International NETWORKING EVENT #7
Longevity: Healthy Ageing



- Date: Monday, September 29, 2025
- Time: 8:00 AM - 16:30 PM
- Location: Grand Hotel Bernardin, Portorož
successful networking event
As part of the KRPAN project, on September 29, 2025, we organized a networking event titled Longevity: Healthy Ageing. The event was attended by representatives of research institutions, universities, and experts from various fields of longevity. The purpose of the meeting was to encourage the networking of stakeholders and the formation of partnerships for successful applications to upcoming calls of centralized European programmes, such as the Health programme. The event took place in person at the Grand Hotel Bernardin in Portorož, where numerous connections were established among participants and new project ideas began to take shape.




About the event
The process of healthy aging is influenced by various factors.
While genotype cannot be changed, individuals can strengthen their health through regular physical activity, a balanced diet, regular medical check-ups, and care for mental well-being. Key measures for supporting healthy aging include maintaining physical activity, choosing nutritious foods, getting enough sleep, limiting alcohol consumption, and taking a proactive approach to healthcare. Even small changes in these areas can contribute to long-term health.
The networking event ‘Longevity: Healthy Aging’ will take place as part of the multi-day international congress ‘Man in Motion (ICHM)’ (28 September 2025 – 1 October 2025, Portorož).
One of the key sections of the congress, ‘Healthy Aging‘, will address the crucial role of nutrition, physical activity, mobility, and lifestyle in promoting the well-being and functionality of older adults. This section will present current research that can contribute to maintaining health, independence, and quality of life in old age.
Topics within the Healthy Aging section:
The impact of nutrition and other lifestyle factors on the aging population.
Innovative approaches to prevent age-related decline.
The role of rehabilitation and physiotherapy in maintaining independence in old age.
Technological advances in supporting mobility and well-being of older adults.
Why Attend?
The networking event ‘Longevity: Healthy Aging’ will feature expert insights, presentations of project ideas, and engaging discussions among researchers, policymakers, and other stakeholders in the field of healthy aging.
Join us at this special event, aimed at fostering partnerships and exploring opportunities for centralized EU funding in the area of longevity!

What to Expect?
The event offers an excellent opportunity to network with speakers, researchers, and representatives from the business sector who are passionate about seeking opportunities to form partnerships and consortia for applying to upcoming international calls under the Horizon Europe program and other international funding programs.

Keynote Speakers
Prof. dr. Anita Hökelmann PhD, Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg

Prof. Dr. Anita Hökelmann has over four decades of academic experience and has served as Professor of Movement Science at Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg since 1996. With a background in sport science, pedagogy, and physical education, she has led numerous national and international research and development projects focused on physical activity, cognitive and motor performance, and active aging. She holds a PhD in Sport Science (1982) and completed her habilitation in 1988 at the German Sport University Leipzig.
Her primary research interests include physical activity and mental health in elderly and special populations, development of cognitive-motor training programs, the use of assistive technologies such as smart rollators, and the influence of music on motor learning. She has coordinated projects funded by the BMBF, DAAD, and the European Regional Development Fund, including initiatives like Dance against Dementia (DIADEM) and Active Healthy Aging (AHA).
Prof. Hökelmann has authored and co-authored over 200 scientific publications and presentations across Europe, North America, and the Middle East, and regularly serves on editorial boards of international journals. She is also an active member of several professional organizations, including the German Association of Sport Science (DVS), ICSSPE, and INSHS. Her career includes keynote lectures in over 20 countries and leadership of German–Arabic academic cooperation networks.
She is the recipient of several honors, including the German ERASMUS Prize (2011), the Theo and Friedel Schöller Prize for Aging Medicine Research (2017), and the Bestform Award of Saxony-Anhalt (2018) for the development of a dance and sport trolley.
Prof. dr. Marcela González Gros, PhD, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid

