Education: the pathway to impact in science and society
In Healthy Start, education is not an add-on. It is a pathway for impact. Through our educational activities, we contribute to a next generation of researchers and professionals with the skills to bridge science and society.
Education for impact
At Healthy Start, education is an important part of how we create impact. Through our educational activities, we support the next generation of researchers and professionals in developing the skills and mindset needed to work transdisciplinarily. Together with our researchers, we develop training that equips participants to work across disciplines, connect science with practice, address real-world challenges, and turn knowledge into action.
Why education matters
Our transdisciplinary research projects generate new knowledge and insights, while also creating valuable experience of working with professionals, communities, policymakers and other societal partners. We bring these insights and lessons learned into our education activities, extending their value beyond individual projects. Together with researchers and societal partners, we translate this experience into learning activities that others can use, adapt and build on. In doing so, we help equip the next generation of researchers and professionals for transdisciplinary collaboration and strengthen future connections between science and society.
Our mission
Our mission in education is to create the conditions for the next generation of researchers and professionals to develop the skills, mindset and experience needed for transdisciplinary collaboration. Drawing on our own experience of working across disciplines and with societal partners, we translate what we learn through research into training and learning opportunities that others can use, adapt and build on.
What we mean by transdisciplinary
Transdisciplinary work brings together different forms of knowledge and expertise to address complex societal challenges.
It connects academic research with the knowledge and experience of professionals, policymakers, communities and other societal partners. By working together from the start, these different perspectives can help shape research that responds to real-world needs and contributes to relevant, practical solutions.
Mindset and competences
All our educational activities are grounded in an inter- and transdisciplinary (ITD) mindset. We provide learners with a safe environment to develop ITD skills and experiment with practical tools, tailored to their needs and professional context.
Educational infrastructure
We create learning opportunities for students, (research) professionals and educators.
At Healthy Start, we are building an educational infrastructure from the ground up, rooted in research and shaped by experience. By engaging different learner groups in complementary ways, we help build a shared inter- and transdisciplinary (ITD) mindset and a growing community of practice within TU Delft, Erasmus MC and Erasmus University Rotterdam.
Education for students
We enable students to work across disciplinary boundaries and engage with real-world challenges.
Students are actively involved in our research projects, giving them first-hand experience of working across disciplines and with societal partners. They explore new perspectives and disciplinary vocabularies while developing the skills and methodologies needed to collaborate effectively in transdisciplinary teams.
To extend learning beyond our research projects, we develop curricular courses and openly accessible modules on transdisciplinary skills and methodologies. These can be used directly by students or integrated by educators into existing curricula.
Empowering educators
We equip educators with the skills to design and facilitate inter- and transdisciplinary learning.
Through a community of educators, Healthy Start offers professional development focused on designing and delivering inter- and transdisciplinary education. Educators learn how to facilitate collaboration across disciplines, support reflection and connect learning to societal challenges.
Lifelong learning
We enable professionals to expand their skills and perspectives to address complex challenges in their work.
Healthy Start develops educational programs for (research) professionals who want to deepen their understanding of impact-driven research, transdisciplinary approaches and collaborative innovation. Drawing on real research projects, these activities offer practical experience and tools for working across disciplines, sectors and communities.
Our educational offering
All our learning materials on transdisciplinary research in one place.
In the library you will find vodcasts and videos, knowledge clips and podcasts, e-modules, toolkits and publications. Grouped by type and ready to use in your course, research or practice.
A learning community
We invite you to collaborate, explore and co-create inter- and transdisciplinary education with us!
Through our activities, we build an active and connected learning community across Erasmus MC, Erasmus University Rotterdam and TU Delft. Together, we support the education of a new generation of mission-driven professionals and strengthen the connection between scientific excellence and societal impact. Want to join, share an idea or start a collaboration? Reach out to our Education Team below. And we do not work alone, of course: in all our activities we are happy to work with colleagues across different institutes and programs.
