Euregional Knowledge Broker Health, Vitality and Participation

Limburg is the gateway to Europe!

The Province of Limburg (NL) wants more intensive cooperation in the field of health in the euregions. This ambition is included in the coalition agreement 2015-2019.

In 2017, euPrevent mapped out for Limburg what is happening at euregional and European level in the field of cooperation in public health care. In 2018 the province of Limburg designated euPrevent as euregional Knowledge Broker to carry out this ambition.

Focus of the projects

The euregional knowledge broker health, vitality and participation contributes to a social structure change in Limburg (NL) through research, meetings, structural development and advice. A change in which the first health and participation arrears will be made up by 2025. On to a more vital Limburg.

Research

In 2017 euPrevent carried out a practice-oriented exploration of the topics of preventive health and participation, knowledge sharing and network development. The research provided more insight into the wishes and possibilities of the various stakeholders in Limburg and the adjacent areas, about the themes:

• The added value of euregional cooperation for citizens and stakeholders.
• The added value of cooperation with euregional and European institutions in achieving the Province’s ambition.
• The ambitions of the neighbouring regions and whether this is in line with the ambition of the Province.
• The approach to cross-border cooperation in the euregions.

Implementation Plan 2018 -2019

The study was concluded with an implementation plan Exploration of Euregional Health (Versions in Dutch, German and French). This describes:

• the state of affairs in 2017 regarding cooperation on the Social Agenda of the Province of Limburg (NL) and euregional and European cooperation,
• concrete proposals for the Province to further shape its ambition in 2018 and 2019.

Knowledge broker

The knowledge broker broadens and deepens sustainable euregional cooperation in the Euregio Meuse-Rhine and the Euregio Rhine-Meuse-North. The ambitions of the Province of Limburg in the field of health, vitality and participation are paramount and the concept of Positive Health is leading in terms of content. The knowledge broker focuses on:

• coordination with existing euregional networks,
• setting up a sustainable euregional network in the Euregio Rhine-Meuse-North with initiatives on positive health, data and youth,
• involving and supporting municipalities in their euregional collaborations,
• supporting the Province at the WHO Regions for Health Network – Committee of Regions conference in June 2019,
• developing an action plan for sustainable euregional cooperation.

Collaboration

The Province of Limburg and euPrevent work closely together on the ambitions of the Province with regard to the health, participation and vitality of its citizens. As many stakeholders from Limburg and the surrounding regions as possible are involved, such as:

• governments, such as municipalities, provinces, network associations and ministries,
• public health organisations, such as GGDs and similar organisations from Germany and Belgium,
• hospitals,
• psychiatric institutions,
• civil society organisations,
• colleges and universities,
• labour market related institutes and experts,
• euregions,
• lobbyists of the province in Belgium and Germany.

Publications

In the media