Interdisciplinary Chair of Primary Care
The Dr. Daniël De Coninck Fund is financing two chairs for university and college consortia: one in Flanders and one in the Wallonia-Brussels Federation. The aim is to encourage a developing understanding of this area and promote research and innovation.
These chairs will encourage the development and sharing of knowledge in the area of primary care. They are intended to make primary care more visible within research and teaching. Close collaboration between diverse institutions and other key front line players is a requirement to receive support from the Fund.
Be.Hive
On the French-speaking side, this interdisciplinary chair of primary care has been called ‘Be.Hive’, to reflect the intention that it should develop a collective form of intelligence. It has brought together three universities and three colleges, as well as representatives of health care users, professionals, managers and political leaders. This is the first time these actors have joined forces, pooling their resources, knowledge and skills in order to develop a strong and effective primary care sector in the Wallonia-Brussels Federation.
The work of Be.Hive is structured around four main axes:
- Structuring primary care in French-speaking Belgium and supporting the creation of a strong, collective and locally anchored vision of primary care (an initial reference document has already been written based on the perceptions of over 6,000 respondents)
- Encouraging the involvement of users in their health and social care and the development of excellent primary care by testing models of community health care
- Enhancing the quality of care for people living in complex situations by adapting the care provided to the life goals of care users and improving interfaces with other forms of care
- Improving the skills and competencies of primary care professionals in order to meet public health challenges (social and health inequalities, chronic diseases, the ageing population etc.)
Academie voor de Eerste Lijn
In Flanders, the Academie voor de Eerste Lijn (Primary Care Academy) is a chair, a network and a laboratory for innovation. Four universities and six universities of applied sciences have joined forces in an interdisciplinary partnership with a shared goal: strengthening and supporting health and social care in the primary care sector.
To achieve this, the Academy focuses on four research lines: the sustainable implementation of care innovations, the promotion of mental well-being among young people, improving access to care, and mapping the generic competencies of primary care professionals.
Its approach is deliberately participatory and practice-oriented, with academic living labs serving as a driving force. Within these open collaborations, researchers, lecturers, care professionals, policymakers, volunteer caregivers and care users bring together their expertise and experience. Research starts from concrete questions arising from practice and combines scientific, professional and experiential knowledge on an equal footing. This creates new knowledge that does not remain on the shelf but is translated into policy, education and everyday practice.
This way of working closely reflects the Academy’s broader mission: building an interdisciplinary network, developing useful and widely supported innovations in health and social care, and strengthening the competencies of all stakeholders, including both care providers and care users.
In 2024, the Academy started its second five-year term, building on the strong foundations laid during its first term (2018-2023). The tools developed during that period remain available and continue to be used.
Find out more on the website of the Academie voor de Eerste Lijn and follow its activities on LinkedIn.