Strengthening the Future of Healthcare: Europe Comes Together in Odense

Health in Europe: Joint Actions, Joint Future

At the conference, European policymakers, researchers, clinicians, and representatives from a broad spectrum of Joint Actions gathered to discuss how Europe can reinforce its collective health efforts. 

The conference brought together 125 on-site participants from 16 countries in Odense, alongside 150 online participants from 31 countries. Among the attendees were leading representatives from 11 Joint Action projects, several of which Region of Southern Denmark participates in. 

Focus on Key Health Challenges in Europe

The conference was opened by Bo Libergren, Chairman of Region of Southern Denmark, who warmly welcomed attendees. In his opening speech, Bo Libergren briefly outlined the challenges faced by the healthcare sector and emphasised that European collaboration is part of the solution, benefiting both patients and healthcare professionals. 

Public Health Challenges

Stine Bosse, Member of the European Parliament and Vice-Chair of the EU Committee on Public Health, delivered a powerful political speech addressing Europe’s pressing health issues: aging populations, workforce shortages, inequality, and the need for modern, efficient healthcare systems. 

Stine Bosse highlighted how Joint Actions serve as strategic tools that enhance the implementation of European health priorities, enabling member states to tackle shared problems together. 

A Global Perspective

Dr. Gauden Galea, Honorary Professor and former Strategic Adviser at WHO Europe, followed with a global outlook. He highlighted the importance of the United Nations High-Level Meetings, structural challenges in combating non-communicable diseases, and mental health, as well as the need to link research, policy, and practice. 

Dr. Galea encouraged EU to continue leading the way in developing innovative, inclusive, and responsible health policy solutions. He pointed to Joint Actions as models for transparent, targeted, and scalable implementation – an approach that is increasingly demanded worldwide. 

Joint Actions: Driving Knowledge, Tools, and Collaboration 

Session 3 – Focus on EU’s Strategic Health Projects

Session 3 began with a video message from Marianne Takki, Head of Unit for Disease Prevention and Health Promotion at DG SANTE. 

Marianne Takki underlined the EU’s significant investments in Joint Actions and their critical role in transforming European health priorities into actionable, long-lasting initiatives. 

Following this, leaders from six selected Joint Actions presented the latest knowledge, experiences, and tools developed within their projects, as well as efforts to ensure the sustainability of their initiatives. 

Afterwards, all speakers engaged in dialogue for a facilitated knowledge-sharing and networking session with attendees.

Joint Actions in Session 3 included: 

• JA PreventNCD – presented by Professor Knut-Inge Klepp, Scientific Coordinator, Norwegian Institute of Public Health.
• JA EUnetCCC – presented by Dr. Thomas Dubois, Head of European and International Affairs, French National Cancer Institute.
• JANE-2 – presented by Annalisa Trama, Director of Evaluative Epidemiology Unit, IRCCS National Cancer Institute of Milan.
• JA MENTOR – presented by Sibilla Laura Neimane, Head of Project Unit, National Centre of Mental Health, Latvia.
• JA TEHDAS2 – presented by Markus Kalliola, Programme Director, Finnish Innovation Fund Sitra.
• JADE Health – presented by Jochen René Thyrian, head of the research group, German Centre for Neurodegenerative Diseases.

The discussions clearly demonstrated that Joint Actions do more than deliver reports and technical outputs – they strengthen capacity, promote coordination among member states, and create platforms for long-term implementation. 

Presentation on Cross-Cultural Collaboration 

One of the conference’s standout moments was presented by Pellegrino Riccardi, who, with humour and human insight, delved into the relational and cultural factors that determine the success of European collaborations. 

Vitality as a Key Theme 

Session 4 centred on ensuring long-term, systemic impacts of European health projects. Through brief presentations and panel discussions, experts, policymakers, researchers, and youth representatives debated: 

• How project results can be integrated into national decision-making processes
• How governance, data, and capacity structures can ensure continuity
• Why political ownership and demonstrated impact are crucial for implementation
• How Joint Actions create "side effects" such as stronger networks and increased cross-sector understanding

Final Reflections of the Day 

Professor Knut-Inge Klepp highlighted how the conference had demonstrated the benefits of thinking and acting in a more European context. 

While healthcare systems remain fragmented, Joint Actions offer a tangible path toward a more cohesive and effective European healthcare system. 

He urged all attendees to maintain the momentum and use the coming months to strengthen networks and collaboration across projects. 

Read more about the conference at HealthinEurope.dk.