Rotterdam is in the DNA of our university. Once founded by port barons, ´óÏó´«Ã½ (EUR) has traditionally been closely linked to the city and its region. Rotterdam is like a laboratory with metropolitan issues, where social developments occur. Over the years, an extensive knowledge infrastructure has developed within Rotterdam with frequent collaboration with the City of Rotterdam and other Rotterdam parties. Many research collaboration projects have gotten off the ground.
Contacts
Contact for both external and internal parties.
- Marjolein KooistraEmail address
- Isabel van der HeidenEmail address
Knowledge infrastructure
An evaluative study was commissioned by ´óÏó´«Ã½ and the City of Rotterdam to learn from the cooperation with the City of Rotterdam in 2021. See the report/summary Bevlogen grenswerk, begrensde nabijheid for the study results. In 2022, from this knowledge infrastructure, advice was presented to the new college with topics considered important for the city's development: Woorden ter inspiratie voor daden.
´óÏó´«Ã½ in the city
Knowledge labs: city and university join forces
Researchers and Rotterdam policymakers work together in knowledge labs on societal issues in the city. These issues are important questions for Rotterdam and the city's and its residents' resilience. By combining knowledge from science and practice, we make the city future-proof.
From Leefbare Wijken to Healthy'R.
Perhaps Rotterdam's greatest challenge lies in the labor market, where supply and demand no longer match and in the reintegration of people who have dropped out of the labor process. This is what the KWP Urban Labor Market is focusing on. The Kennislab has developed a municipal training course in 2022, see Vakwijzer Leeratelier ‘Dealing with tightness in the labor market 2022-2023’.
Contact: dr. Joris Beek & Prof. dr. Menno Fenger
The KWP contributes to knowledge development in the field of Rotterdam talent. By sharing and applying knowledge, the KWP aims to contribute to the improvement of Rotterdam's educational policy and practice.
Contact: Drs. Tom Tudjman & Dr. Jacqueline Schenk
The Future Society Lab is a leading knowledge and networking platform at the intersection of digital transformation and urban development. It is an initiative of the City of Rotterdam and EUR. The platform has been working closely with various local and regional knowledge institutions (wo, hbo and mbo) since its launch in 2024. In addition, the Future Society Lab also involves experts and creative professionals from other organizations in and around Rotterdam.
Contact: coordinator Harmen van Sprang en dr. Rebecca Moody, EUR
EUR and City of Rotterdam want to move forward together on themes that are crucial for Rotterdam. The transition from a sustainable city to a distributive city, to a city that grows, to a healthy city. These transitions call for new forms of governance. How can the city organise itself to manage social change?
Kennislab Organisaties in een Slimme Stad continues under the banner of GOVLAB010.
Contact: Dr.ir. Lizet Kuitert | Prof. Dr. Arwin van Buuren
CARE Lab Rotterdam, a collaboration between the City of Rotterdam and Erasmus School of Health Policy & Management (ESHPM), focuses on conducting action research and improving support for people with multiple problems and contributes to a learning culture.
Contact: Dr. Jeroen van Wijngaarden & Dr. Lieke Oldenhof
CEPHIR is the Academic Workshop for Public Health for the Rotterdam-Rijnmond, Zeeland and Zuid-Holland Zuid regions. We connect science, policy and practice through research, answering social questions and sharing knowledge. It is how we contribute to a healthy society, reducing health disparities and underpinning effective health policy. They regularly work together with various departments of the municipality of Rotterdam.
Contact: Dr. Mariëlle Beenackers
Healthy'R is the expertise center of the City of Rotterdam and the EUR. The goal is to help Rotterdammers make choices for healthier behaviour.
Contact: Prof. Dr. Semiha Denktas & dr. Paul Kocken
Other collaborations within the knowledge infrastructure
In addition to knowledge labs, there are many other collaborations in the city.
The City of Rotterdam has had two endowed chairs established at ´óÏó´«Ã½:
- Chair of Child Poverty, with chair holder Prof. Dr. Nicole Lucassen - in collaboration with Kinderhulp Nederland. Associated with the chair is a with lector Dr. Mariette Lusse, Hogeschool Rotterdam, City of Rotterdam and Kinderhulp Nederland.
- Chair Integrity of Local Government, with chair holder Prof. Dr. Leonie Heres. The chair is intended to strongly stimulate research into public integrity, and administrative integrity in particular.
Convergence is the collaboration between EUR, Erasmus MC and TU Delft. The City of Rotterdam is a major social partner in various Convergence programs.