Prof. dr. Marcela González Gros, PhD is a Full Professor for sport nutrition and exercise physiology at the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid. Head of the ImFINE Research Group.
Main research focused on nutritional status and its impact both on functional and cognitive level of healthy subjects and those with risk factors with different levels of fitness and physical activity, especially children, adolescents and elderly, pioneering the interdisciplinary collaboration between nutrition and sport sciences both at national and international level. She is the current President of the Spanish Nutrition Society (SEÑ), Scientific Manager of Exercise is Medicine® Spain, member of the boards of the European Initiative for Exercise In Medicine and the Federation of European Nutrition Societies, Member of the Royal European Academy of Doctors and Academia Europaea, among other worths.
She has been the leading researcher for UPM in the Stanford ranking 2023, she is included among the 500 leading Spanish researchers of all areas, and among leading women researchers living in Spain. In June 2024, she has been awarded as one of the 100 most influencing women in Spanish Sports, in the category of research.
Contributions to the training of young researchers: She has directed 45 Master’s Theses, most of them qualified with outstanding and 21 doctoral theses, all cum laude and in the field of health, most of them international, several awarded, both at the UPM and in collaboration with other universities, such as those of Granada, Zaragoza, Bonn, Milan, Sao Paulo, among others. She also regularly hosts postdoc researchers in her group. Currently, her former students hold relevant positions in public and private universities, in the industry, in public health and in the public administration.
Prof. Branka Javornik, PhD, University of Ljubljana

Prof. Dr. Branka Javornik, PhD is professor emerita at the University of Ljubljana. She was employed at the Biotechnical Faculty as a teacher and researcher in the fields of biotechnology and genetics. After retirement, she began to work intensively on scientific aspects of the biology of aging. Within the framework of the Gerontological Society of Slovenia, she has organized professional conferences on the topic of aging and regularly promotes the concept of healthy longevity in academic circles and in society at large. She was the initiator of the introduction of two new elective courses in the biology of aging in M.Sc. programs at the University of Ljubljana. She also lectures at Faculty of Active Wisdom, UL.
Prof. Sandra Pais, PhD, University of Évora

Prof. Sandra Pais, PhD is a researcher with over 20 years of experience in ageing, chronic diseases, and health literacy. She has been based at the University of Évora and CHRC since 2023, focusing on healthy ageing in rural Alentejo and on bridging research, practice, and policy. Her work applies participatory and co-production approaches, engaging older adults, healthcare professionals, and community organizations. She has coordinated regional and national initiatives on chronic disease management, musculoskeletal health, and digital health literacy, and developed innovative community-based programs such as Volta ao Monte and InfoCuidador. She has published extensively in international peer-reviewed journals, supervised multidisciplinary teams, and contributed to capacity building in healthcare and social innovation. Throughout her career, she has played a key role in shaping strategies and informing policies for active and healthy ageing, with a strong emphasis on equity, citizen engagement, and the sustainability of primary care in underserved regions.
other speakers

prof. Ivan Eržen, PhD
Scientific Director, National Institute of Public Health

peter volasko, MA
National Contact Point for the Health Cluster, Ministry of Higher
Education, Science and Innovation

nika merkuš
National Contact Point for the Health Cluster, Ministry of Higher
Education, Science and Innovation
Grant Opportunities
Explore possibilities for partnership and consortia formation for upcoming international calls under Horizon Europe Cluster 1: Health, EU Mission Cancer, EU4Health and other European funding programs.
Agenda
We promise a diverse participation promises a rich program featuring a variety of stimulating speakers, compelling ideas, and a diverse array of participants. Seize this chance to connect with a network of researchers delving into similar fields from across Europe!
The event will be held in English.


Who Can Attend?
Researchers, innovators, industry representatives and other experts in the fields of Longevity, healthy ageing, health and in any other related areas coming from Slovenia and the rest of Europe, who are interested in forming partnerships and applying for calls under the Horizon Europe and other EU funding programs.
RegistRATION
Register now for this international networking event and enhance your chances of successful participation in Horizon Europe calls. Join us in shaping the future through digitalizing the past. Don’t miss out—register today!
Participation is limited and will be confirmed on a first-come, first-served basis.
The event is free of charge.
Event Details
Location: Grand Hotel Bernardin, Portorož
Contact: cup@zrs-kp.si / +386 5 66 37 716
This event is organized within the framework of the KRPAN project, “Fostering the Research Support and Activities for Progress in European Research Projects”, co-funded by the Republic of Slovenia, the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Innovation and the European Union – NextGenerationEU.