Mirella Minkman appointed full Professor at TIAS School for Business and Society

In her new role, following up her endowed Professorship for over ten years, Minkman will continue to focus on advancing research and education on how organisations collaborate across boundaries to address complex societal challenges, particularly in healthcare and social support. Her work highlights the increasing importance of inter-organisational cooperation in a context where issues such as ageing populations, rising care demands, and broader societal challenges require coordinated approaches.

Strengthening collaboration in care and society

Minkman’s chair will explore how networks of organisations, spanning healthcare, welfare, and other sectors - can be organised and governed more effectively. A key theme in her work is shifting the focus from individual organisations to collective societal goals.

'Addressing complex societal challenges requires collaboration across organisational boundaries', Minkman stated. 'This also calls for new perspectives on leadership, decision-making, and supervision, where the shared societal task becomes central.'

Her research examine how governance models can better support collaboration, how leaders and supervisors operate within networks, and how the impact of cooperation can be assessed and strengthened.

Bridging science, policy, and practice

Alongside her academic work, Minkman will continue her role as Chair of the Board at Vilans, the national knowledge organisation for care and support in the Netherlands. This combination enables her to further connect scientific insights with policy and practice.

Minkman has extensive experience at the intersection of academia, policy, and healthcare practice and is internationally recognised as a leading expert in integrated care. She has published widely in international journals and holds several national and international advisory roles in governance and care innovation.

Contributing to future leadership

At TIAS, the Triple Crown accredited Business School of Tilburg University, Minkman will contribute to executive education programmes, including the Master of Health Administration and programmes focusing on Advanced network governance. Her appointment aligns with TIAS’s ambition to educate leaders who can address complex societal issues through collaboration and innovation.

For Vilans, Minkman’s professorship reinforces the organisation’s commitment to strengthening and bridging knowledge, innovation, and collaboration in care and support, both nationally and internationally.