Over the past year, the Dutch Cardiovascular Alliance (DCVA) marked its first lustrum, a milestone celebrated with all its 24 partners. This anniversary also signifies the time to renew the alliance agreement, originally established for five years. It offers an excellent opportunity to evaluate the collaboration within the DCVA and establish new agreements.

In the first half of 2024, various meetings were held with all involved parties. These evaluation sessions highlighted the importance of the DCVA as a network organization. Collaboration has increased, people connect more easily, and there are fewer overlapping initiatives. Nearly all partners are satisfied with the achievements of the DCVA over the past five years. Participation in the DCVA has led to a higher level of organization among various partners. Furthermore, activities such as the valorization program, discussions on research policy and funding, and the leadership program are frequently mentioned as valuable.

However, there are points of attention, such as the need for clearer agreements on decision-making processes, involving all partners structurally and the desire to improve communication between and with partners. The Program Management Team is working on structural changes to address these issues. The proposals were discussed during the Partner Assembly on June 20, 2024, prior to the DCVA-NLHI conference.

The goal is to reach a new signed alliance agreement with all partners so that the new five-year collaboration can take effect on January 1, 2025. The DCVA looks to the future with confidence and anticipates the continuation of successful collaboration.