We are delighted to announce the wonderful news that Dr. Janneke de Boer, successfully defended her PhD thesis at Ghent University on Thursday 22nd May 2025. Her thesis, titled “Co-creation for Implementation and Adaptation: Engaging School Staff in School Health Promotion,” reflected on the strengths and challenges of co-creating with teachers.
Engaging teachers in the co-creation process proved challenging, primarily due to the time-intensive nature of co-creation. As a result, it was crucial to tailor the co-creation process to meet the specific needs of school staff to develop a relevant and feasible implementation plan. This tailored approach facilitated more positive co-creation experiences. Findings from Janneke’s PhD thesis indicate that teachers generally prefer guided co-creation processes. These structured approaches offer greater time efficiency, allowing school staff to participate more effectively, while still providing a sense of ownership and decision-making power.
Janneke’s work was expertly guided by her supervisory team, which included Prof. Dr. Greet Cardon, Prof. Dr. Maïté Verloigne, Prof. Dr. Benedicte Deforche, Dr. Teatske Altenburg, and Dr. Veerle Van Oeckel.
The jury members for her defense were Prof. Dr. Jan Bourgois (chair; Ghent University), Prof. Dr. Katrien De Cocker (Ghent University), Dr. Femke van Nassau (Amsterdam UMC), Dr. Anne-Lore Scherrens (Ghent University), Prof. Dr. Jan Seghers (KU Leuven), and Dr. Marjolijn Vos (Ghent University).
Janneke has published findings from her research in academic journals, which can be accessed here.
We wish Janneke success in her future career.
Congratulations Dr Janneke de Boer – what a brilliant achievement!
