Despite the critical role of research prioritization in optimizing funding allocation and shaping research agendas, there remains a notable gap in the literature on how these processes are assessed and implemented in practice. This special series aims to bridge this gap by bringing together studies that examine the frameworks, methodologies, and real-world applications of monitoring, evaluation, and implementation in research prioritization. We encourage submissions that explore both theoretical and empirical perspectives, with a focus on identifying best practices, challenges, and innovations in priority-setting mechanisms. Contributions may range from methodological discussions to case studies and policy analyses that shed light on how research prioritization efforts are designed, executed, and measured.

All submissions in this collection undergo the journal’s standard peer review process. Similarly, all manuscripts authored by a Guest Editor(s) will be handled by the Editor-in-Chief. As an open access publication, this journal levies an article processing fee (details here). We recognize that many key stakeholders may not have access to such resources and are committed to supporting participation in this issue wherever resources are a barrier. For more information about what support may be available, please visit OA funding and support, or email OAfundingpolicy@springernature.com or the Editor-in-Chief.

Health systems globally are under pressure to become learning organizations—capable of generating, sharing, and applying knowledge rapidly and equitably. However, the enabling conditions that make this possible remain under-theorized and inconsistently acted upon.

This Collection invites work that advances the science of enabling environments—the structural, cultural and capability-building conditions that support continuous, adaptive learning within health systems. We welcome conceptual, empirical, and practice-based contributions that explore, examine, and evaluate the enabling environment of learning health systems, including those that deepen collective understanding of the workforce capabilities, organizational cultures, and system conditions that sustain learning in health systems.

Suggested Subtopics

• Culture & Leadership

• Building a culture of curiosity, inclusion and psychological safety

• Roles of leadership and champions in advancing learning

• Embedding equity, patient and caregiver participation in learning practices

• Governance & Policy

• Governance models that promote distributed decision-making and learning

• Policies and incentives that enable experimentation and adaptive improvement

• System-level alignment of priorities, ethics review, and accreditation for learning systems

• Data & Digital Infrastructure

• Data literacy, interoperability and real-time analytics for learning

• Leveraging qualitative and experiential data alongside quantitative measures

• Digital tools and dashboards that support feedback loops and knowledge mobilization

• Funding & Investment Models

• Funding strategies tied to learning goals and long-term capacity building

• Models supporting dedicated time, embedded research roles and sustainability

• Aligning investment with community-identified priorities and system learning cycles

• Knowledge & Capacity Building

• Competency frameworks, continuing education and professional development for learning systems

• Research internships, embedded scientist models and mentorship programmes

• International learning collaboratives, communities of practice and peer-exchange networks

• Practice and Case Studies

• Case studies of health systems operationalizing enabling environments

• Implementation narratives from healthcare organizations, networks, or systems

• Evaluations of learning system maturity or embedded improvement practices

• Methodological Innovations

• Tools and measures for assessing learning system maturity

• Participatory methods, realist evaluation, developmental evaluation in learning systems

• Studies of learning ecosystems and co-design approaches

All submissions in this collection undergo the journal’s standard peer review process. Similarly, all manuscripts authored by a Guest Editor(s) will be handled by the Editor-in-Chief. As an open access publication, this journal levies an article processing fee (details here). We recognize that many key stakeholders may not have access to such resources and are committed to supporting participation in this issue wherever resources are a barrier. For more information about what support may be available, please visit OA funding and support, or email OAfundingpolicy@springernature.com or the Editor-in-Chief.