On Thursday, 23 April 2026, the Technical Medical Centre of the University of Twente and the Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology (MET) of Tampere University hosted their second Joint Research Day. The online event brought together 130 researchers, 30 more than the first edition in 2023, and featured contributions from 39 early-career researchers across nine thematic sessions. As fellow ECIU partners, both institutions used the day to deepen their existing collaboration in biomedical engineering, health technology, and biosciences, and to lay the groundwork for new joint research activities. The event was aimed specifically at PhD candidates, postdoctoral researchers, and assistant professors from both universities, offering them a platform for international exposure and the opportunity to initiate concrete collaborative projects.
Thematic sessions
The programme consisted of two rounds of parallel sessions, with participants assigned according to their research interests. The thematic areas covered were: Cell and Tissue Engineering & Organ-on-a-Chip, Biomedical Imaging & Diagnostics, Optimised Care Planning, Women's Health, eHealth & Health Data Science, Oncology, and Physiological Sensing and Systems & Medical Robotics. In each session, researchers from both universities gave short presentations, followed by a question round and time for personal exchange and matchmaking.
Enhanced collaboration voucher programme
Following the research day, all participants were invited to apply for a TAU-UT collaboration voucher of up to €5,000. The vouchers support research visits and short stays at the partner institution, with a minimum visit duration of five working days. Eligible costs include travel, accommodation, and subsistence. The aim is to enable initial joint research activities, ideally leading to a joint publication or a joint grant application. Each university may award vouchers up to a maximum total of €25,000. The application deadline is 8 May 2026.
Building on a strong track record
The results of the first edition, held in April 2023, demonstrate the tangible impact of the collaboration. The travel voucher programme that followed led to 18 researcher exchanges between the two institutions, ranging from one week to three months. Concrete outcomes included three grant proposals, one scientific paper, three conference presentations, and three joint experiments. The momentum also generated broader spin-off initiatives, including an EU grant for Project CLOSER (HORIZON-CL4-2025) in robotics and several further joint proposal preparations.
The second edition introduces new thematic areas, including Women's Health, Optimised Care Planning, and Medical Robotics, reflecting the growing scope and ambition of the partnership. With a larger cohort of participants and a strengthened voucher programme, both institutions look ahead to building on this foundation and turning the connections made on 23 April into lasting research collaborations.
More information about the research sessions and pitches can be found on the event website.
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