Between the local and the global: Organized research units and international collaborations in the health sciences

Abstract

Organized research units-also known as centers, institutes, and laboratories-are increasingly prominent in the university. This paper examines how ORUs emerge to promote global agendas and international collaborations in an academic health center in North America. The roles these units play in helping researchers work across institutional and national boundaries are identified and analyzed. The concept of boundary organizations is employed to explain the features of ORUs and the challenges they face. Findings provide insight into how such units operate between local and global mandates, interest groups, and sources of influence, helping to extend university research into the global space. © 2010 Springer Science+Business Media B.V.