Leiden, 12–13 June 2025 – The Eurolife Network’s semi-annual meeting brought together representatives from across Europe and beyond at the Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC) for two days of fruitful discussions, planning, and collaboration.

LUMC hosted the event, providing a welcoming and well-organized environment for all partners. Their excellent hospitality set the stage for what proved to be a productive and inspiring meeting.

A particularly notable highlight was the participation of Professor Rob McMaster, Vice Dean, Research from the University of British Columbia (UBC), Canada. UBC is set to become an associate partner of Eurolife, and Prof. McMaster’s presence marked an important step toward deepening transatlantic collaboration within the network.

The meeting agenda included a comprehensive review of recent developments and strategic planning for upcoming activities. Representatives from Eurolife partner institutions in nine European countries and Canada came together to exchange ideas, discuss challenges, and explore new opportunities for cooperation in biomedical education and research. As always, the in-person gathering provided a valuable opportunity to strengthen relationships and reinforce the collaborative spirit at the heart of Eurolife.

The meeting was accompanied by a Eurolife Scientific Mini-Symposium on Planetary Health and Sustainability in Education and Research, hosted at LUMC on the afternoon of 11 June. The symposium featured a series of insightful presentations:

• 16:15 – Welcome and opening – Alexandra Langers
• 16:20 – CAREFREE research project: Creating A healthieR Environment for FutuRE patiEnts – Egid van Bree
• 16:45 – Planetary health and sustainable health care in LUMC academic education – Thijs Elzer

The symposium highlighted the growing importance of integrating sustainability and planetary health into biomedical education and research agendas, aligning with Eurolife’s commitment to addressing global health challenges through interdisciplinary collaboration.

Eurolife looks forward to continuing its mission to foster excellence in research, education, and innovation, and thanks all participants for their contributions to another successful meeting.