Professional Doctorate in Health & Well-being

Professional domains are integrated: Health & Well-being. This is because more complex challenges in both domains are closely intertwined: health issues and well-being issues. Developing an integrated approach (also focused on health promotion and prevention) is necessary to create innovations for citizens and society. PD candidates will make valuable contributions to this during and after completing their PD program, thereby shaping the bridging function between health and well-being.

Our contribution to the development of the third cycle in higher professional education (HBO) stems from the need to help develop HBO into a comprehensive educational and research institution that offers the first and second cycles (Bachelor's and Master's), as well as the third cycle (professional doctorate).

Universities of Applied Sciences have developed into comprehensive education and research institutions that provide education in the first and second cycles (Bachelor's and Master's), as well as the third cycle (Professional Doctorate).

01 April 2023 - 01 April 2024

A PD (Professional Doctorate) candidate intervenes in complex practices based on a practical question from society or the professional field. Various issues, frameworks, knowledge domains, professional practices, stakeholder interests, solution possibilities, and contextual characteristics are intertwined. The issues are often so-called wicked problems, related to regional and national knowledge and innovation agendas, aimed at innovative and sustainable solutions for the long term.

PD professionals distinguish themselves by working in a multidisciplinary and co-creative manner, developing, substantiating, testing, and applying innovative insights and interventions in collaboration with professional practice. The practical relevance of the PD trajectory is ensured by articulating the research question in collaboration with the practice, and by developing and implementing interventions within it. PD research is therefore a short-cycle innovation for society and the professional field, appropriately addressing the complexity of the practice to be changed.