The main objective of the DesHealth project was to bridge the educational gap in Sustainable Healthcare by developing innovative, interdisciplinary training tools. The project aimed to enhance the quality and relevance of educational activities in higher education institutions and strengthen collaboration between academia, industry, and healthcare organisations. Specifically, the project sought to: - develop and deliver a co-disciplinary training programme integrating systemic design, sustainability management, and healthcare knowledge; - equip students and professionals with sustainable, transversal, and problem-solving skills; - promote the sustainable transition of European healthcare systems by training future practitioners; - strengthen transnational cooperation and build long-term partnerships among organisations; - foster innovative teaching practices based on learning-by-doing and real-world challenges. These objectives are aligned with Erasmus+ priorities on environmental sustainability, innovation in education, and strengthening interconnected higher education systems.
The DesHealth project was conceived to address a critical gap in education and training on Sustainable Healthcare across Europe. Despite the growing awareness of the environmental impact of healthcare systems, which account for approximately 4.4% of global greenhouse gas emissions, there is still a lack of interdisciplinary educational tools capable of integrating sustainability, design, and management perspectives. Existing training opportunities are often fragmented, mono-disciplinary, and not aligned with the complexity of healthcare systems. The project responded to the need for a cross-sectoral and transnational approach involving higher education institutions, industry, and healthcare organisations. It aimed to support both students and professionals in acquiring systemic skills necessary to drive the sustainable transition of healthcare systems. In particular, DesHealth addressed the need to improve knowledge transfer, foster collaboration between academia and practice, and develop innovative learning models that combine theory with real-world application.