Led by the the School of Engineering at the University of California, Merced, and the Rady School of Management at University of California, San Diego, the University of California has established a new California Center for Service Science, a virtual, cross-campus organization aimed at advancing the frontier of service research and education.
Although the service sector in California accounts for more than 80% of the jobs and more than 80% of the GDP, the service sector is understudied and the service workforce is undereducated in the state. Several University of California campuses, including Berkeley Los Angeles, San Diego, Davis, and Merced, offer service-science related courses, but there is currently no organized center for education and research on service at UC or in California more broadly. By creating a cross-campus center aligned with industry and government needs in the broad areas of knowledge-based and innovative service systems, the Center will advance the frontier of service science research and leadership in this emerging area. The Center will also educate the workforce to fit California’s economic needs, establishing an organization that will be self-sustaining through government and industry partnerships, and powering an engine of skill, innovation, and job growth for the state and the nation.
The mission for the California Center for Service Science is to encourage and foster innovative research and education on all topics related to service, emphasizing work that crosses traditional disciplinary boundaries along three broad themes: technology-based and technology-enhanced services, service design and innovation, and value creation in complex service systems.