dr. RAJ (Robert) Borst, MSc

Biography

Robert is an Assistant Professor of Global Health Systems Resilience & Governance at Erasmus School of Health Policy & Management. He is a leading interdisciplinary scholar in sociological health policy and systems research, with expertise spanning health policy, sociology, and public administration. His work centres on how social ties and governance networks shape knowledge translation in health policy, particularly in post-colonial contexts. In 2024, he founded the Caribbean Health Policy & Governance (CHPG) network, which connects Dutch Caribbean health actors and researchers to foster evidence-informed policymaking.

Trained in international public health (cum laude) at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and holding a PhD in Science and Technology Studies from Erasmus University Rotterdam, Robert developed a novel conceptual approach to knowledge translation grounded in everyday social practice. As a postdoctoral researcher, he investigated crisis governance and health systems resilience in the Netherlands and the Dutch Caribbean. His expertise has led to several international collaborations, both academically and societally.

Robert is widely recognised for combining rigorous research with societal impact. He supervises multiple PhD and MSc projects, contributes as guest editor to Nature Humanities and Social Sciences Communications and as editorial board member to Health Research Policy and Systems. He is a regular reviewer for leading journals in the field and frequently invited as reviewer and panel member for funding agencies.

Robert was awarded two landmark ZonMw grants in 2023 and 2024 for research on health systems resilience in the Dutch Caribbean. Through CHPG, he institutionalises long-standing partnerships in the region to advance knowledge-responsive health systems.