Connecting the innovation strength of the largest zone for medical technology development in the world with the cutting-edge VU education, research and valorisation concerning health and medical science & technology, innovations should become even more purpose-driven to address societal challenges and meet the needs of patients and care professionals.
Smart health solutions
Health care is globally under pressure: workforce pressures, rising costs, and increasing care demand require new, smart solutions that truly work in practice. By joining the forces of AMTZ and VU, the Vrije Universiteit gets direct access to a complete innovation-ecosystem where medical technologies are developed, tested and produced at a large scale, while VU’s innovative capacity will find its way to this hotspot for technology development. This will speed up and improve the journey from idea to practice for both, for example regarding affordable diagnostics or sustainable medical devices.
What will happen?
- Joint education: The newly founded Global MedTech University will collaborate with VU Master’s programs in Management, Policy analysis and Entrepreneurship in Health & Life Sciences (MPA) and Global Health. Students can follow shared courses, have internships, and exchange knowledge.
- Research with societal impact: AMTZ and VU aim to set up joint research initiatives that advance inclusive and sustainable innovations in health care.
- Exchanging talent: Students and researchers of both institutions can explore together how medical innovations can be developed and strengthen different health systems, from Europe to India and beyond.
Fitting the theme of global citizenship
Aletta Kraneveld, dean of the Faculty of Science, emphasises that the collaboration seamlessly matches the VU ambition to consider scholars and students as global citizens who work towards solutions for complex societal challenges.
Professor of Transdisciplinary Science & Technology Studies Teun Zuiderent-Jerak explains that the Athena Institute has decades of experience in research and education that focusses on involving different societal groups in innovations in healthcare. According to him, the collaboration with AMTZ strengthens this mission: “by combining our expertise with this groundbreaking initiative, we contribute to the shared mission to develop health technologies that truly works for the people concerned. It is a great privilege to embark on this journey with Dr. Jitendra Sharma, the founder of AMTZ and the MedTech University, and moreover a PhD alumnus of the VU Athena Institute”.
Societally relevant
The collaboration started right after signing the memorandum of understanding: new research into integrating societal concerns in Health Technology Assessment. This international collaboration will contribute to innovations that are not only smart, but also societally relevant, through:
- Faster development of affordable medical technology.
- More innovative capacity to address global health challenges.
- A new generation of innovation professionals who think globally and act locally.
- Technology that is not merely innovative, but also sustainable and equitable, and that truly matches the needs of patients and professionals.