Laboratories and R&I department

La Source University of Applied Sciences fully meets the research requirements of the University of Applied Sciences and Arts Western Switzerland (HES-SO), while also developing its own tools to form part of a coherent national strategy. Its work is guided by the Swiss Research Agenda for Nursing (SRAN), which is based on a consensus among experts, as well as by federal guidelines, particularly those arising from the Nursing Initiative.

Our research activities make a tangible contribution to the development of the healthcare system and reinforce our role as a key partner for decision-makers. They also inform advanced training programmes. Intuition alone is not enough, and we therefore base our actions on validated knowledge and evidence, to support informed decision-making.

With this in mind that La Source also plays an active role in the development of organisations such as the Office for Knowledge Exchange in Exemplary Care Practices (BEST), which transforms evidence into practical recommendations to improve the quality and safety of care.

In line with the missions of universities of applied sciences (teaching, research and knowledge transfer), our research is firmly rooted in professional practice. At La Source, it is developed in close collaboration with partners in the field. While healthcare forms the foundation, health issues also intersect with other fields, such as ecology, the agri-food sector and industry.

Knowledge transfer is a key focus. It takes place in both teaching and professional settings, with the support of LERs and LABs, which facilitate the integration of research findings into undergraduate and postgraduate programmes. Our staff combine scientific expertise and professional experience, helping to ensure that our research is collaboratively developed, diverse and directly relevant to society.

Our research environment draws on a broad network of laboratories with diverse expertise, an institutional culture focused on innovation, and close partnerships, notably with the Source Innovation Lab (SILAB), the Hands-on Human Health Hub (H4) and businesses, ranging from start-ups to SMEs.

We also benefit from a high-quality simulated hospital, which serves as both a learning environment and a research platform. It enables us to test new approaches, experiment and generate knowledge under controlled conditions, complementing our field studies which have a high degree of ecological validity.

Finally, La Source, like the HES-SO, promotes open and accessible science. It encourages open-access publishing and data sharing. To this end, it draws on a Zenodo community for sharing open data and an Open Research DATA (ORD) advisory board, which assists teams with their Open Science activities.