Tackling this is one of the major challenges of our future - also for health services research. It is a big task that requires interdisciplinary, multi-methodological, and cross-border approaches to research and healthcare. Our approach involves close collaborations within the interdisciplinary context of the School of Medicine and Health Sciences and other departments of the universities of Oldenburg and Groningen, as well as the expansion of community partnerships in the region.

A key element of cross-border cooperation is the Cross-Border Institute of Healthcare Systems and Prevention (CBI), which acts as a platform and initiator for joint activities between Groningen and Oldenburg in the field of healthcare in the northern border region.

Furthermore, there is a strong international network through further active collaborations (above all the USA, Switzerland, South Korea and Israel).

Methodologically, the department covers the entire spectrum of empirical social research, flexibly applying qualitative and quantitative methods as well as mixed methods approaches. One focus is on discussing and further developing methods - for instance within the Mixed Methods Laboratory, which is based at the department.