Resilient Delta Initiative (RDI)
The mission of Resilient Delta is to design resilient solutions in the Rotterdam delta and implement them worldwide. Within Resilient Delta there is an interdisciplinary way of working in the university. Collaboration with social partners is also needed to design resilient solutions in the practical dynamics of the Rotterdam delta.
Research consortium SPRING
Part of RDI Team consists of medical, technical and social scientists. In SPRING there is intensive collaboration with governments, businesses, citizens and others. Together we conduct research to improve the lifestyle, living environment and life expectancy of residents of neighbourhoods such as Rotterdam-Zuid, with the aim of reducing disparities in health and well-being in the city.
Healthy Start
Within Healthy Start, we investigate the early origins of differences in health and well-being from a transdisciplinary perspective. In this way, we can identify opportunities in early life and, together with our partners, develop innovative preventive strategies that lead to better health, well-being and participation for future generations. The Rotterdam-Delft region is an ideal testing ground for Healthy Start because of its diverse and participating young population, researching municipalities and a strong research community.
Vital Cities and Citizens (VCC)
The Erasmus Initiative 'Vital Cities and Citizens' aims to strengthen the quality of life in cities. We want to achieve this by networking with municipalities, civil society organisations and initiatives, companies and the creative industry and sharing knowledge based on scientific research. The city of Rotterdam and the region are essential partners. For example, projects are underway in Reyeroord and Beverwaard.
Contact: vitalcitiesandcitizens@eur.nl
Together with researchers from ´óÏó´«Ã½, Delft University of Technology, Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences and Erasmus MC, neighbourhood residents are developing knowledge in different neighbourhoods to understand better and address neighbourhood issues. Wijkwijs is part of Convergence Resilient Delta Initiative and Vital Cities and Citizens.
A partnership since 2022 between EUR, Codarts, Willem de Koning Academy, Hogeschool Rotterdam, the Cooperatie Afrikaanderwijk and the City of Rotterdam. Work is underway to develop a new hub on Rotterdam South, where research, education and social organisations will come together.
The project is funded from the New European Bauhaus Light Demonstrator fund. It collaborates with neighbourhood residents, local entrepreneurs, (art) educational institutions and the City of Rotterdam on creative placemaking (sharing public space through cultural programs), education, culture and socially engaged research, in Bloemhof.
UNIC stands for: European University of Post-Industrial Cities in Transition. In 10 years, it will be natural for EUR students, faculty and researchers all over Europe to attend and give lectures, conduct research and create knowledge. UNIC takes inclusion to the next level by taking the super-diverse environment that many of our students are part of as a given. By working with local partners in CityLabs, we bring "science to the city" and contribute to developing local communities and the city's resilience.
The City of Rotterdam is an important partner of UNIC University. Contact: unic@eur.nl
´óÏó´«Ã½ in the City
´óÏó´«Ã½ is committed to impactful education in the city by working with local partners, researchers, and students on social issues. We connect science with practice through initiatives such as Erasmus Connects, Hefhouse, the Rotterdam Thesis Prize, and the Veld Academie.
The HefHouse welcomes everyone from the local community. Students from all different levels of education (´óÏó´«Ã½ (wo), Hogeschool Rotterdam (hbo) and Albeda (mbo) are welcome here. Instead of traditional education in classrooms, the HefHouse uses students' talents and knowledge to invest directly in the neighbourhood. It is a place where people with different perspectives meet, enabling meaningful (and often unexpected) encounters. The focus is on sustainable, community-driven solutions to complex societal challenges.
Contact: Frieda Franke
The university-wide student initiative ‘Erasmus Verbindt’ (EV) connects science and society in Rotterdam: to create a positive impact. With this initiative, EUR students want to make an active contribution to solving the important and complex social issues that lie ahead.
Contact: Max Wagenaar wagenaar@eur.nl
Werkplaats Crooswijk is an initiative of the EUR, in collaboration with the municipality of Rotterdam and neighbourhood hub Crooswijk, where the future of impact-driven education is taking shape. Work is underway to retrieve issues from the neighbourhood and connect them to education. The Werkplaats Crooswijk is part of Wijkwijs.
Contact: erasmusverbindt@eur.nl
EUR and the Pauluskerk are jointly searching for practical solutions to homelessness and undocumented migrants in Rotterdam. From the EUR several projects are participating: Erasmus Verbindt, Wijkwijs (neighbourhood research), impact driven education, URBIMM (research undocumented), GIDS (health students in society), as well as the organizations Kansfonds and Hieroo (consulting firm).
