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Learning Community

How can you ensure that your AI application for the healthcare sector not only functions properly from a technical standpoint but also complies with European laws and regulations? META-Health helps companies translate legal requirements into the development and maintenance of safe, reliable, and explainable AI applications that can be used responsibly in healthcare. Together with students, researchers, and other companies, you’ll work on concrete, real-world challenges.<img src="https://cms.aihub-oost.nl/uploads/Flagship_Concepts_for_a_Healthy_Life_i_Stock_1169712167_BEWERKT_29e4c69f0a.jpg" alt="Flagship-Concepts for a Healthy Life-iStock-1169712167-BEWERKT.jpg" srcset="https://cms.aihub-oost.nl/uploads/thumbnail_Flagship_Concepts_for_a_Healthy_Life_i_Stock_1169712167_BEWERKT_29e4c69f0a.jpg 234w,https://cms.aihub-oost.nl/uploads/small_Flagship_Concepts_for_a_Healthy_Life_i_Stock_1169712167_BEWERKT_29e4c69f0a.jpg 500w,https://cms.aihub-oost.nl/uploads/medium_Flagship_Concepts_for_a_Healthy_Life_i_Stock_1169712167_BEWERKT_29e4c69f0a.jpg 750w,https://cms.aihub-oost.nl/uploads/large_Flagship_Concepts_for_a_Healthy_Life_i_Stock_1169712167_BEWERKT_29e4c69f0a.jpg 1000w," sizes="100vw" width="7952" height="5304">META-Health stands for Maintainable, Explainable, and Traceable AI applications in Healthcare. This emerging Learning Community focuses on companies that develop AI applications for healthcare, such as systems for decision support, diagnosis, and prognosis. When developing and bringing these high-risk AI applications to market, companies must navigate complex laws and regulations, including the European AI Act and the Medical Device Regulation. But what do terms like “explainability,” “human oversight,” “transparent design,” and “substantial change” actually mean for your development process?Within META-Health, companies explore these topics together with students from vocational, higher vocational, and university education. Using their own real-world cases, participants learn how to incorporate legal requirements into the design, development, and maintenance of AI applications.<h2>From Laws and Regulations to Practice</h2>META-Health works with project teams in which company employees, students, and researchers collaborate on real-world cases. The content of the learning program is tailored to the specific challenges and expertise within the team.One of the first issues addressed concerns adapting AI models throughout their lifecycle. For example, an AI model may need to be adjusted as new patient data becomes available, clinical guidelines change, or the model’s performance evolves over time. How can such adjustments be made without compromising the safety, reliability, or certification of the application? And how can the development process be structured to account for future changes in advance?In addition to working on their own cases, participants from various project teams come together to exchange knowledge and experiences. This way, companies learn not only from researchers and students but also from the challenges and solutions of other developers.<h2>Which companies might be interested in META-Health?</h2>META-Health is aimed at companies that develop AI applications for the healthcare sector and want to gain a better understanding of the legal requirements involved.The program is particularly relevant for companies that:<ul><li data-list-item-id="e5809c954d9a8d44f5ca7f9fa93e7a170">develop AI for decision support, diagnosis, or prognosis;</li><li data-list-item-id="e36365daa6359dea7f64c0b745825b7f4">are working on AI applications that may be classified as high-risk;</li><li data-list-item-id="e012c27be47081e452cf2675e601ca69c">want to know how to incorporate the AI Act and the Medical Device Regulation into their development process;</li><li data-list-item-id="e0cae8b78fb1b810ae5cde778c2533dcb">want to expand their knowledge of explainability, transparency, and human oversight.</li></ul>The program is relevant for, among others, AI developers, software companies, product owners, and designers of AI-based healthcare applications.<h2>What are the benefits of participating?</h2>By participating in META-Health, you’ll gain access to knowledge and expertise that will help you develop and bring AI applications to market responsibly.You’ll gain, among other things:<ul><li data-list-item-id="ee89e1647912eed178b9bd4c18cb39c6c">Practical knowledge: insight into how to translate legal requirements from the AI Act and MDR into the design, development, and maintenance of AI applications.</li><li data-list-item-id="e98b84e20a28c29b6665df10d140bcb3c">Collaboration with students and researchers: the opportunity to work on your own business challenge with a project team.</li><li data-list-item-id="ee120514b585487d5d772ceec19ee0af2">Networking opportunities: access to a network of companies and research institutions facing similar challenges.</li><li data-list-item-id="ef42b98a33fc58d116417d138ae33fc8d">Financial support: partial reimbursement for the time of employees working on a real-world case, subject to the final project terms.</li></ul>By examining legal and technical issues early in the development phase, you can better anticipate certification requirements, future changes, and responsible use in the healthcare sector.<h2>What do we ask of participating companies?</h2>Participating companies are encouraged to contribute their own real-world case study.Depending on the company’s capabilities, participation may consist of:<ul><li data-list-item-id="e5dc84192cec30130e281c49505f5a2bf">Mentoring a project team of students and staff working on the case.</li><li data-list-item-id="ef648f8b733bf3834ef08ea62d8621922">Attending joint meetings and sharing knowledge and experiences with other participants. </li><li data-list-item-id="efcde7451ca85aa16eb96379484c286b0">Providing internship opportunities.</li></ul>The exact time commitment depends on the chosen form of participation. A portion of the staff’s time spent on the program may be eligible for financial support. Participants are expected to be willing to learn together and share non-sensitive knowledge with other companies.<h2>Planning and Funding</h2>META-Health is scheduled to begin on September 1, 2027, and will run for three years, subject to approval of the grant application. The end date will be determined in the final project plan.Companies can participate in two ways:<ul><li data-list-item-id="e607e7f0216390908c406a9dc5c307d9d">As a core partner: You will be involved in the program for three years and contribute to four real-world cases.</li><li data-list-item-id="ec14966048580966b5310be3ab14647a2">As a participant in a separate case: you’ll join a specific project, with a duration of approximately nine months.</li></ul>Companies wishing to join as core partners may apply until early November 2026. After that, participation in individual practical cases will remain possible.An application for the development of the Learning Community is being prepared within AIC4NL Learning Communities. This application will be submitted on November 20, 2026. <h2>Interested in META-Health?</h2>Does your company develop AI applications for the healthcare sector, and would you like to better understand how to comply with European laws and regulations? Or do you have a specific real-world case that you’d like to explore together with students, researchers, and other companies?Please contact us to discuss the possibilities for participating in META-Health.Johan Kwisthout Radboud University johan.kwisthout@donders.ru.nl

Learning Community

META-Health - Maintainable, Explainable, and Traceable AI Applications in Healthcare