The EU’s Winter School programme offers companies a unique opportunity to gain fresh perspectives on health technology challenges through an international network of experts. The five-day intensive programme brings together approximately 100 healthcare professionals from 15 countries to collaboratively solve real development challenges presented by the company. Participation strengthens the company’s regulatory expertise, expands its international network, and delivers concrete innovation solutions.
What is the EU’s Winter School programme and who is it intended for? The ManagiDiTH Winter School and Innovation Bootcamp is a five-day international innovation programme held from 26–30 January 2026 at Laurea University of Applied Sciences’ Otaniemi Campus in Espoo, Finland. The programme is part of the broader ManagiDiTH master’s programme and focuses on the digital transformation of healthcare. It brings together around 100 healthcare professionals from across Europe to co-create solutions for challenges presented by participating companies.
The programme is primarily aimed at health technology companies developing healthcare products or services. Participants are multidisciplinary experts, including physicians, nurses, engineers, and other healthcare professionals. This health technology education offers a rare opportunity for the international cohort to meet in person and work intensively together.
Participation requires the company to submit a concrete challenge related to product or service development in healthcare. The challenge may concern, for example, internationalisation, reaching new target groups, or improving sustainability practices. A company representative must be present on-site on Tuesday, 27 January to present the challenge and on Friday, 30 January to hear the final solutions.
What kind of expertise and networks does a company gain from the Winter School programme? The Winter School programme provides companies with in-depth expertise in key themes of digital healthcare, such as ethical artificial intelligence, cross-border health data sharing, and health technology adoption. Expert lectures and interactive workshops cover medical device regulation, innovation management, and best practices in product development. The programme combines academic rigour with real-world business challenges.
Networking opportunities are a core strength of the programme. Companies gain direct access to approximately 100 international healthcare professionals from 15 countries, ManagiDiTH master’s programme experts and faculty, and other participating companies. This international networking opens doors to collaborative projects and partnerships across Europe.
The multidisciplinary participant group brings perspectives from clinical practice, technical implementation, engineering expertise, and operational management to the challenges. Health technology development benefits from this diversity, as solutions integrate clinical knowledge with technical capabilities and business understanding. The international composition also ensures that developed solutions take into account diverse cultural perspectives on healthcare delivery.
How does the Winter School programme help companies meet regulatory requirements? The programme strengthens a company’s understanding of EU medical device regulation and digital healthcare compliance requirements. Expert lectures and workshops provide up-to-date information on regulatory changes that directly impact health technology companies’ business operations. Participants receive practical guidance on navigating the complex regulatory environment.
Medical device regulation and quality system requirements are central themes addressed during the programme. Companies gain knowledge on how to ensure product and service conformity already during the development phase. This helps avoid costly mistakes and delays in market entry.
The international perspective is particularly valuable, as participants bring experience from different countries’ healthcare systems and regulatory practices. This broadens the company’s understanding of how regulatory requirements vary and how to prepare for international expansion. The programme also offers practical support for developing and documenting compliance processes.
How can a company apply what is learned in the Winter School programme in practice? At the end of the programme, companies receive concrete concepts and prototypes tailored to address the challenge they presented. The five days of intensive collaboration produce practical and implementable solutions grounded in real healthcare expertise. These solutions can be directly taken forward into the company’s own development processes.
The acquired regulatory knowledge and understanding of international standards enable companies to plan product development more strategically. Companies can better anticipate regulatory requirements, manage risks, and accelerate market entry. This is especially valuable for startups and organisations considering entry into the health technology sector.
The international contacts established during the programme can open doors to new markets and collaborative projects. The network provides opportunities to find specialised expertise, test users, or partners in different countries. The company’s visibility increases through participation, as it positions itself as an innovation-oriented, future-focused player in the health technology field.
After the programme, companies can apply the learned methods to their own organisational culture. The models of co-creation and multidisciplinary collaboration can be transferred to the company’s internal innovation processes. This strengthens the organisation’s ability to solve complex challenges and develop user-centred solutions independently in the future.
