There has probably never been such an intense debate about the layout of the countryside as the one that is currently raging. There are serious concerns about the landscape, which is being rapidly transformed by urbanization and everything associated with this process, and not only in the Netherlands but also far beyond its borders. Everyone has something to say in this society-wide debate, from local to national governments, from environmental factions to the road-user's lobby, and from those who are professionally involved to concerned private parties. In many cases it is a battle between idealized images and economic models, between agricultural reality and urban park landscapes, between ecological concerns and mobility. This issue of OASE explores the potential significance of architectonic design for transformation processes on the regional scale. Besides considering the instruments that are available to the designer to fulfil this task, the authors also consider how the design can exercise a 'positive' influence on such processes. The various contributions shed light on the potential significance of territory in contemporary design practice and offer critical reflection on the topical discourse that has evolved over recent years.
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Regional news media are facing tough times, as they lose readers and advertisers rapidly. In The Netherlands, circulation decreased from 2.7 million in 1990 to 1.8 million in 2010, household penetration declined from 47 percent to 25 percent, and the number of titles went down from 35 to 18 in the same period. We interviewed managers and executives (2009 - 2010) of nine of the eighteen regional newspapers in The Netherlands, to analyse if and how they consider convergence (the transition to an integrated newsroom) a significant option to regain readers and advertisers. This study is part of a research project on the potential (long-term) consequences of convergence for the organizational structure, the work procedures, journalistic quality, and business models of regional news media. Our first results show that convergence is, indeed, embraced as a solution. However, views on how to approach the new market for online news through an integrated newsroom differ significantly. Management tends to operate safely, experimenting with small projects that can be discontinued easily, while editors and journalists on the work floor wish to invest heavily in both the education of employees and technical convergence on a more structural basis. In its examination of how convergence is strategically and operationally changing regional media in The Netherlands this study is the first of its kind.
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Higher education has the potential to act as ecosystem catalysts, connecting with the places our institutions which they are a part of, for learning-based changes with wicked (sustainability) challenges. This, however, calls for reorienting and rethinking of the higher educational narratives and subsequent practices towards more ecological and relational ones. In this study, a pilot aimed to connect a course at The Hague University of Applied Sciences (The Netherlands) to an industrial park next to the university which is undergoing transition towards a sustainable living space. The pilot, which ran from September 2020 to February 2021, included 17 students from 9 nationalities and 12 different bachelor programmes, and was designed according to the concepts of an ‘ecology of learning’. In this semester long course, called Mission Impact, students reflected every five-weeks, to capture their learning experiences using a combination of arts-based and narrative reflection methods. Two questions guided the analysis: (1) what are the key design characteristics of an ecological approach to higher education that connects to sustainability transformations (in times of COVID-19) and (2) what does this type of education asks from to learners. The reflective artefacts were analysed using Narratives of T-Mapping and juxtaposed with autoethnographic insights maintained by the first author for triangulation. Preliminary results of this pilot include the structure in chaos, space for transformation, openness for emerging futures & action confidence as components of such an ecological education that connects to and co-creates sustainability transformations.
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The objective of DIGIREAL-XL is to build a Research, Development & Innovation (RD&I) Center (SPRONG GROUP, level 4) on Digital Realities (DR) for Societal-Economic Impact. DR are intelligent, interactive, and immersive digital environments that seamlessly integrate Data, Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning, Modelling-Simulation, and Visualization by using Game and Media Technologies (Game platforms/VR/AR/MR). Examples of these DR disruptive innovations can be seen in many domains, such as in the entertainment and service industries (Digital Humans); in the entertainment, leisure, learning, and culture domain (Virtual Museums and Music festivals) and within the decision making and spatial planning domain (Digital Twins). There are many well-recognized innovations in each of the enabling technologies (Data, AI,V/AR). However, DIGIREAL-XL goes beyond these disconnected state-of-the-art developments and technologies in its focus on DR as an integrated socio-technical concept. This requires pre-commercial, interdisciplinary RD&I, in cross-sectoral and inter-organizational networks. There is a need for integrating theories, methodologies, smart tools, and cross-disciplinary field labs for the effective and efficient design and production of DR. In doing so, DIGIREAL-XL addresses the challenges formulated under the KIA-Enabling Technologies / Key Methodologies for sectoral and societal transformation. BUas (lead partner) and FONTYS built a SPRONG group level 4 based on four pillars: RD&I-Program, Field Labs, Lab-Infrastructure, and Organizational Excellence Program. This provides a solid foundation to initiate and execute challenging, externally funded RD&I projects with partners in SPRONG stage one ('21-'25) and beyond (until' 29). DIGIREAL-XL is organized in a coherent set of Work Packages with clear objectives, tasks, deliverables, and milestones. The SPRONG group is well-positioned within the emerging MINDLABS Interactive Technologies eco-system and strengthens the regional (North-Brabant) digitalization agenda. Field labs on DR work with support and co-funding by many network organizations such as Digishape and Chronosphere and public, private, and societal organizations.
