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NEST Symposium

April 22, 09:00 - 17:00
Op Maarhuizen, Winsum (Groningen, the Netherlands)

Within the NEST project (co-creating a NEw form of governance in Societal Transition for healthy living), we work on the transition towards healthy communities where healthy living is possible for everyone. We do this by bringing together education, research, businesses and local communities to experiment and learn collaboratively. During this symposium on 22 April, participants will have the opportunity to exchange perspectives, gain new insights and co-create practical ideas for a healthy living environment together with residents and partners. The symposium offers space to learn from each other, explore innovative ways of working and build new connections across sectors.

The symposium will be mainly in English. All plenary sessions, including the keynotes, will be held in English. Parallel sessions will be offered in both English and Dutch, with each session scheduled once in English and once in Dutch (not simultaneously).

Below you will find an initial overview of the programme. The first keynote speakers and workshops have been confirmed. Additional speakers and activities will be announced at a later stage.

You can find the registration link at the bottom of this page.

Programme

Keynotes

The keynote by Thomas Plogh focuses on a fundamental shift in how we think about health and care. Within the NEST project, the perspective moves away from illness and costs towards health as a societal value. This shift calls not only for different interventions, but also for new ways of financing health, prevention, and communities. Plogh introduces the Value Strategy (Batenstrategie): an approach that reframes health as a societal return on investment rather than a cost. His keynote shows how vision and practice can come together to organise and finance health in a more sustainable and structural way, at the heart of what NEST stands for.

About Thomas Plogh: Plogh is director of the Dutch Federation of Health. This organisation connects initiatives, stimulates collaboration, and supports the health transition by putting health high on the agenda across strategic, tactical, and operational levels.

Parallel sessions

Citizen Science Engagement
In this workshop, participants will explore citizen engagement and learn how citizen science can support meaningful involvement of citizens in societal challenges, policy, and research. Through a short introduction and a hands-on group exercise, you gain insight into key elements of stakeholder engagement and work on a (hypothetical or real-life) case to see how citizen science can strengthen ownership, collaboration and mutual learning between citizens, professionals, and other stakeholders.
The session is facilitated by Rosy Mundardini and Priya Mohanty from Citizen Science Zurich, together with Annet Veen project leader of the Vitaliteitscampus at Alfa College, who works on co-creation projects with students and communities on regional health challenges.

The Interprofessional Learning Ward in Eemsdelta – from practice to scaling up
In the workshop you will explore the interprofessional learning ward in Eemsdelta as a real-life case and learn how it was developed step by step as a deliberate learning process, using tools such as timeline evaluations and a dynamic learning agenda. You will gain insight into the results of the 2025 evaluation discussed with education and healthcare leaders and work with a scaling-up model from the ZonMw Learning to Transform programme to reflect on your own practice: where are you now, and what is needed to take the next step? The workshop offers practical guidance for professionals, educators, and leaders working on interprofessional learning and collaboration in health and social care.
It is facilitated by Katrien Colman (project lead of the interprofessional minor Expeditie Het Gezonde Noorden and lecturer at the interprofessional learning ward), Alien van der Sluis (Innovation Manager within the Groningen Care Agreement until 1 September 2025) and Annet Veen.

Reflexive monitoring in action
(Details to follow)
Paul & Marije

Timetable

9:00-9:30 Walk-in/coffee

9:30-10:45 Opening and keynotes

  • Thomas Plogh

10:45-11.00 Coffee break

11:00-12:30 Warm data lab (Details to follow)

12:30-13:30 Lunch

13:30-14:30 Parallel sessions first round

  • Citizen Science Engagement (in Dutch/English)
  • The Interprofessional Learning Ward in Eemsdelta – from practice to scaling up (in Dutch/English)
  • Reflexive monitoring in action (in Dutch/English)

14:30-15:00 Coffee break

15:00-16:00 Parallel sessions second round

  • Citizen Science Engagement (in Dutch/English)
  • The Interprofessional Learning Ward in Eemsdelta – from practice to scaling up (in Dutch/English)
  • Reflexive monitoring in action (in Dutch/English)

16.00-17.00 Rounding up with drinks

Questions?

If you have any questions or comments, feel free to contact us through email at info@nesterasmus.eu.

Want to sign up?

You can register for the symposium using this form.