# Centre de Recherche et de Documentation sur l'Océanie
**Wikidata**: [Q2945432](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2945432)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centre_de_recherche_et_de_documentation_sur_l'Océanie)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/centre-de-recherche-et-de-documentation-sur-l-oceanie

## Summary
The Centre de Recherche et de Documentation sur l'Océanie (CREDO) is a French research institute founded in 1995 that specializes in the study of Oceania. Operating as a Unité Mixte de Recherche (UMR) with the French National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS), it is located in Marseille and affiliated with Aix-Marseille University and the School for Advanced Studies in the Social Sciences (EHESS).

## Key Facts
- **Inception**: Founded in 1995.
- **Location**: Based in the 3rd arrondissement of Marseille, France, at 3 place Victor Hugo, postal code 13331.
- **Parent Organizations**: 
  - National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS) from 1995.
  - School for Advanced Studies in the Social Sciences (EHESS) from 1995.
  - University of Provence - Aix-Marseille I from 1996 to 2012.
  - Aix-Marseille University from 2012.
- **Legal Form**: French Unité Mixte de Recherche (UMR).
- **Part of**: Maison Asie-Pacifique.
- **Aliases**: Commonly known as CREDO.
- **Identifiers**: 
  - VIAF ID: 287574060.
  - IDREF ID: 161660681.
  - Ringgold ID: 88574.
  - Freebase ID: /m/04_0117.
  - HAL structure ID: 179622.
  - French national research structure ID: 201220303W.
  - CNRS research group ID: UMR7308.
- **Instance Of**: Research institute and laboratory.
- **Industry**: Research.
- **Website**: http://www.pacific-credo.fr/ (in French).
- **Wikipedia Presence**: Articles in English and French editions, with a sitelink count of 2.
- **Short Name**: CREDO.

## FAQs
**What is the primary research focus of CREDO?**  
CREDO specializes in research and documentation related to Oceania. Its mission is systematic investigation within this regional context, covering social sciences and related disciplines.

**Where is CREDO physically located and what larger entity houses it?**  
CREDO is located at 3 place Victor Hugo in the 3rd arrondissement of Marseille. It operates within the Maison Asie-Pacifique, a larger research complex that hosts multiple units.

**Which organizations have been CREDO's primary institutional partners since its founding?**  
Since 1995, CREDO has been jointly supported by the National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS) and the School for Advanced Studies in the Social Sciences (EHESS). It was also affiliated with the University of Provence - Aix-Marseille I from 1996 until 2012, after which it became part of Aix-Marseille University.

**How is CREDO structured as a research entity in France?**  
CREDO is structured as a French Unité Mixte de Recherche (UMR), which is a collaborative research unit typically involving CNRS and one or more universities. This legal form facilitates joint research activities and resource sharing among its parent organizations.

**What are the main identifiers for CREDO in international research databases?**  
CREDO is recognized with identifiers such as VIAF ID 287574060, IDREF ID 161660681, and a HAL structure ID of 179622. It also holds a French national research structure ID (201220303W) and a CNRS group ID (UMR7308), linking it to national and international academic networks.

## Why It Matters
CREDO matters as a dedicated, long-standing research institute focused on Oceania, a region that requires specialized, sustained scholarly attention. Its affiliation with major French research bodies—CNRS, EHESS, and Aix-Marseille University—provides it with academic credibility and resources to produce authoritative knowledge. By concentrating on Oceania without the teaching obligations of a university department, CREDO can pursue in-depth, interdisciplinary research that supports academic, policy, and public understanding of the Pacific. Its location within the Maison Asie-Pacifique further integrates it into a broader hub of Asian and Pacific studies, enhancing collaborative potential. In an era where regional expertise is critical for addressing global challenges like climate change and cultural preservation, CREDO serves as a vital infrastructure for generating and disseminating specialized knowledge about Oceania.

## Notable For
- **Longevity and Stability**: Operating continuously since 1995, demonstrating sustained institutional commitment to Oceania studies.
- **Unique French UMR Model**: Functioning as a Unité Mixte de Recherche, a specific French collaborative structure between CNRS and universities that optimizes research funding and personnel.
- **Regional Specialization**: One of the few research institutes globally with an exclusive focus on Oceania, providing concentrated expertise.
- **Integration into Major Networks**: Holding multiple authoritative identifiers (VIAF, IDREF, HAL, CNRS UMR) that formally embed it within French and international research ecosystems.
- **Strategic Location**: Based in Marseille within the Maison Asie-Pacifique, positioning it at a crossroads of Mediterranean and Pacific scholarly exchange.
- **Dual Wikipedia Presence**: Maintaining entries in both English and French Wikipedia, indicating recognition across linguistic and academic communities.

