On 8 October 2025, THCS participated in the Health Partnership Day in Brussels, a full-day, in-person workshop held at CCAB (Borschette). The event brought together around 60 members of the Horizon Europe Cluster 1 Health Programme Committee and invited experts from Member States and Associated Countries to engage with the coordinators of the Health Co-Funded Partnerships.
The workshop focused on the eight Health Co-Funded Partnerships under Horizon Europe, including THCS, and offered a first opportunity for Programme Committee members to meet partnership coordinators in this format. Discussions aimed to review implementation and governance aspects, reflect on impact and structuring effects, and identify practical lessons to maximise benefits across partnerships.
THCS was represented by Gerda Geyer (FFG) and Federico Bastarolo (THCS Coordinating Team), alongside other THCS partners attending in different capacities (funding agencies, national ministries, and national delegates). The exchange helped position THCS within the wider health partnership landscape and highlighted shared challenges faced across initiatives.
A key part of the day was dedicated to interactive discussions on how to facilitate implementation and how to maximise the benefits of co-funded partnerships. Themes emerging from the break-out sessions included the need for greater harmonisation and standardisation (e.g., tools, templates, call management, and reporting processes), stronger communication and coordination across partnerships, improved national organisation through mirror groups, and greater flexibility in funding and grant management.
A follow-up Partnership Day is planned for 17 March 2026, providing an opportunity to continue the exchange—also involving the more recently launched partnerships—and to revisit the recommendations discussed during the workshop.