A year after signing the memorandum of understanding between VU Amsterdam and Andhra Pradesh MedTech Zone (AMTZ), this world-leading zone for medical technology development opens offices on the campus. Their new presence strengthens the collaboration and brings our shared ambitions for more equitable and socially oriented innovation systems together, to ensure that technological innovations remain closely connected to societal needs.
The office will serve as a hub for connections between India-based MedTech development that helps address European health equity needs. It helps to strengthen knowledge exchange, and the development of new initiatives connecting researchers, students, innovators, and healthcare stakeholders that VU Amsterdam is actively exploring together with AMTZ. The partnership aims to advance medical technologies that respond to societal needs and contribute to more accessible, affordable, and equitable healthcare.
The collaboration, initiated by Teun Zuiderent-Jerak, Professor of Transdisciplinary Science & Technology Studies at the Athena Institute, and Dr. Jitendra Sharma, founder-CEO of the Andhra Pradesh MedTech Zone (AMTZ), will work to strengthen international collaboration around the development of health technologies that combine technological excellence with societal relevance.
For the Athena Institute, the partnership reflects a long-standing commitment to connecting science, technology, and society. By bringing together expertise in medical technology development, transdisciplinary research, and health systems innovation, VU Amsterdam and AMTZ aim to contribute to innovation ecosystems in which technological advances remain closely connected to public values, patient needs, and health equity.
All involved in the collaboration look forward to joint research, education, talent exchange, and further strengthening the relationship between our two institutions and our shared ambition to develop health innovations that make a meaningful difference in people's lives.