News report | 08-01-2026 | 10:05

His Majesty the King will visit the VISTA College in Heerlen and Boston Scientific in Kerkrade on the afternoon of Friday, January 23. The visit focuses on ‘Medlands Parkstad’, the collaboration in the South Limburg Parkstad region between business, government, and education aimed at strengthening the medical technology sector.

Medlands Parkstad focuses on talent development, area development, and social progress. The Parkstad region is home to large international companies that develop medical products, medicines, and technological solutions for healthcare. The sector is growing rapidly, and without intensive cooperation, there is a risk of a shortage of well-trained personnel. The involved organizations work together to attract talent, create new jobs in the medical technology sector, and provide high-quality healthcare.

The visit to Heerlen starts in the VISTA theater where patients share the impact on their health of a product developed by the partners of Medlands Parkstad. One of these patients suffered from chronic cluster headaches and received an implant that stimulates nerves in the back of his head. This neurostimulation system has reduced the number and severity of headache attacks. Another patient talks about an angioplasty treatment in which calcium was removed from his coronary arteries, avoiding the need for open-heart surgery. 
Subsequently, students from VISTA College, Zuyd University of Applied Sciences, and Maastricht University explain their internships at the Medlands-affiliated medical companies. 

During the transfer from Heerlen to Kerkrade, the mayor of Heerlen and medical company executives discuss challenges related to infrastructure, accessibility, and the limited capacity of the electricity grid. 

At Boston Scientific, the King receives a tour of the new warehouse where people and robots ensure that hospitals, healthcare institutions, and patients worldwide have access to medicines and equipment. Employees talk about life, learning, and working in the Parkstad region and their careers in the medical technology sector. The visit to Kerkrade concludes with a meeting with executives from Medlands-affiliated educational institutions, government, and companies. This discussion covers attracting, training, and retaining talent, nationally showcasing the regional medtech sector, and collaboration among the involved organizations.

RVD, no. 2