This recap was originally published on the institute for a Circular Society (i4CS) website.
Last week, CUCo collaborated with the institute for a Circular Society (i4CS) on a dynamic Pressure Cooker session at The Green House in Utrecht. This session was part of the Seed Funding call for the Circular Safe Hospitals research line. The event brought together 20+ researchers from the four EWUU alliance universities (TU/e, WUR, UU, and UMCU) with the shared goal of developing innovative circular solutions for healthcare through inter- and transdisciplinary collaboration. CUCo was happy to help facilitate this pressure cooker, using a step-by-step method to help researchers get to know each other’s work and form new research teams.
Morning: Setting the Stage for Circularity in Healthcare
The morning session focused on establishing a shared understanding of the challenges and knowledge gaps related to circularity in healthcare. Professionals from UMC Utrecht outlined their goals and actions for creating circular hospitals, highlighting critical knowledge questions in areas such as:
- Circular procurement and contracting in hospitals.
- Towards circular laboratories.
- Integrating circularity from a planetary health perspective.
In several groups, participants explored these themes in depth, using methods from the Rathenau Insititute and the Centre for Unusual Collaborations. This included introductory rounds, and interactive ways to explore the topics and expertise of the participants.
Afternoon: Catalyzing Collaboration
The afternoon was focused on catalyzing collaborations. A matchmaking session helped participants identify potential partners and build on the morning’s discussions. Parallel sessions allowed groups to dive deeper into specific research questions.
During the second half of the afternoon, teams moved to the proposal drafting stage, working together to translate their ideas into concrete plans for research proposals.
The event concluded with a plenary session, where participants shared key insights and next steps before wrapping up.
Next Steps
Researchers now have until October 18, 2024, to submit their proposals for seed funding. The selected projects will have the opportunity to receive support in developing new circular solutions for healthcare.
Overall, the Pressure Cooker session succeeded in building new connections and generating transformative ideas to advance the circularity agenda in the healthcare sector.