Interview with Advisory Board member Jelle Boerstra: "There is an incredible amount of development power, creativity, and ambition in the IX sector. That energy is worth gold."
The CIIIC Advisory Board consists of 21 carefully selected members who provide solicited and unsolicited advice to our program team on substantive main themes. As representatives of the IX community and ambassadors of IX in the Netherlands, they are crucial for the connection with the industry. But who are these members, what do they do, and – especially – how do they view IX?
In part 10, Jelle Boerstra, Program Manager of the ‘fellow National Growth Fund initiative’ Digital United Training Concepts for Healthcare (DUTCH)
Who are you, what do you do?
‘I am Jelle Boerstra, working at the Amsterdam UMC (University Medical Center) and program manager of the National Growth Fund initiative Digital United Training Concepts for Healthcare (DUTCH): a program that is working on a new way of training and developing healthcare professionals in hospitals.
DUTCH ensures that healthcare professionals in training learn 50% of their training time in a simulated workplace, using:
- Physical simulation, such as clinical reasoning or team training using simulators with associated technology;
- Virtual simulation, such as virtual and augmented reality;
- Digital learning tools, such as e-learning and games.
In this way, we reduce the staffing shortage in healthcare, retain expert healthcare professionals, and shorten waiting lists. We do this together with hospitals, educational institutions, and the business sector.
DUTCH creates an innovative ecosystem in which healthcare organizations, educational institutions, and EdTech (educational technology) companies collaborate intensively on the structural renewal of healthcare education.’
“If we are able to save lives with advanced technology, then we must also use that same power to optimally prepare the people who do that work.”
Waarom ‘immersive’, wat heb je met nieuwe content/technologie?
‘In de zorg maken we al gebruik van indrukwekkende technologieën om patiënten beter te behandelen. Maar als het gaat om het opleiden van zorgprofessionals, blijven we grotendeels vertrouwen op het eeuwenoude meester-gezelprincipe en het leren in de praktijk. Dat heeft ons veel gebracht, maar we stuiten inmiddels op duidelijke grenzen: er is een tekort aan personeel, de opleidingscapaciteit staat onder druk en de zorgtechnologie wordt steeds geavanceerder.
Precies daarom geloof ik sterk in de kracht van immersieve technologieën. Ze bieden de mogelijkheid om zorgprofessionals efficiënt, schaalbaar en in een veilige leeromgeving op te leiden — zonder afhankelijk te zijn van de hectiek en onvoorspelbaarheid van de dagelijkse praktijk.
Als we in staat zijn om met geavanceerde technologie levens te redden, dan moeten we diezelfde kracht ook inzetten om de mensen die dat werk doen optimaal voor te bereiden. Immersive technologie is daarbij een logische en noodzakelijke stap richting toekomstbestendige zorg.’
Waarom wilde je in de Adviesraad, wat sprak jou specifiek aan in/aan het programma?
‘CIIIC, DUTCH en andere groeifondsinitiatieven zoals Npuls (voor vervolgonderwijs) en de LLO-Katalysator(voor continue persoonlijke en professionele ontwikkeling) zijn ambitieuze programma’s die op verschillende punten overlappen in werkpakketten en doelstellingen. Juist daarom is het cruciaal om kennisuitwisseling en afstemming tussen deze initiatieven te stimuleren. Wat mij aanspreekt, is de kans om vanuit de Adviesraad bij te dragen aan die verbinding: om expertise en ervaring uit diverse sectoren samen te brengen, om doublures te voorkomen en om gezamenlijk de Nederlandse IX-markt naar een hoger niveau te tillen. Alleen door publiek-private krachten te bundelen kunnen we een stevige, internationale positie verwerven.’
Wat is jouw IX-droom of -missie?
