Fontys and Summa renew collaboration for laboratory education in the Brainport region

Fontys and Summa have signed a new cooperation agreement for the use of the laboratory facilities of the Fontys Technology institute in the Nexus building on the TU/e ​​campus. The old agreement had been in place for more than twenty years and has now been adapted to the current situation and ambitions of both educational institutions. The renewed agreement is not only a confirmation of the collaboration that has existed for years, but also offers scope to continue building together on new educational developments and progression opportunities between MBO and HBO.

With the renewed collaboration, ensure Fontys Technology Fontys and Summa ensure that students in the Eindhoven region can continue to receive high-quality and modern laboratory education at MBO and HBO levels. By working together, Fontys and Summa offer students education in modern and inspiring laboratories equipped with professional equipment from the field. Because laboratories are costly to develop and keep up to date, the collaboration helps both institutions to continuously invest in high-quality and future-proof laboratory education. This creates a highly attractive learning environment for students.

Fontys makes laboratories, classrooms, and other facilities in the Nexus building available to Summa. In addition, lab staff from both institutions work closely together: Summa's technical teaching assistants and Fontys' teaching and research assistants form a single joint team in the laboratories. This enhances safety and ensures proper supervision of students during classes.

Moreover, Fontys and Summa intend to continue collaborating on the content of education. Both institutions view it as a shared responsibility to offer strong laboratory education in the Brainport region. Therefore, they are working together on continuous learning pathways and a good connection between pre-vocational secondary education (vmbo), secondary vocational secondary education (mbo), higher professional education (hbo), and university education (wo). They are also exploring possibilities for joint courses and lifelong learning (LLL).

Maartje Damoiseaux, Director of Fontys Technology: “Summa and Fontys have been working together intensively for a long time, but with this new agreement, we are joining forces even more intensively for future-proof laboratory education in the Brainport region. We all have the same goal in mind: to train more professionals to a high standard. We can truly do this better together than separately. Summa and Fontys prove that this is possible. I am very proud of that.”

Patricia van der Linden-Straatman, Director of Summa: “Because Summa and Fontys use the same high-quality and state-of-the-art laboratories, students learn to work in a professional practical environment at an early stage. This also makes the transition from MBO to HBO more accessible, as students are already familiar with the equipment, working methods, and environment. Students bring strong practical skills from MBO and later combine them with the analytical skills of HBO. According to the professional field, it is precisely this combination that is enormously valuable.”

The Fontys Technology laboratories in the Nexus building are used for teaching biology and chemistry. Students are trained here to become laboratory technicians or analysts. Among other things, they learn to conduct research into blood, food, soil, and water. They also analyze, for example, DNA, air quality, medicines, and perfumes. Approximately 24 students can receive instruction in each room at the same time in the laboratories. Every year, about 300 Summa students receive instruction in the Fontys labs.
With the renewed agreement, Fontys and Summa declare that they remain each other's preferred partner for developments in the field of laboratory education in the region.