University of Groningen, UMCG and University of Twente set to join forces

The University of Groningen, t he University Medical Center Groningen and the University of Twente are forming a strategic alliance to work on the ‘Technology and Health’ theme. This intensive partnership will involve setting up an incentive fund to develop activities in the areas of research, teaching, innovation and valorisation. One of the main aims of the partnership is to reinforce translational research, so that new medical technology can be applied efficiently to improve patient care. The partners hope that the alliance will also boost the innovative strength of the North East Netherlands and raise their national and international profiles as Dutch centres of expertise.

The institutions are already partners in the Centre for Medical Imaging North East Netherlands (CMI-NEN), where they work on research, application and cost-benefit analysis of new medical imaging technology for humans. They have also joined forces in the SPRINT project, which aims to help the elderly stay mobile for as long as possible, thereby saving healthcare costs. In addition, the institutions have been carrying out joint research in the fields of neurosciences and regenerative medicine for many years.

The partnership has now been extended to include a new and important element: the intensive exchange of academic staff. It is hoped that this, together with the exchange of medical and technical knowledge and experience that it entails, will add an extra dimension to the research and teaching conducted in the partner institutions. Future ambitions include launching a new programme track, whereby students would be able to take a Master’s in medicine as well as a Master’s in technical medicine, and establishing a joint research school for neurosciences. There are also plans to devise a joint teaching programme for innovation and entrepreneurship in biomedical technology.

As the institutions already have strong ties with German universities in the German/Dutch border areas (including Oldenburg and Münster), it is possible that the partnership will eventually be expanded to include German partners in the region.

Note for the press

For more information, please contact:

-     Press information office UMCG: +31 (0)50 361 22 00

-     Press information office UT, Joost Bruysters: +31 (0)6 1048 8228