What determines whether we age healthily?
On Thursday 3 December 2026, the first edition of the State of Healthy Ageing Summit will take place at De Doelen, a new annual initiative by ERGO and Erasmus MC.
What determines whether we age healthily? And what can we do to influence this? For more than 35 years, ERGO (internationally known as the Rotterdam Study) has been investigating how health and disease develop over the course of a lifetime. We want to share this knowledge more widely!
From knowledge to action!
The key question is: How can we translate this knowledge into action?
During this event, you will see what this Rotterdam-based research has yielded and what new insights have emerged. This summit offers a unique perspective on this topic, which affects us all.
programme
The programme covers a wide range of topics across the body and throughout the life course. Throughout the day, visitors can also explore the Health Market & Experience Zone, where they can discover the latest initiatives and innovations in healthy ageing.
During the summit, leading experts will discuss what we currently know about healthy ageing and what these insights mean for the future.
A selection of the topics
- cardiovascular health
- metabolism and obesity
- liver health
- brain and cognitive health
- vitality and maintaining independence
- eyes and skin health
- prevention and early detection
Highlights
- Opening by Arianne Segers-Hoogendoorn, Alderman for Care, Welfare and Social Foundation, Municipality of Rotterdam
- Keynote by Liesbeth van Rossum: Obesity as a Systemic Disease: "Healthy Ageing Starts Earlier Than We Think" – Doctor and Citizen Perspectives
- Keynote by Thiago Herick de Sá (WHO): The UN Decade 2021–2030 and the Transformation of Our Environments: What's Now and What's Next?
- Keynote by Jet Bussemaker: Healthy Ageing as a Societal Mission: Turning Science into Policy and Public Value
Welcome: Open to everyone interested in healthy ageing
The summit welcomes everyone who is curious about what 35 years of ERGO (the Rotterdam Study) have taught us. While the programme has primarily been developed for professionals, the key insights will be presented in an accessible and understandable way for a broader audience. Healthy ageing is a topic that concerns us all.
More information about the summit can be found on the State of Healthy Ageing Summit website.
