Transnational Call

JPI More Years, Better Lives
Labour force shortages within the long-term care sector

BELSPO and the FPS Health are joining their budget to enable the participation of Belgian researchers in the transnational call issued by the Joint Programming Initiative “More Years Better Lives: the challenges and opportunities of demographic change”. A budget of 300.000€ is reserved for a Belgian researcher (or a group of Belgian researchers - from the same research center or from different institutions) that will apply to the call.

The call is centred on the problem of labour force shortages in the long-term care sector. To address this issue, we want to fund research on three interrelated aspects of the labour force shortages in the LTC sector within the framework of demographic change, ageing and care of older people. These are: ‘Working situation’, ‘Role of AI’ and ‘Cross-national differences and similarities within different welfare systems‘. Proposals must address all three research topics, paying particular attention to cross-cutting issues of gender, ethnicity, and social inclusion. Proposals should include the perspective of care givers as well as those receiving care. Overall, we are interested in research that goes beyond only the mapping of issues described and instead proposes practical solutions informing policymakers, the care sector and/or other related organisations.

Belgian researchers must set up or join a network composed of other eligible researchers from at least three other participating countries: Austria, The Netherlands, Finland, Germany, Sweden and the UK.

This call should enable Belgian researchers to develop their academic knowledge and skills in a transnational environment but also to generate impact in Belgium and provide actionable and tangible information for the Federal Public Service Health (DG Professions de santé / DG Gezondheidswerkers) who is confronted with an increase in the demand for LT Care without a corresponding increase in health workers. Therefore, the national condition for Belgium is the fact that Belgian data or the Belgian situation is seriously considered by interested Belgian researchers who, in case of selection, will regularly reach out to Belgian non-scientific stakeholders (including FPS Health) during the project. Potential Belgian applicants are therefore invited to contact Belspo and FPS Health prior to submitting a proposal.