The Netherlands needs strengthened human capital to find answers to current and future societal issues, tackle challenges and permanently stimulate economic growth. A future-savvy (working) population as a precondition for a flourishing economy and positive social dynamics is the Top Sector Life Sciences & Health’s overall goal. 

Human Capital is about lifelong learning and development: learning for a diploma, learning on the job and learning to innovate. The concept learning community (see illustration in the video) was developed by the Top Sectors in 2016 as a conceptual model to optimally connect learning, working, innovation and research in public-private contexts. These collaborations involve both formal and informal learning, in which intensive and coordinated collaboration between companies, knowledge institutions, civil society organisations and government bodies strengthen each other.

The biggest gain in the area of a healthy life expectancy will probably be obtained in people with a low socioeconomic status (SES). However, that is also where the biggest challenge lies. The differences compared to people with high SES are large and persistent: six years difference in life expectancy and fifteen years difference in healthy years. Reducing the health differences requires attention for groups with a backlog, namely people with little education, limited skills or low income.

A structural collaboration between schools and their neighbourhoods, companies, government, societal organisations, knowledge institutes and citizens is needed to find new modes of education that contribute to our economy and the welfare and wellbeing of all Dutch citizens. As a society, we need to jointly tackle the combination of the growing inequality of opportunities for good education, the growing shortage of teachers and the growing workload for teachers and school directors.