Is developing a Center a process of negotiating with your academic institution? Are Centers' developed purely based on funding?
Centres require fund for sustainability reasons, however for starting a centre use of existing contacts and information communication infrastructure is enough. More than all these there should be clear vision and mission statement defined as purpose and approach towards the intended goal. The centre should be supported by the higher management so that the centre has its due process recognition, else it may lead to unnecessary hurdles including ego hurts on leadership....
Best wishes
With high regards
Krishnan Umachandran
Funding comes later from sponsors. The initialization of a Centre depends on new ideas that get accepted by the university as they see an opportunity to attract new students and sponsors.
For example, now that the climate is changing, how about creating a Centre for weather and climate studies. Mind you, geography was used to be taught at North America schools before, but then it was abandoned. It is very hard to even find a globe to buy and there are very few at schools. Sooner or later, geography will be back at schools and universities in a big way. Many new research Centres will be established as well.
without funding, it is difficult to establish a centre. however, other formalities like planning, management etc can be completed till funding arrives.
The most important consideration in setting up a centre is what it can achieve. Centres must have core competencies that can achieve high performance. They must also be guided by leaders and competent managers who can set vision and goals and atteact funding and profits. Eventually it could become recognised as a centre of excellence.
Let's say there is no funding, but an idea and a promising investigator. Do you propose the development of a small center as part of negotiating a new position? This Center would just be a name until funding was secured and then additional people would be hired. Thoughts?
Instead of expecting funding support from sponsor's; revenue generation through services by centre will sustain its activities and existence.
Funding is actually important but in my institution, one has to provide evidence of having attracted research grants and trajectory of scholarly achievements in terms of research.
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