Vilans Hosts Delegates from the Ministry of Civil Affairs of China
Published on: 13-12-2024
On December 3, 2024, Vilans had the honor of hosting a high-level delegation from China’s Ministry of Civil Affairs (MCA) to discuss innovative approaches to elderly care. The delegation, led by Mr Tang Chengpei, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Civil Affairs, PRC, engaged in a 2-hour program centered around knowledge exchange on care technology in the Netherlands and the role and position of Vilans.
The delegation was warmly welcomed by Prof. dr. Henk Herman Nap, Nick Zonneveld, Sima Ipakchian Askari, and Bob Hofstede, who facilitated an engaging discussion about Vilans’ unique position as a national knowledge institute, particularly highlighting the work of its digital care team on care technology research projects. The discussion provided a comprehensive overview of Vilans' contributions and its unique position as a bridge between academic research, practical application, and policy development.
The visit was a nice opportunity to share our expertise and hear about the delegates approach to elderly care and long term care in general. It is through these kinds of exchanges that we can identify common ground and potential areas of collaboration.
Nick and Henk Herman Nap presented an overview of Vilans, highlighting its pivotal role in connecting research, practice, and policy to improve long-term care.
Vilans bridges academic and applied research with practice in the field and policy domains. This unique role allows us to transform knowledge and innovations into practical tools, frameworks and protocols that benefit care providers and policymakers alike.
At Vilans, we see ourselves as a networking organization for knowledge and innovation. It is our mission to ensure that research and innovation are not just theoretical concepts but actionable solutions that make a tangible difference on the work floor, at organizational and system levels.
Exploring Technological Innovations in Care
The discussions zoomed into the role of care technology and innovation in elderly care. Prof. dr. Henk Herman Nap, together with Bob Hofstede, and Sima Ipakchian Askari led an engaging session on care technologies and their potential to address challenges such as workforce shortages and increasing care demands.
I found the discussion around care technology particularly interesting. The delegates were quite engaged and their questions reflected a genuine interest in how we evaluate and implement care technologies and innovations to meet the growing demand in long-term care.
One of our core activities is ensuring that technologies are evaluated uniformly, allowing stakeholders to make informed decisions based on consistent and reliable evidence. This is crucial for fostering trust and widespread adoption of innovations by the relevant stakeholder which often have different goals and values.
The systematic evaluation and practical implementation strategies shared by Vilans were highlighted during the discussions as inspiring examples of aligning technology with care needs.
This is a great example of how consistent frameworks can guide the adoption of innovations effectively.
Sima Ipakchian highlighted the importance of aligning technological solutions with the needs of care providers and recipients.
It was fascinating to hear how we share similar challenges in long-term care and how some of these challenges are related to context. The exchange was not just be about introducing care technologies used in the Netherlands and how we work with these technologies. It’s also about exchanging knowledge on how these innovations truly serve the people they are designed for, addressing their unique challenges and improving their quality of life.
Strengthening International Collaboration
The visit concluded with discussions on potential collaboration between Vilans and the Ministry of Civil Affairs of China.
This exchange has reinforced the value of international partnerships. We look forward to working together to develop solutions that transcend borders and improve care for aging populations worldwide.
The conversations underscored the shared commitment between the Netherlands and China to advancing elderly care through knowledge exchange and technological innovation. As both countries continue to explore collaborative opportunities, such visits strengthen the foundation for impactful initiatives that could benefit care systems in both nations and beyond.
