After five years of operation, the Millennium Institute for Care Research (MICARE), hosted by Universidad Andrés Bello (UNAB), Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile (UC), and Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso (PUCV), received the visit from the external evaluators as part of the five-year process carried out by the National Research and Development Agency (ANID).
The event took place on Wednesday, October 22, and brought together academic and scientific authorities, researchers from the Institute, undergraduate and graduate students, the MICARE’ advocate office, representatives from other institutions and research centers, as well as members of the MICARE community and general public.
The opening ceremony was led by MICARE director and UNAB School of Nursing academic Claudia Miranda, with welcoming remarks by Nicole Ehrenfeld, deputy director of Centers and Collaborative Research, ANID. On this occasion, Ehrenfeld gave a special welcome to the members of the evaluation panel: Dr. Jane Callaghan, professor of Child Welfare and Protection at the University of Stirling (United Kingdom), and Dr. William Haley, professor at the School of Aging Studies at the University of South Florida (United States).
Also in attendance were representatives from the host institutions: Luis Mercado, ViceRector for Research, Creation, and Innovation at PUCV; Carolina Torrealba, ViceRector for Research and Doctoral Studies at UNAB; María Angélica Fellenberg, ViceRector for Research and Graduate Studies at UC; Mónica Canales, Dean of UNAB Faculty of Nursing; Alejandra Vidales, Director General of Research at UNAB; and Diego Cosmelli, Director of UC Graduate School.
“The visit by the external panel allows us to comprehensively showcase the work carried out during these first five years of operation and the four pillars that guide our work: the generation of cutting-edge scientific knowledge, the construction of collaborative networks, the training of advanced human capital, and the connection with the environment. This instance not only considers the review of reports or presentations, but also meetings with different levels of the Institute, which provides a more complete view of the work carried out. For us, this evaluation is an opportunity to highlight the achievements made and project the continuity of MICARE in the coming years,” said Claudia Miranda.
The director also highlighted the Institute’s consolidation as a national and international benchmark in the field of care: “We are very proud of the progress we have made. MICARE has positioned itself as a key player in care research in Chile, with active collaborations in national and international networks and a strong commitment to influencing public policy. All our work seeks to improve the well-being and quality of life of older people, those living with intellectual or developmental disabilities, and those who care for them. The knowledge we generate is deeply connected to their experiences and needs,” she emphasized.
After the opening ceremony, the evaluators held meetings with university authorities, assistant researchers, young people, and postdoctoral fellows from the Institute, as well as undergraduate and graduate students affiliated MICARE. The day concluded with a meeting with the team of associate researchers and a guided tour of the offices.
About MICARE
The Millennium Institute for Care Research (MICARE) is a center of scientific excellence funded by ANID through the Millennium Science Initiative, currently housed at Universidad Andrés Bello (UNAB), Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile (UC), and Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso (PUCV).
Its mission is to research the care of older adults, people with intellectual or developmental disabilities, and people who, formally or informally, provide care or support to these groups. MICARE has an interdisciplinary approach and a strong commitment to public policy advocacy, advanced human capital training, and the creation of national and international collaboration networks.
The lines of research cover the sociocultural aspects of care and the life course perspective; informal and formal care for dependent older adults; care versus support in relation to intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD); and technology and care.
The principal investigators leading this project are Claudia Miranda (Director and UNAB academic), Marcela Tenorio (Alternate Director and UDD academic), Beatriz Fernández (UC academic), Alejandra Araya (UNAB academic), Vanessa Vega (PUCV academic), Paulina Arango (UMCE academic), Andrés Aparicio (MICARE researcher), Herminia Gonzálvez (UCEN academic), and Felipe Muñoz (PUCV academic).
MICARE seeks to be a benchmark in Latin America in the field of care and support, an area that currently requires the progressive generation of scientific knowledge in the region to inform public policy and thereby respond to the needs of the community.
For more information about MICARE, visit https://www.micare.cl/
