Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is the most prevalent psychiatric disorder and is characterized by high relapse rates after remission. Persistent negative thinking and rumination (i.e., perseverative cognitions [PC]) are key characteristics of MDD that often persist in the remitted phase. Therapeutic techniques, including positive fantasizing and mindfulness, seem potent in reducing relapse by influencing PC, but may rely on different mechanisms. There is no experimental evidence on how thoughts change following fantasizing and mindfulness interventions and how this may contribute to resilience for relapse. The objective of our study is to work towards providing the first experimental evidence for such different mechanisms by 1) developing a system to objectively track thinking processes with machine-learned-augmented electroencephalography, heart-rate variability, as well as smartphone-based self-reports in daily life (ecological momentary assessment) including short behavioral tasks and 2) test if these psychological and psychophysiological markers are differentially affected by fantasizing vs. mindfulness in individuals at risk for depression. This interdisciplinary approach that combines clinical psychology, cognitive neuroscience, artificial intelligence, psychophysiology and E-health could pave the way for the development of individualized predictions of the effectiveness of interventions: i.e. what works for whom?

This strategic partnership was based on years of collaboration of several European conservatoires where the music master programme for New Audiences and Innovative Practice (NAIP) was developed and implemented. The partnership also included new partners, which had in the years before the start of the project witnessed the progress of the NAIP programme and thus gained interest in its methodologies and ideology. This partnership project consisted of several events over two years period aimed at further development, improvement and promoting of methodology and joint curriculum using mobility in the form of two intensive study programmes, three working groups, two joint staff training events and two periods of staff development. The core of the NAIP programme is creative collaborative learning, where mentoring and practice based research play a major role. The aim is to be a platform for professional integration, entrepreneurship, creative collaborative practice, cross-arts and cross-sector practice and community engagement within the domain of higher education. This is particularly relevant as the music world is increasingly in need of more variety of skillful and flexible musicians capable of relating to society and finding new roles and carriers, at the same time as traditional employment opportunities are less and less accessible. The programme calls for creative musicians who have achieved a high standard of performance and show strong potential of entrepreneurship, leadership and communication skills. This project has strengthened the foundations of developing and promoting creative collaborative learning with enhanced quality, utilizing cross border collaboration and extensive dissemination and thereby making way for greater relevance of higher music education in Europe and beyond.

The present project aims at the development of innovative, future-oriented processes, tools and methods that will foster personal and professional development among European University students, Early Stage Researchers and high school students, including also those that aspire to enrol in University. There is a growing consensus regarding the importance of high-quality adaptation skills as a means to support individuals in acquiring and developing key competences. Conversely, a major part of these transversal competences and “soft skills” is the development of integrated and innovative ways supporting personal development, resilience, adaptation and critical thinking. As Futures Literacy increases individuals’ capacity to ‘use the future(s)’ to explore the present, the project aims to adopt such methodology also to foster professional development. In other words, the training materials developed in the project will empower individuals to realize that their images about the future (anticipatory assumptions) have a significant bearing on (limit or open up) their actions and choices today. The objectives of the project include: - Conducting research on the interconnections of distinctive areas - namely future literacy, foresight, personal and professional development and theatre arts; - Identify skills gaps and shortages, regarding futures literacy skills, common to the partner countries which are preventing students from reaching their full potential, from a personal and professional point of view;- Contributing to innovation by developing, adapting and testing foresight tools and methods (including future-oriented performance-based pedagogies) pertinent to personal and professional development; - Strengthening the exchange of knowledge and practices about foresight and futures literacy amongst key organisations, promoting lifelong learning and counselling for the personal and professional development of young people; - Facilitating increased recognition of futures literacy skills at the European level within the communities concerned.The proposed project calls for the establishment of a well-grounded partnership, consisting of experts and practitioners in the fields of foresight, futures literacy, theatre arts and personal and professional development that will assume the following project activities: Research activities, development of two Foresight Toolkits, one for University students and Early Stage Researchers, the other for high-school students. These toolkits will also include Training Manuals so as to enable other teachers and counsellors to replicate the contents of the training courses designed. All the course contents will be piloted in the 4 countries (Poland, the Netherlands, Greece and the United Kingdom) and will be then revised according to the feedback received from the participants. The methodology to be used in carrying out the project involves: - The implementation of research and evidence needs analysis; - The design of skills development material and tools (toolbox); - The implementation of multiplier events to disseminate the research findings and the toolbox. The project will undertake comprehensive research to contribute to a greater understanding of futures literacy skills, and on how to use foresight to anticipate changes and to improve personal and professional development. The project is expected to have concrete results regarding the research and practical outputs which will cover theoretical, practical and design aspects. The project is expected to have a strong impact for the involved communities at local, national and European levels, from various perspectives. The desired impact could be summarised as the aim to disseminate a novel approach and innovative methods for Futures Literacy and Foresight techniques resulting in personal and professional development.

