2025.11.02 – A New Chapter for Research and Innovation: From GGZ inGeest to Amsterdam UMC

Key Takeaways

The Department of Research and Innovation (O&I), long based within the mental-health organisation GGZ inGeest, has joined Amsterdam UMC, location VUmc. The transition strengthens the bridge between mental-health science and academic medicine. With the move comes a new official contact channel: j.vanbeetz@amsterdamumc.nl.

Story & Details

Roots in Mental-Health Research

For more than two decades, the Department of Research and Innovation at GGZ inGeest contributed to some of the Netherlands’ most significant advances in mental-health research. Its work in clinical psychology, geriatric psychiatry, and community-based care shaped public health policy and trained a generation of clinician-researchers.
GGZ inGeest earned a reputation as a pioneer—uniting science and practice, and promoting the idea that mental healthcare must evolve through evidence and empathy in equal measure.

The Road to Integration

By the mid-2010s, Dutch healthcare leaders recognised that innovation grows fastest when universities and care institutions collaborate directly. The creation of Amsterdam UMC in 2018, uniting VU University Medical Center (VUmc) and Academic Medical Center (AMC), offered a new model for research-driven healthcare.
This merger opened doors for independent research departments such as O&I to join an ecosystem where discoveries move more swiftly from lab to patient care.

The Transition

In 2025, the O&I department formally became part of Amsterdam UMC, location VUmc. The move brought new access to interdisciplinary research facilities, shared academic infrastructure, and wider collaboration opportunities.
With this shift, the department’s contact address has been updated to j.vanbeetz@amsterdamumc.nl, reflecting its place within the university’s unified communication network.

What the Change Represents

This transition is more than an administrative update—it symbolises the ongoing integration of mental-health science into the broader fabric of academic medicine. By aligning research and treatment under one institutional roof, Amsterdam UMC reinforces the Dutch commitment to holistic, research-informed healthcare.

Conclusions

The story of O&I’s transition mirrors a wider European trend: the unification of knowledge, care, and innovation. It shows that structural changes, when guided by purpose, can expand the reach of research and amplify its social impact.
As one Amsterdam UMC statement put it (translated from Dutch):

“Collaboration between care and science is not just a strategy—it is the only way forward.”

A new nameplate on the door, a new address in the inbox, and a renewed mission: connecting research to real lives.

Sources

• Amsterdam UMC official site – https://www.amsterdamumc.org/en/research.htm
• GGZ inGeest – “Onderzoek en Innovatie” (Research and Innovation) – https://www.ggzingeest.nl/onderzoek-en-innovatie
• Mailchimp: “7 Announcement Email Best Practices (With Examples)” – https://mailchimp.com/resources/announcement-email/
• Whatfix Blog: “How to Write Organizational Change Announcements (+ Templates)” – https://whatfix.com/blog/organizational-change-announcements/
• YouTube: “How To Announce A Change Of Email Address To Clients?” (public, unrestricted, educational) – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jdc7qKU575Q

Appendix

Department of Research and Innovation (O&I)

A division focused on advancing mental-health and clinical research, now fully integrated within Amsterdam UMC’s academic and medical network.

GGZ inGeest

A Dutch mental-health organisation established in 2008, known for pioneering the integration of scientific research with daily clinical practice.

Amsterdam UMC

Amsterdam University Medical Centers—founded in 2018 from the merger of VUmc and AMC—stands among Europe’s leading centres for medical education, patient care, and innovation.

Location VUmc

One of Amsterdam UMC’s two campuses, historically affiliated with Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, specialising in translational research and multidisciplinary care.

Contact Information Update

The adoption of Amsterdam UMC’s communication system, providing a single, standardised point of contact for the Department of Research and Innovation.