Healthy Start isn’t a traditional research program—we’re building structural changes for the next generation based on excellent and innovative research. This requires an approach that transcends disciplinary boundaries, recognizes practice as a full-fledged knowledge partner in research, and trains a new generation of researchers to permanently build that bridge.

Research as a driver for sustainable solutions

Transdisciplinary research forms the core of the program—the collaboration between science and practice, across disciplines. Healthy Start thus connects expertise from the medical sciences, humanities and behavioral sciences, social sciences, technology, and design. Researchers from Erasmus MC, Erasmus University Rotterdam, and Delft University of Technology work closely with young people, parents, policymakers, healthcare professionals, and other societal partners. This cross-pollination leads to new perspectives and solutions that do justice to the complexity of societal issues surrounding youth, health, and participation.

Co-creation with society

At Healthy Start, research is about real societal change, so our projects always start with practical application. Whether it’s VR interventions, reducing health disparities, increasing mental resilience, policy recommendations, or robots in the workplace, every project and product is designed with concrete societal impact in mind. We listen to what children, young people, and their communities need – and then collaborate with them on solutions that make an impact. Research and practice are constantly moving forward together. This way, we generate knowledge that is both scientifically sound and socially relevant.
But collaboration with our societal partners goes beyond mere knowledge development. By working closely together, we can put preventive strategies into practice. Our reflective and collaborative approach ensures that feedback and lessons learned are directly integrated into our research.

Connect and strengthen

Through our gatherings, such as community events, colloquia, and transformative research meetings, we bring researchers and societal partners together to share knowledge, results, and ambitions. In this way, we build a learning community that leads to new forms of collaboration.