The objective of DIGIREAL-XL is to build a Research, Development & Innovation (RD&I) Center (SPRONG GROUP, level 4) onDigital Realities (DR) for Societal-Economic Impact. DR are intelligent, interactive, and immersive digital environments thatseamlessly integrate Data, Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning, Modelling-Simulation, and Visualization by using Gameand Media Technologies (Game platforms/VR/AR/MR). Examples of these DR disruptive innovations can be seen in manydomains, such as in the entertainment and service industries (Digital Humans); in the entertainment, leisure, learning, andculture domain (Virtual Museums and Music festivals) and within the decision making and spatial planning domain (DigitalTwins). There are many well-recognized innovations in each of the enabling technologies (Data, AI,V/AR). However, DIGIREAL-XL goes beyond these disconnected state-of-the-art developments and technologies in its focus on DR as an integrated socio-technical concept. This requires pre-commercial, interdisciplinary RD&I, in cross-sectoral andinter-organizational networks. There is a need for integrating theories, methodologies, smart tools, and cross-disciplinaryfield labs for the effective and efficient design and production of DR. In doing so, DIGIREAL-XL addresses the challengesformulated under the KIA-Enabling Technologies / Key Methodologies for sectoral and societal transformation. BUas (lead partner) and FONTYS built a SPRONG group level 4 based on four pillars: RD&I-Program, Field Labs, Lab-Infrastructure, and Organizational Excellence Program. This provides a solid foundation to initiate and execute challenging, externally funded RD&I projects with partners in SPRONG stage one ('21-'25) and beyond (until' 29). DIGIREAL-XL is organized in a coherent set of Work Packages with clear objectives, tasks, deliverables, and milestones. The SPRONG group is well-positioned within the emerging MINDLABS Interactive Technologies eco-system and strengthens the regional (North-Brabant) digitalization agenda. Field labs on DR work with support and co-funding by many network organizations such as Digishape and Chronosphere and public, private, and societal organizations
The Hanzehogeschool Groningen (HUAS hereafter) is a University of Applied Sciences that is strongly inspired by the challenges of the North Netherlands region and firmly embedded in the city of Groningen in particular. HUAS has a strong track record in education, and practice-based research, and is dedicated to enhancing innovation and entrepreneurship. HUAS currently has 31,000 students Bachelor and Master students in 70 teaching programs. The 3.000 member of staff forming 17 schools and 7 centres of applied research collaborate to offer a cutting-edge teaching-based research. HUAS took the challenge to develop a strong research capacity with 67 professors, and an increasing number of researchers at various levels, supported by dedicated technical and administration support staff. PhD research thesis are co-supervised in collaboration with various universities in the Netherlands and abroad. HUAS positions itself as an Engaged and Versatile university, both in education and research. In line with this, the overall strategic ambitions of HUAS are to develop suitable learning pathways with recognised qualifications; to conduct applied research with a visible impact on education and society; and to be an adaptive, versatile and approachable organisation. HUAS links these strategic ambitions to three strategic research themes: Energy, Healthy Ageing and Entrepreneurship and four societal themes: strengthening a liveable and sustainable North Netherlands; transition to a healthy and active society; digital transformation; and energy transition and circularity. These four challenges define the focus of HUAS education and research.One of the societal themes is explicitly linked to the region: strengthening a liveable and sustainable North Netherlands. North Netherlands is a powerful, enterprising region with the city of Groningen as the healthiest city in the Netherlands. The region is a front runner in the energy transition, has a European exemplary role in the field of active and healthy ageing, and as an agricultural region, has many opportunities for the development of the circular economy and consequently the development of biobased construction material to mitigate climate change. Cooperation with different groups and stakeholders in the region is central in HUAS’s strategy. HUAS is part of extensive local and regional networks, including the University of the North and Akkoord van Groningen. As such, HUAS is well- connected to the research ecosystem in North Netherlands.HUAS has the ambition to better align, connect & develop on a local as well as a regional, national and international levels. Many of the challenges the North is faced with are also relevant in the EU context. Therefore, HUAS is a strong advocate and actor on engaging in European projects. HUAS monitors regularly the EU’s priorities and aligns its research between these priorities and its immediate societal needs. The EU provides a range of funding opportunities that fulfil our ambition as a research and teaching university and responds directly to our challenges from social, energy, and digital transformation. Indeed, over the last decade, HUAS has been successful in European programmes. In the Horizon 2020 programme, HUAS was part of five approved projects. In Horizon Europe so far two projects were granted. HUAS has performed particular well in the EU societal challenge for a secure, clean and efficient energy system. Examples of this are Making City (https://makingcity.eu/) focussing on the developing Positive Energy Districts, and IANOS (https://ianos.eu/) about the decarbonisation of islands. In addition to EU research and innovation schemes, HUAS has a considerable track record in projects funded by the Interreg schemes. In particular, these types of projects have strong links with region, and partners in the region. Currently, EU participation and involvement of HUAS is mainly concentrated in one field: sustainability & energy. In order to further disseminate to other parts of the university, only a well-designed strategy will allow the various research centres to better reach European fundings and satisfy the university’s ambitions. However, so far, no structured mechanism is in place internally to guide the research community and regional stakeholders how to reach European collaboration with confidence. Therefore, this pilot project aims to develop a strategic framework to enhance the participation of all parties at HUAS, including a pilot project that will lead to improvement and validation.
Centre of Expertise, onderdeel van Hanze
