JADE HEALTH ADVANCES SUSTAINABILITY WITH ITS FIRST THEMATIC WORKSHOP (WP4) 

On March 24, 2026, the JADE Health project held its 1st Thematic Sustainability Workshop, bringing together around 40 participants from across Europe in an online session coordinated by Work Package 4 (WP4). The event was jointly organised by OKFÖ and FundeSalud, as leader and co-leader of WP4, and focused on strengthening the long-term sustainability of health initiatives, with particular attention to dementia. 

The workshop provided a dynamic platform for knowledge exchange and collective reflection, addressing one of the most pressing challenges in European health projects: how to ensure lasting impact beyond initial funding cycles. Participants explored the need for a shared understanding of sustainability, especially in complex and collaborative initiatives. 

Key challenges identified included limited resources, insufficient integration into national health systems, and uneven uptake across countries and regions. 

Key topics included: 

The workshop featured an opening by Corinne Salinas (HaDEA), alongside contributions from European and international experts who shared best practices and practical experiences in building sustainable health systems. 

Szilvia Ádám (OKFÖ) provided key insights into sustainability frameworks, emphasising the importance of aligning project outcomes with national health systems and policies from the outset to ensure effective integration and scalability. Ledia Lazeri (WHO) presented strategies for strengthening sustainability in dementia-related initiatives, highlighting the value of awareness-raising tools and the potential for adapting resources across countries, while stressing the need to respect content ownership and ensure proper coordination. 

The session on lessons learned was moderated by Csaba Kucsera (OKFÖ). Sarah Berrocoso (JA PRISM, Biosistemak) and Eszter Kovács (JA MENTOR, OKFÖ) as brother Joint Action representatives underscored the importance of fostering synergies between projects, maintaining regular dialogue, and avoiding duplication of efforts. The experts highlighted that collaboration across initiatives can amplify impact, support policy uptake, and prevent results from remaining isolated. Leadership and capacity-building were also identified as essential, particularly through training in policy engagement, communication, and advocacy skillBernardino Morillo (FundeSalud) provided a practical overview of the implementation of the JADE Health Sustainability Plan, introducing a structured template based on eight indicators. He emphasised that sustainability must start during the implementation phase, not after the project ends, and guided participants through key elements such as institutional integration, financial planning, stakeholder engagement, and scaling strategies.