Building a shared vision for human-tech collaboration

On 11^th and 12^th of June 2025, the TechConnect consortium came together in Västerås, Sweden, for a milestone meeting hosted by Mälardalen University and Region Västmanland. As we move into a new phase of the project, this gathering served as a vital moment for reflection, collaboration and planning. Over two intensive days, partners from across Europe explored what’s been achieved, what’s emerging from the field, and how we’ll shape the next phase of research, tools and stakeholder engagement.

Setting the stage for progress

The morning began with a warm welcome from MDU Vice-Chancellor Martin Hellström, Petra Heideken Wågert, Director of the Centre for Welfare Change and Anette Hallin, our research lead, setting the tone for an engaging and collaborative meeting. What followed was a powerful reminder of why TechConnect matters: understanding how human skills and digital technologies interact, and how that relationship is evolving in the workplace.

Where are we in the project and where are we heading?

Stephen Rigney provided a comprehensive update on TechConnect’s progress and the exciting road ahead. This session was pivotal in aligning all partners on the vision, timelines, and key objectives of the project. This was followed by a concise walkthrough of case studies across all hospital partners, led by Anette Hallin, which laid the foundation for the storytelling that followed.

Stories from the field

Each country shared insights from on-the-ground research in their respective hospital environments:

Tomas Johansson, from Mälardalen University explored early impressions from interviews and observations at Region Västmanland, where technology is changing everyday care logistics.
Marta Hurtado, from Universidad Politécnica de Madrid highlighted the intersection of technology, surgical precision, and patient empowerment.
Catherine Cawley & Chang Leong, from Trinity College Dublin touched on the practical complexities of integrating planning software and digital communication tools.
Anneke Schouten, from Utrecht University brought attention to how innovation interacts with daily routines and institutional practices.

Afterwards, Anette Hallin provided a workshop where university and hospital partners shared their insights from what do we need to learn and what do we need to explore further and the vision for the future

Hospital visit: a first-hand look at innovation in action

In the afternoon, hospital partners had the chance to visit a local hospital in Västerås, Region Västmanland, to witness firsthand how technology is being applied in clinical practice. The visit included a presentation on AI in pathology by Csaba Miklos Kincler, a Chief Physician in Pathology, as well as a discussion led by Tomas Borgegård on innovation at the Centre for Research and Development at RV. The focus was on how AI and other digital technologies are being integrated into medical practices to improve accuracy, efficiency, and patient care.

Academic partners remained at MDU for discussions on the development of the TechConnect Index, a vital tool for measuring human-tech skill complementarity. This deep dive into index development set the stage for future collaborations and refined our understanding of the key metrics for success.

Designing with the end users in mind

Laura Piscicelli then formally introduced the TechConnect Index, laying out its potential to become a meaningful tool for assessing human-tech skill complementarity. The session clarified what the Index is meant to measure, who it is for, and how it can be validated through both research and stakeholder engagement.

Brendan Rowan, from BluSpecs facilitated the “User-Profiles Workshop” where the focus was on identifying and understanding the users of the TechConnect Index. By defining user roles and developing key value propositions for prioritised users, the workshop aimed to ensure that the tools and guidelines produced would be user-centric and aligned with real-world needs.

Partners worked in teams to identify the pain points and opportunities for enhancing user experience, ensuring that the resulting solutions would be both practical and impactful across healthcare and other industries.

Challenges and innovations at the hospitals

An open platform where hospital partners Joris Jaspers from UMC Utrecht, Natalie Cole from Tallaght University Hospital, Miguel-Angel Sicilia from Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal shared updates on ongoing challenges and innovations. This session allowed for a more informal exchange of ideas, fostering a collaborative atmosphere where each hospital could learn from the others’ experiences and successes.

The final sessions focused on planning for the next steps in the project. Isis Diaz provided an overview and what is coming for the next months for the communication and dissemination of the project, while Stephen Rigney discussed financial planning, upcoming activities, and key deliverables. The consortium partners agreed on concrete steps and responsibilities, ensuring a clear path forward the project’s timeline.

A shared commitment

The meeting concluded with a wrap-up session led by Na Fu, summarising the key insights, decisions, and actions from the two days. With a clear plan for the next stages of the project, all partners left Västerås feeling motivated and aligned with the collective goal of enhancing human-tech collaboration across industries.

TechConnect’s commitment to improving healthcare through the integration of advanced technologies was reinforced during this meeting. Through continued collaboration, we are not just designing new tools and frameworks; we are transforming the way technology and human skills work together to shape the future of work and care.

Stay tuned for more updates from the TechConnect project, as we continue to build on these conversations and make strides towards a smarter, more connected future.