‘’Joining the Chengdu Trade Mission of 2013 led to an intense focus on a new healthcare programme’’
Avans+ improves personal and organisational performances through evidence based, effective and practically-oriented programs. Avans+ supports and coaches people and organisations in development. Their philosophy is founded on the realisation of synergy between the energy and the level of ambition of man and organisation. They provide acknowledged bachelor, post-bachelor and master degrees. With over 25 years of experience in performance improvement, highly educated employees, teachers and professional trainers, Avans+ is leading in the Netherlands. Avans+ is a daughter of Avans, university of applied sciences, awarded best University of applied science of The Netherlands by Elsevier Magazine (National Student Survey -NSE) for the last years.
In 2012 Avans+ joined the Task Force Health Care (TFHC), prior to their partnership they were nationally- and internationally active in various sectors, such as: Agriculture, Wind energy, Water management, Intellectual property and Public administration. A year later they joined the TFHC trade mission to China led by Dutch Minister Schippers (Min. of Health, Welfare & Sports). As Coen Toebosch (Director of Avans+) explains: ‘’By participating our chances increase of meeting high decision makers in the country concerned. Actually, our participation to this mission led to a structural relationship with our current Chinese healthcare partners. Consequently the number of participants of our healthcare programme’s increased.‘’ In fact, the new Chinese relations led to an intense focus on healthcare programmes by Avans+. ‘’As a SME it is hard to admit to all incoming propositions. It was helpful to intensify on one particular sector, such as healthcare. Simultaneously, the domestic developments in China contributed to the implementation of our activities.’’
On a bi-annual basis Avans+ welcomes a group of approximately 50 Chinese student/medical personnel and simultaneously two experts are send to China to teach/train 50 Chinese students locally. This exchange programme is regulated via State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs (SAFEA) a Chinese governmental organisation that grants the certificate for international exchange of personnel for overseas organisations. Coen Toebosch elaborates: ‘’Regarding our projects in Chengdu, we annually send experts to hospitals with a strong focus on rehabilitation (physiotherapy). We have completed many projects already and our ambitions have always been to expand our activities, however we are limited by our financial means. Receiving a delegation of Chinese trainees can be very costly. Sending Dutch experts overseas is a more financially attractive strategy, though Chinese participants will learn more and faster when residing in The Netherlands.’’
Looking at future, Coen Toebosch says: ‘’We are always searching for opportunities to expand our activities in China, moreover, we are carefully exploring opportunities on a healthcare programme in India. However, before we take further action it’s essential to focus on expanding the number of participants in our current international programmes.’’
Coen Toebosch, Director Avans+