Maastricht University, Faculty of Health, Medicine & Life Sciences

MSc in Healthcare Policy, Innovation and Management

Internationally, the need for innovation in health care has never been greater. Demographic shifts, technological advancements, and increasing resource shortages create a need for novel solutions to ensure high-quality care for all. The master Healthcare Policy, Innovation and Management, HPIM, prepares students to become critical thinkers, who analyse the complex problems facing modern health systems from different theoretical perspectives, design innovative solutions, and lead the necessary transformations towards a sustainable future.

This programme is for you if you:

• are eager to develop essential competencies to spur innovation in the health domain;
• want to organise health services and systems in a future-proof and equitable way;
• are motivated to make a real impact on the sustainability of health care.

Fast facts

• Insight into innovations in healthcare at the organizational, governmental, individual and (inter)national level
• Focus on multiple disciplines, including management, economics and policy
• 1-year full-time or 2-year part-time, taught in English.
• Study load - full-time: 12-14 hours classes, 4 hours group work, 18-20 hours independent study; part-time: 6-7 hours classes, 2 hours group work, 9-10 hours independent study
• Starts in September

A multidisciplinary perspective on innovation in health (care)

HPIM is an internationally unique programme that equips you with a multidisciplinary knowledge base relevant to innovation in the health domain. In two parallel Knowledge Tracks, you’ll be introduced to theories and topics from the disciplines of health(care) economics, governance, management, and organisation studies. The Organisation & Management of Health Services track teaches you how to innovate healthcare processes, strategically manage a health service organisation, and design the healthcare delivery of the future. In the Economics & Governance of Health and Care track, you will learn how to analyse the economic context of health(care) innovation, develop a policy to improve population health and care, and design sustainable healthcare coverage together with stakeholders. Understanding both the organisation- and system-level of health care is essential to successfully improve, renew and transform health services and systems.

Competency-based education approach

During the curriculum, you work on seven Authentic Professional Tasks: complex, real-world cases that are illustrative of the kind of tasks HPIM graduates fulfil once they enter the professional field. In completing these tasks, you develop essential competencies – as Expert, Investigator, Innovator, Collaborator, and Professional – which future employers expect you to have. The HPIM Skills Track ensures that you are trained in a range of relevant skills, from research methods and academic writing to effective teamwork, personal leadership, critical thinking, and co-design.

Professional development

HPIM focuses on your employability with the Professional Development Track, designed to help you build your professional values, identify your areas for growth, and personalise your learning experience accordingly. You will benefit from career events, individual and group coaching, peer support, and gain dedicated time for reflection and professional skills development. You will also take part in a full-time introduction week in September to get to know the programme, learn about our educational approach, and meet the diverse, international classroom of HPIM.

Double degree

Increase the depth of your understanding in health policy, innovation, economics, and management by pursuing the double degree programme in collaboration with the University of Cologne. In the first year, you study Health Economics and Management at the University of Cologne, and the second year will take place at Maastricht University. Applications are processed through the University of Cologne.

Placement opportunities

To complete your master in HPIM, the final Authentic Professional Task is to ‘Lead a research project’ on a relevant topic in the area of health(care) economics, governance, organisation or management. This master's graduation assignment is based on a research placement opportunity, either at Maastricht University or an external organisation. The programme offers placement opportunities at a broad range of relevant organisations, ranging from hospitals (such as the Maastricht University Medical Centre or Zuyderland) to government agencies (like a Ministry of Health or the Dutch Healthcare Institute), insurance companies (like VGZ or CZ), consultancies (including Deloitte or EY), med-tech companies (such as Medtronic), and research institutes (such as Birmingham University) – both in the Netherlands and abroad. These is also the possibility to suggest your own placement.

Programmatic assessment

HPIM uses a programmatic approach to assessment, where all 60 ECTS are awarded at once at the end of the master. To graduate, you need to demonstrate to the independent HPIM Portfolio Assessment Committee that you are able to adequately fulfil each of the five HPIM Competency Roles (as Expert, Investigator, Innovator, Collaborator, and Professional). For this purpose, you compile a personal portfolio of ‘assessment products’ in the digital PebblePad portfolio system. Examples include individual quizzes, group papers and presentations, but also peer assessments of your teamwork skills.