How can we ensure better decision-making during pandemic outbreaks, in which biomedical, societal and economical perspectives are brought together to provide actionable, evidence-based advice for policymakers? This is the key question in the UNITY project, which started with a kick-off meeting on 5 September 2025 at the Utrecht University Hall.

UNITY, short for ‘UNified Integration of Health and Societal Impact Translation of Yield to policy and practice’, is a collaborative project recently funded by ZonMw and led by Dr. Anja Schreijer, medical director of the PDPC. The UNITY project is a collaboration between Erasmus MC, Erasmus University, Radboudumc, UMC Utrecht, Maastricht University, Utrecht University, Amsterdam UMC, Universiteit van Amsterdam, SEO Amsterdam Economics, Nivel, NCOH, BePrepared, SCP, RIVM, GGD Amsterdam, TU/e, TNO, Utwente and Tilburg University.

The goal of UNITY is to develop a robust, scientifically grounded, and practically applicable integrated assessment framework for pandemic preparedness and response, a task that requires new forms of collaboration to effectively integrate diverse perspectives. The foundation for this collaboration was established during the kick-off meeting, where participants were introduced to other project members and to the five individual work packages and the three cross-cutting themes that will guide the work:

Work packages:

1. Data, Knowledge & Knowledge Synthesis
2. Integrated Framework
3. Modelling
4. Simulation Exercises & Practical Feasibility
5. Reflection, Interaction and Mutual Learning

Cross-cutting themes:

1. Vulnerability during crises
2. Citizen engagement
3. Managing scientific uncertainties

What makes UNITY distinctive is that each work package is designed to depend on and support the others, creating an interconnection that encourages collaboration and partnerships rather than isolated efforts.

The afternoon program built on this momentum with a series of visioning exercises. These activities invited participants to imagine the project’s final deliverables, while also identifying the challenges that may arise and how to overcome these through working together. Ultimately, the UNITY project aims to:

•       Conduct knowledge synthesis of existing information, data and methods
•       Develop a tool for integrated scientific advice
•       Facilitate the process of interaction between science and policy
•       Promote broad integrated collaboration between science, policy and society

Despite the ambitious mission, the atmosphere throughout the day was optimistic. There was a clear sense of shared purpose, with everyone committed to working towards a common goal and truly embodying the spirit of UNITY.

The UNITY project is set to run through to December 2026. Would you already like to know more about this topic? See also the PDPC research theme Integrated Science for Policy. In addition, this research line and the simulation exercises of 2025, were recently featured in a Volkskrant article.