‘Ik geloof sterk dat we met inzet van IX-toepassingen – of dat nu VR, AR of andere vormen van immersieve technologie zijn – de voorbereiding van professionals op de échte praktijk aanzienlijk kunnen versterken, en dat gaat verder dan alleen het zorgdomein. In plaats van leren over de praktijk, kunnen mensen leren in de praktijk, in een veilige, gecontroleerde en herhaalbare omgeving. Dat maakt het mogelijk om fouten te maken, te reflecteren en te verbeteren nog vóórdat het er echt toe doet.
Mijn missie is om IX niet als iets tijdelijks te benaderen, maar als een strategisch instrument voor toekomstbestendige opleidingen. Of het nu gaat om zorg, techniek, onderwijs of veiligheid – in elke sector kunnen we met IX realistische en betekenisvolle leerervaringen creëren die het verschil maken tussen ‘voldoende voorbereid’ en ‘echt klaar voor de praktijk’.
Als we het goed inzetten, wordt IX niet een aanvulling op leren, maar een fundamenteel onderdeel ervan. Mijn droom is dat we die potentie benutten – schaalbaar, inclusief en met oog voor wat de praktijk écht vraagt.’
“I strongly believe that by using IX applications, we can significantly enhance the preparation of professionals for real-world practice, and this goes beyond the healthcare domain.”
What developments in the field do you see that you find important to strengthen and why? Or: what do you think is the most important development in the IX profession (as part of the creative industry)?
‘In the healthcare sector, I see a promising development: more and more IX applications are proving their value in training and practical situations. There is a growing willingness to experiment with and innovate using immersive technologies. The next step is to make these successful applications available not just locally or temporarily, but structurally and at scale.
There lies a wonderful opportunity: by investing in interoperability, scalable architectures, and joint agreements on technology and implementation, we can significantly enhance the impact of IX. Think of standardization, open connections, and good integration with existing infrastructures—all prerequisites to ensure that innovations not only work in a pilot but also make a lasting difference beyond that.
In my view, that is the direction in which the IX profession should further develop: from promising initiatives to a connected ecosystem where technology, creativity, and societal value reinforce each other. Through collaboration between developers, healthcare institutions, educational organizations, and policymakers, we can jointly ensure that IX fulfills its full potential—sustainably, accessibly, and scalably.’
“Through collaboration between developers, healthcare institutions, educational organizations, and policymakers, we can ensure that IX reaches its full potential – sustainable, accessible, and scalable.”
Public values play an important role at CIIIC, how do you view this? Extra stimulating or a possible obstacle?
‘Public values are an important prerequisite for the responsible and sustainable implementation of IX in society. Applications of immersive technology directly touch on themes such as privacy, inclusion, accessibility, and control—topics that we should not fix retrospectively but should prioritize from the outset.
If we want IX to be widely embraced and effectively utilized—whether in healthcare, education, culture, or other domains—it must revolve around more than just technological innovation. What excites me is that within growth fund programs like CIIIC, DUTCH, Npuls, and the LLO Catalyst, we are all focused on the (further) development of these values. This offers great opportunities to learn from each other, exchange experiences, and advance together. We need not only to expand the technology and its applications but also the trust and support necessary to work with it.’
Finally, the Advisory Board gives advice—what is your message to the community? And how can they find and 'engage' you to possibly share their ideas with the community?
‘There is tremendous development power, creativity, and ambition in this relatively young IX sector. That energy is invaluable, and as far as I’m concerned, there lies a huge opportunity: to better connect, share, and collectively advance that power.
Within DUTCH, we learn a lot from other sectors—think of aviation and shipping—where immersive technology has been used for a longer time. This cross-pollination is incredibly valuable, and we need to normalize it: make it natural to look into each other's processes, understand each other's approaches, and actively exchange knowledge. Not only within programs but also beyond them.
In short, my message to the community: actively seek connection, be open, and be curious about what is happening elsewhere. And don’t hesitate to contact me—via LinkedIn or within the network of DUTCH and CIIIC via adviesraad@ciiic.nl!’
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Photography: Ben Houdijk