Albeda MBO works closely with Prof. Dr. Eveline Crone, Professor of Neuroscience in Society and Erasmus Professor. With this collaboration, Albeda aims to achieve new insights and innovations in equal opportunities and youth. In this unique collaboration, Dr. Kayla Green has been appointed as a part-time Equal Opportunities Practor and makes the connection between the university and MBO.
Contact: synclab@essb.eur.nl
The Veldacademie employs urban researchers from various disciplines. The team is reinforced by students, interns or specialized external researchers at the project level. Field Academy is part of the Municipality of Rotterdam. ´óÏó´«Ã½ collaborates with them; for example, ESSB students are regularly part of Field Academy projects.
The link between implementation, policy and science
Since 2008, the Veldacademie has been positioned as a connecting link between implementation, policy and science. It is a practice-oriented research workplace and knowledge platform for integrated neighbourhood development. It initiates, organizes, and conducts action research, interdisciplinary education and professional training in that field. It does so from the perspective of the everyday users of the city: residents, entrepreneurs and the social field.
The Veldacademie primarily works on issues related to the Rotterdam practice of neighbourhood development. Its themes include public space, public facilities, social resilience, healthy living environment, care and welfare, safety, growing up in the city, talent development, healthy living environment, inclusive city, and housing.
EUR member advisory board Veldacademie: dr. Lieke Oldenhof (ESHPM)
´óÏó´«Ã½ is affiliated with , part of the national program Agenda Stad. Together with the City of Rotterdam and the Rotterdam Universities of Applied Sciences, the EUR is part of this national network that aims to accelerate the solving of social tasks of cities by involving researchers, teachers and students on a large scale.
The participating parties consider this a form of knowledge utilization but also offer the city as a learning environment for students and researchers.
´óÏó´«Ã½ and the City of Rotterdam have established the Rotterdam Thesis Award. With this thesis prize, both parties want to encourage ´óÏó´«Ã½ master students to make an active contribution to the city of Rotterdam.
Students could connect with social developments in the city of Rotterdam by contributing their expertise, creativity, enthusiasm and scientific knowledge. Students' contributions are of great importance to the city of Rotterdam. The award has existed since 2013 and is presented each year by representative of B&W during the opening Academic Year.
Contact: Marjolein Kooistra, coördinator Rotterdam Thesis Award
Agreements, covenants and research projects
With various partners in the city, the university has agreements and covenants. We do this to strengthen collaborations.
´óÏó´«Ã½, Anti-Discrimination Agency RADAR and the City of Rotterdam signed a covenant with each other for the Rotterdam Inclusivity Project in June 2024. It will continue structural research into patterns of discrimination, racism and inequality in Rotterdam for the next four years. They have initiated the launch of the website , which is a display of research on discrimination in Rotterdam that includes data, reports and other sources of information.
Contact: prof.dr. Peter Scholten, p.scholten@essb.eur.nl
Within RASL, Codarts Rotterdam, Arts & Culture Studies (EUR), Erasmus University College (EUR) and Willem de Kooning Academy Rotterdam are collaborating more intensively and joining forces in the fields of education and research.
EUR participates in Citylab010, founded by the City of Rotterdam. Citylab010 supports innovative initiatives that make Rotterdam greener, more social and safer.
Contact: erasmusverbindt@eur.nl
Our university regularly conducts research for the City of Rotterdam. One example is the four-year research project "Evaluation of new integration policy Rotterdam.''
Rotterdam Make it Happen
´óÏó´«Ã½ is one of the initiators of the that started in 2014. Since then, 33 leading Rotterdam organisations, so-called brand partners, have joined. Through brand positioning 'Rotterdam. Make it Happen.' A joint effort is being made to increase Rotterdam's national and international appeal.
Smart, healthy, circular
By starting from a shared identity and mentality of Rotterdam, a shared tone of voice, style and a shared brand promise, the brand alliance wants to position Rotterdam smarter and stronger in a challenging way. The alliance focuses on (international) profiling of the city among talent, businesses, visitors, investors, residents and students to contribute to economic value with social impact. The focus in recent years has been on Rotterdam as a smart, healthy and circular city.
Contact brand alliance: marcel.latupeirissa@eur.nl
EUR researchers in the city
Scientists regularly visit the city to share their knowledge with a wide audience. For example, Studio Erasmus in Theater Rotterdam is held every month, and annual events are held, including the Rotterdamlezing, , and the Tiger lecture at the IFFR. Through its activities, Rotterdammers are introduced to science.