JBI Collaboration expands global network in Switzerland
Driving methodological excellence, strengthening evidence ecosystems and supporting national health priorities
JBI celebrates its second partnership in Switzerland with the establishment of the JBI Centre for Evidence-Based Healthcare Eastern Switzerland, located within the Evidence-based Healthcare Centre (EBHC) at the Eastern Switzerland University of Applied Sciences.
As part of the JBI Collaboration, the Centre will serve as a strategic hub for advancing evidence-based healthcare across German-speaking regions of Switzerland. By addressing the region’s unique geographic and linguistic contexts, the Centre strengthens JBI’s growing European footprint and reinforces its commitment to embedding evidence in policy, research, education and clinical practice.
“As a JBI Collaboration Entity, we will contribute to international evidence synthesis and implementation efforts and advance methodological excellence in evidence-based healthcare (EBHC). Furthermore, we will provide training and capacity building in EBHC methods and strengthen our partnership with clinical and academic institutions in Switzerland and abroad,” said Prof Dr Janine Vetsch and Prof Dr Julian Hirt, Directors of the entity.
Drawing on engagement across multiple scientific communities and organisations, the Centre aims to address persistent gaps in integrating evidence into point-of-care workflows and sustaining evidence-based healthcare across diverse settings. Central to this mission is a strong commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion, aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Priority areas include dementia care, mental health, palliative care, and rehabilitation, supported by AI-enabled evidence synthesis and the development of practical, user-friendly point-of-care tools to accelerate frontline evidence uptake.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) has emerged as a powerful force in healthcare in recent years, reshaping both research processes and clinical practice. The World Health Organization (WHO) has emphasised the importance of prioritising AI for health, recognising its potential to strengthen healthcare systems and address global health challenges while supporting progress towards Sustainable Development Goals. This global momentum is reinforced by a 2025 joint position statement from leading international evidence organisations—including Cochrane, the Campbell Collaboration, JBI, and the Collaboration for Environmental Evidence—which highlights that while AI can substantially improve the efficiency and timeliness of evidence synthesis, its use must be responsible, transparent, and supported by human oversight to safeguard methodological rigour and integrity. Reflecting this global direction, the Centre will embed AI across its evidence generation and implementation activities to enhance efficiency, rigour and impact.
Addressing national health priorities is central to the Centre’s strategic agenda and responding to these requires not only robust research but also stronger evidence ecosystems that translate knowledge into sustainable practice and policy change. Through the use of JBI resources and JBI education courses, the entity will strengthen capacity in evidence synthesis, implementation and dissemination; enhance critical appraisal capability; and support evidence-informed decision-making among students, educators and clinicians.
The Centre will support clinicians by ensuring access to up-to-date evidence and guidelines, complemented by targeted training and coaching. It will foster collaboration across disciplines and sectors, actively involving patients and the public, and produce clinician-friendly evidence summaries and resources in German to maximise accessibility and impact.
Aligned with the JBI Model of Evidence-based Healthcare, the Centre will contribute to strengthening national and regional evidence ecosystems through conceptual, methodological and applied research, with particular attention to underserved populations and disciplines. Dissemination, communication and translation of evidence will be embedded across all stages of its work. The entity will also support academic education at multiple levels, as well as advanced continuing education and coaching, significantly advancing capacity building in Switzerland’s health sciences and education sectors.
JBI is thrilled to welcome the new entity to the growing global JBI Collaboration and looks forward to its valuable contributions to advancing evidence-based healthcare practice in Switzerland, Europe and throughout the JBI network.
The JBI Collaboration (JBIC) is a global collaborative evidence network comprising more than 90+ Collaborating Entities spanning across 40+ countries. Together, they drive JBI’s global mission to promote and support the use of the best available evidence to inform decisions made at the point of care.