By Reza Dehnavieh

How can universities in countries which have centralised and traditional discipline-based systems encourage cross-disciplinary research and education?
Here I describe lessons from the work of the Institute for Futures Studies in Health, which is an Iran-based organization specializing in foresight activities in Iran’s health system. The Institute is affiliated with Kerman University of Medical Sciences, and was launched in 2012. The Institute utilizes knowledge management in combination with the development of a more desirable future as the key concept at the core of its identity and follows four main goals:
- evidence-based decision-making,
- networking among stakeholders within and outside the health sector,
- developing capabilities and empowerment of stakeholders, and
- outlining strategic perspectives on health.