Live muziek in het ziekenhuis? MiMiC – Meaningful Music in Health Care – is precies dat: een kleine groep musici die persoonsgerichte improvisaties voor patiënten en verpleegkundigen speelt. De musici maken op de patiëntenkamers muziek ‘op maat’, in interactie met de patiënten, op basis van hun voorkeuren, herinneringen, etc. Dit levert waardevolle momenten van esthetische ervaring en zingeving op, voor zowel patiënten als verpleegkundigen en musici. Sinds 2015 heeft het lectoraat Lifelong Learning in Music van de Hanzehogeschool Groningen samen met het UMCG de MiMiC-praktijk ontwikkeld en onderzocht voor patiënten van chirurgische afdelingen. Persoonsgericht musiceren blijkt goed te realiseren in een medische setting en voor alle betrokkenen zeer betekenisvol te zijn. Patiënten ervaren minder pijn en voelen zich beter. Daarnaast biedt deze innovatieve praktijk musici en verpleegkundigen nieuwe mogelijkheden om zich professioneel verder te ontwikkelen. Daartoe voeren we het RAAK-PRO project ProMiMiC uit. ProMiMiC speelt in op de behoefte van musici en verpleegkundigen om beter samen te werken en daarin van elkaar te leren, alsook om persoonsgerichte live muziek te kunnen gebruiken als katalysator voor een compassievolle patiëntrelatie. Met de verdere professionalisering van musici en verpleegkundigen is de MiMiC praktijk geschikt voor brede toepassing in de ziekenhuiszorg. Daarmee kan een bijdrage geleverd worden aan ontwikkelingen als Uitkomstgerichte Zorg, positieve gezondheid, en bredere maatschappelijke inzet van musici. In het consortium zijn uit drie landen hooggekwalificeerde kennisinstellingen op het gebied van muziek en van zorg gebundeld. Samen hebben zij de expertise om in een rijke context toegepast onderzoek naar professionalisering in MiMiC uit te voeren. Dit leidt tot een verbeterde uitvoering van de MiMiC praktijk en hierop aansluitende scholing van studenten en professionals in muziek en zorg. Dit zal musici en verpleegkundigen in staat stellen excellente professionals te zijn m.b.v. gepersonaliseerde live muziek in de zorg.

Om de Nederlands klimaat- (95% minder CO2-uitstoot ten opzichte van 1990) en circulaire doelstellingen (Nederland volledig circulair in 2050) te halen moet de chemische sector in de komende decennia sterk verduurzamen. Chemische processen moeten energiezuiniger worden en de “feedstocks” moeten bij voorkeur uit hernieuwbare grondstoffen en/of CO2 komen. Een consortium, bestaande uit de SPRONG-leden Hanzehogeschool, NHL Stenden en Zuyd Hogeschool, en de Rijksuniversiteit Groningen, gaan samen met overheden en het bedrijfsleven de biobased transitie verder vormgeven. Het SPRONG-consortium heeft alle disciplines (chemie, biochemie, polymeerchemie, etc.) in huis om de biobased transitie met een combinatie van fundamenteel en toegepast onderzoek aan te jagen. De samenwerking zal resulteren in verduurzaming van de chemische sector en een koppeling hiervan aan de agro- en energiesector. Agrarische reststromen (biomassa) en CO2 worden via nieuwe of verbeterde routes omgezet naar chemische intermediairen voor o.a. de plasticindustrie. Door het vervangen van de huidige, uit de petrochemie afkomstige producten, wordt de uitstoot van CO2 sterk gereduceerd. Het SPRONG-traject versterkt de samenwerking tussen de betrokken kennisinstellingen en wordt geïmplementeerd in (gezamenlijke) onderwijsprogramma’s, ook openstaand voor het bedrijfsleven. Het consortium beoogt om vanuit de kennisinstellingen met het bedrijfsleven en overheden op het onderwerp biobased transitie nieuwe economische activiteiten en werkgelegenheid te creëren. De focus van de aanvraag ligt op de regio Noord- Nederland, mede omdat daar vrijwel alle voorwaarden aanwezig zijn om de biobased/circulaire transitie te realiseren. Samenwerking met andere regio’s in Nederland is geborgd door de participatie van Zuyd Hogeschool. Na de projectperiode is er een centrum van internationale statuur gevormd dat resultaten octrooieert/valoriseert, publiceert in vooraanstaande tijdschriften (bij voorkeur open access), succesvol participeert in internationale en regionale samenwerkingsprogramma’s en waar bedrijven naartoe komen met vragen betreffende het thema verduurzaming van de chemische sector.