Introduction
The Twente Health School 2026 offers an intensive multi-day programme for PhD candidates, master students, and early career researchers who want to explore how health and technology intersect in research, policy, and practice.
The core programme consists of three thematic days at the University of Twente, combining keynote lectures, interactive sessions, and hands-on workshops. In addition, participants can opt for a fourth, optional day focusing on real-world engagement and societal impact beyond the university context.
Across the programme, participants will engage with perspectives from health sciences, data science, AI, ethics, governance, and implementation. The detailed daily schedule, including timings and breaks, will be announced at a later stage.
Day 1 – Technology shaping health & society
This day focuses on the societal, ethical, and conceptual foundations of health technologies. Participants will explore how technology influences health systems, policy, and society, and reflect on responsible innovation in health.
Day 2 – Frontiers in data, AI & health
Day two zooms in on data-driven and computational approaches in health research. Through keynotes and workshops, participants will engage with AI, data analytics, and their applications in healthcare and public health.
Day 3 – Evaluation, implementation & responsible innovation
The final day addresses evaluation, governance, and implementation. Participants will reflect on how health technologies can be responsibly assessed, embedded in practice, and translated into sustainable societal impact.
Optional Day 4 – Cultural city trip
An informal cultural city trip offering participants the opportunity to connect, reflect, and experience Dutch culture together.
Programme structure
The Twente Health School programme is structured around three core thematic days, each addressing a different dimension of health and technology. The days are designed to build on one another: from conceptual and societal foundations, to data-driven innovation, and finally to evaluation, implementation, and responsible governance.
Each day combines keynote lectures, interactive sessions, and workshops, allowing participants to engage with both theoretical perspectives and practical applications. The programme encourages interdisciplinary exchange and active participation throughout.
In addition to the core programme, participants may opt to join an optional fourth day that focuses on health innovation in practice beyond the academic setting.
- Day 1 – Technology shaping health & society (May 18)
- Opening & Keynote – New Frontiers in AI & Health
Prof. Catherine Burns (University of Waterloo)
- Talk and interactive session: Transformation of care: from prediction to impact
Dr. Xavier Pouwels, Dr. Marissa van Maaren, and Dr. Lieke Heesink
- Workshop: Impact in Health Research
ir. Tom Boogerd
- PhD/PostDoc Presentations (Elevator Pitches)
Session opened by the Engage project – Dr. Sofia Bastoni + Best Pitch Award
- Networking Dinner
- Day 2 – New Frontiers in Data, AI & Health (May 19)
- Lecture: Explainable AI & LLMs in Healthcare
Dr. Maryam Amir Haeri
- Talk & Workshop: Data Analysis in Health Research
Prof. Stéphanie van den Berg & Dr. Jorge Piano Simões
- Case Study in AI, Technology, and Data-Driven Approaches for Health
FAIR Data in Health Research
Dr. Lonneke Lenferink - Activity and dinner
- Day 3 – Evaluation, implementation & responsible innovation (May 20)
- Thematic workshops
Human Factors in Healthcare
Dr. Simone BorsciSimulation & Serious Games for Health
Dr. Jan-Willem van ’t Klooster - Interactive lecture: Ethics & Responsible AI in Health
Dr. Saana Jukola & Dr. Yj Erden
- Talk & Interactive Session: From Vision to Implementation – How AI Works in Practice: Evaluation and Lessons Learned
BMS health research theme board
- Closing Session & Networking & Drink
Reflections + Certificates
- Optional Day 4
- Cultural city trip
The optional fourth day offers participants the opportunity to explore the cultural and social context of the Netherlands together. This day is designed as an informal extension of the Twente Health School, with a focus on connection, reflection, and shared experience rather than academic content.
Participants will take part in a guided cultural city trip, providing space to connect with fellow participants in a relaxed setting, while experiencing Dutch culture and the city environment. No formal academic programme is scheduled for this day.
Participation in the optional Day 4 is voluntary and requires separate registration. Further details will be announced at a later stage.
Discover how technology, data, and society intersect in shaping the future of health. Re:Health brings together researchers from engineering, social sciences, and health domains to inspire new ways of thinking and collaborating.
Move beyond the classroom — through hands-on workshops, case studies, and simulation sessions, you’ll learn how to translate research into real solutions that make a difference in healthcare practice and policy.
Gain insights directly from international academics and practitioners working at the forefront of health, data, and technology. The Twente Health School offers rare opportunities to exchange ideas and receive feedback on your own work.
Meet peers from across Europe and beyond. Through social activities, pitch sessions, and interactive discussions, you’ll connect with a dynamic community of early-career researchers who share your curiosity and ambition.
Hosted at the University of Twente’s DesignLab — a creative hub for responsible innovation — the Spring School immerses you in the Dutch ecosystem of health and technology. An optional day in Amsterdam adds a cultural dimension to your experience.