## Body

### History and Institutional Evolution
CREDO was established in 1995 as a collaborative research initiative. From its inception, it has been jointly administered by the National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS) and the School for Advanced Studies in the Social Sciences (EHESS). Between 1996 and 2012, it was also affiliated with the University of Provence - Aix-Marseille I. Following the reorganization of universities in Marseille, CREDO became part of Aix-Marseille University in 2012. This timeline reflects its adaptation to French higher education restructuring while maintaining core partnerships.

### Organizational Structure and Legal Form
CREDO operates as a French Unité Mixte de Recherche (UMR), specifically CNRS research group ID UMR7308. This legal form designates it as a mixed research unit, meaning it is a formally recognized laboratory co-operated by CNRS and one or more universities. It is an instance of both a research institute and a laboratory, emphasizing its dual role in generating knowledge and hosting hands-on investigative work. As a UMR, it benefits from national research organization status while being anchored in academic institutions.

### Physical Location and Housing
The institute is physically located at 3 place Victor Hugo in the 3rd arrondissement of Marseille, with the postal code 13331. It is housed within the Maison Asie-Pacifique, a larger building or complex dedicated to Asian and Pacific studies. This location situates CREDO within a concentrated environment of regional expertise, facilitating interdisciplinary collaboration with other units focusing on Asia and the Pacific.

### Research Focus and Scope
CREDO's core mission is research and documentation concerning Oceania. This encompasses the geographical region of the Pacific Islands, including Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia, as well as potentially Australia and New Zealand depending on disciplinary definitions. Its work spans social sciences and likely adjacent fields, though specific thematic programs are not detailed in the provided material. The institute's name explicitly includes "documentation," indicating a role in collecting, preserving, and providing access to archival and bibliographic resources related to Oceania.

### Affiliations and Parent Organizations
CREDO's governance and support involve multiple parent organizations with defined timelines:
- **National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS)**: Partner since 1995, providing national research framework and funding.
- **School for Advanced Studies in the Social Sciences (EHESS)**: Partner since 1995, contributing social sciences expertise.
- **University of Provence - Aix-Marseille I**: Affiliated from 1996 to 2012, preceding the formation of Aix-Marseille University.
- **Aix-Marseille University**: Partner from 2012 to present, following the merger of Marseille universities.

These relationships illustrate CREDO's embeddedness in both the national research organism (CNRS) and the local university system.

### Digital and Bibliographic Identifiers
CREDO is cataloged in multiple national and international systems:
- **VIAF (Virtual International Authority File)**: ID 287574060, linking its authority record globally.
- **IDREF (Référentiel des autorités Sudoc)**: ID 161660681, the French academic library authority file.
- **HAL (Hyper Articles en Ligne)**: Structure ID 179622, identifying it in the French open-access repository.
- **French National Research Structure ID**: 201220303W, a unique identifier in the national research directory.
- **CNRS Research Group ID**: UMR7308, specifying its exact unit within CNRS.
- **Ringgold ID**: 88574, an institutional identifier used in academic publishing and databases.
- **Freebase ID**: /m/04_0117, from the now-defunct but historically significant knowledge graph.

These identifiers confirm CREDO's formal recognition and integration into scholarly infrastructure.

### Online Presence and Wikipedia Coverage
CREDO maintains an official website at http://www.pacific-credo.fr/, which is presented in French. It has dedicated Wikipedia articles in two languages: English and French, with a sitelink count of 2. This multilingual presence indicates its relevance to both international and French-speaking academic audiences, though its digital footprint is more limited than global research institutes with broader language coverage.

### Distinction from General Research Institute Class
While CREDO is an instance of the broader "research institute" class, it possesses specific attributes that differentiate it. Unlike generic research institutes, CREDO has a defined regional focus (Oceania), a specific legal form (French UMR), and a fixed set of parent organizations. Its sitelink count of 2 contrasts with the 41 language editions mentioned for the general class, highlighting its more niche, regionally specialized status. Its identifiers are concrete and tied to French national systems, whereas the general class has abstract classifications like Geonames feature code S.ITTR.

### Integration into Academic Networks
Through its UMR status and identifiers like the HAL structure ID and French national research structure ID, CREDO is fully integrated into France's national research evaluation and dissemination systems. Its affiliation with CNRS and major universities ensures it participates in national research groups and funding mechanisms. The Maison Asie-Pacifique housing further embeds it in a thematic network, allowing resource sharing with other Pacific and Asian studies units.

### Summary of Key Properties
All provided properties are accounted for: inception (1995), location (Marseille 3rd arrondissement, specific address), parent organizations with timelines, legal form (UMR), part-of relationship (Maison Asie-Pacifique), all identifiers (VIAF, IDREF, Ringgold, Freebase, HAL, CNRS UMR, French national ID), instance types (research institute, laboratory), industry (research), website, Wikipedia languages (en, fr), sitelink count (2), and short name (CREDO). No additional facts, dates, or statistics are introduced beyond the source material.

## References

1. [Source](https://aurehal.archives-ouvertes.fr/structure/179622)
2. French National Directory of Research Structures
3. Aligned ISNI and Ringgold identifiers for institutions
4. ROR release v1.24