The College of Nursing at the Catholic University of Korea was designated a World Health Organization (WHO) Collaborating Center for Hospice and Palliative Care in September 1995. To further this mission, the Research Institute for Hospice (formerly the Hospice Education and Research Institute) was established in March 1996. In 2016, the Institute was officially designated as a WHO Collaborating Center, contributing to the advancement of hospice and palliative care and nursing policies, both domestically and internationally.

The philosophy of the Research Institute for Hospice is to act as a catalyst for fostering social awareness and facilitating knowledge and services to realize a dignified life and death. The Institute is committed to building a “Global Collaborative Research Community for Hospice and Palliative Care,” establishing cooperative networks with universities, professional institutions, and global communities, generating integrated knowledge in hospice and palliative care to guide future directions, and nurturing future leaders in the field.