PSIRU | Public Services International Research Unit
Focusing on the impact of privatisation and liberalisation on public services globally
Examining the social, economic and political aspects of privatisation and liberalisation in water, energy, waste management, health care and social care as well as role and structure of public services and public finance globally.
About Us
The Public Services International Research Unit (PSIRU) was established at the University of Greenwich in 2000. It specialises in in the political economy of public service provision and financing, as well as the institutional dimension of public sector reforms. PSIRU’s research spans across multiple sectors, including water, energy, waste management and the circular economy, healthcare, social care, public administration, and transport in the Global North and Global South. It is recognised for its impact in both academic and policy-making communities.
PSIRU’s mission is to deliver rigorous, evidence-based research on high-quality, essential public services globally, to influence policy change and to build public sector capacity worldwide through education and training. PSIRU’s activities are thereby feeding into the strategic priority of Impactful Research and Knowledge Exchange (IRKE) as outlined in the University of Greenwich strategy.
PSIRU’s vision is a world in which high-quality public services are delivered, financed, and reformed to benefit both the communities that rely on them and the essential workers who run them, while safeguarding the environment, fostering sustainable development, and advancing socio-ecological justice.
PSIRU’s strategy is to conduct rigorous research and practical training that drives real policy impact, aligned with its mission and vision.
