach of the ISGlobal’s HRS4Rs, renewed in 2021, covering all institutional profiles - and ii) the attraction of competitive funds by the Projects Unit to strengthen its capacity and internationalisation (approx. €1 M).
How does this translate into practice?
Some recent examples: i) Members of several EARMA Thematic Groups: ERION (co-chairs since 2022), Open Science (core members since 2023) and the Post-Award Project Management Thematic Group; ii) Associate Ambassadors of the RM Roadmap for Spain; iii) Members of the Coalition for Advancing Research Assessment (CoARA); iv) Members of the SOMMa network, composed of several Spanish centres accredited as Centres of Excellence by the Spanish Research State Agency.
Some future plans: i) to consolidate a visitors’ programme for international research managers and administrators, both incoming and outgoing; ii) to explore an EU network of global health centres in terms of research management, mainly in the context of the decolonisation movement and its implications; iii) to implement a mentoring programme for research managers in collaboration with neighbouring institutions and/or participation in the EARMA programme; iv) to promote participation in EU projects.
In summary, ISGlobal's Projects Unit has a team of highly specialised research managers trained in a wide range of research management topics: competitive fundraising, grants writing, project monitoring, scientific career, strategic coordination, integrity, ethics and open science, international collaborations etc.
Our strategy is to take a step forward and make the people that make up the Unit an international reference in some of these areas by strengthening our capabilities, leadership and internationalisation.
