The Danish Center for Social Science Research (VIVE) – International network for social intervention assessment

History, structure and governance

VIVE – The Danish Center for Social Science Research was established on 1 July 2017 following a merger between SFI – The Danish National Centre for Social Research and KORA, the Danish Institute for Local and Regional Government Research.

VIVE has six departments: Work and Later Life, Children and Education, Quantitative Methods, Social Policy, Governance and Management, and Health. Our employees work in the fields of society, health, governance, education, children and young people, employment, integration, elderly care, economics and public sector management.

VIVE is an independent government institution under the Ministry of the Interior and Housing.

Mission

VIVE’s mission is defined in our founding charter: it is to carry out, and to disseminate the findings from, research and analyses oriented towards practical applications and related to the development of the Danish welfare state, the life circumstances of the Danish population and the organisation of the Danish public sector. This work is to include the promotion of improvements in quality, better use of resources, and better governance. The role of VIVE is thus to contribute to improving the knowledge base for developing the welfare state and for making decisions regarding legislation and administration.

How VIVE works

VIVE is an independent research and analysis centre operating under the Ministry of the Interior and Housing that carries out research and analysis projects in all the major aspects of welfare and the welfare state. We both initiate analysis and research projects ourselves and accept research commissions from a large number of clients including Danish municipal and regional authorities, agencies, government ministries and other organisations. We carry out research at an international level. We draw upon the latest international studies in the design and execution of research and analysis projects while also taking into account the experience and knowledge of practitioners and decision-makers

Areas encompassed in Social Intervention Assessment

VIVE carries out research in all areas of Social Intervention Assessment, including for example the prevention, diagnosing and treatment of psychological or social conditions and the promotion of health or wellbeing. VIVE produces primary studies of interventions as well as systematic reviews and other evidence synthesis products.

Dissemination

VIVE’s research and analyses are intended to contribute to creating a better knowledge base related to the central challenges facing the welfare state, and to help to ensure higher standards and better use of resources in the public sector and the welfare state generally. We are required to produce knowledge that is relevant and addresses current issues, and consequently we build applicability into all our projects, from the early stages of idea development to the final dissemination of the results. We always consider how knowledge can be translated into practice, and how it can challenge existing practice. VIVE creates both knowledge that is immediately applicable in relation to current issues and knowledge that can contribute to resolving future challenges for the welfare state. We engage in continuous dialogue with our stakeholders and with society at large in order to ensure that our research is relevant and usable in practice. We strive to provide recommendations and inspiration for action on the basis of our research and analysis, and we select formats and channels of dissemination that suit the needs of the target groups concerned. All our analyses and own research reports are published and made publicly available, and both the results and the methodological basis for the research are readily accessible.

Future plans

VIVE’s vision is that

our production and dissemination of knowledge is always up-to-date and relevant, in order to benefit the development of the Danish welfare state
we are the preferred supplier of knowledge to support decision processes among public service decision-makers, private interest groups and the general public
we are Denmark’s strongest environment for applied research and analysis in the area of the welfare state, and a natural choice as a partner among domestic and overseas organisations.

Agency information

Country: Denmark

Population served (mil): 5.9

Description of population served: National

Current total VIVE budget (mil Euro): 25.5

Permanent staff: 193, of which around 115 work in areas related to social intervention assessment.

Consultants:

Ongoing SIA projects: see https://www.vive.dk/da/undersoegelser-i-gang/?text=&limit=20&offset=0 (in Danish)