Despite having officially retired, professor of energy technology Gerrit Brem still felt the itch to get involved again. He didn’t want to sit still and saw many opportunities in the collaboration between the Zwolle region and the University of Twente. From last autumn, he has acted as an advance outpost within that collaboration. Brem talks about his role: ‘There’s quite a lot happening in Zwolle – I believe the university can’t afford to be absent.’
Brem knows Zwolle well. Years ago, he studied mechanical engineering at the HTS and now lives nearby in Hattem (‘I can finally cycle to work’). He sees the potential of the region as similar to a hightech area like Twente. ‘In terms of mentality and talent development, Twente and Zwolle are not so different. But until recently, we hadn’t really sought each other out,’ says Brem.
Gerrit, which areas do you see as opportunities for UT in Zwolle?
‘Actually in three areas: research, education and lifelong learning. There’s a lot of innovative activity in Zwolle, from AI to advanced manufacturing. Perron038 alone – the innovation centre for the manufacturing industry in the railway zone – involves more than twenty companies working on themes that are also relevant to UT. And many of those companies had little or no contact with us until now. That’s where the opportunity lies.’
What exactly is your role in this?
‘I’m a kind of scout and connector. Companies, lecturers from Windesheim, departments at UT – I bring people together and explore opportunities for collaboration. Then I try to direct those opportunities to the right experts in Twente. Professors often want to know: what’s in it for me, concretely? My role is to make that clear for them.’
Can you give an example of such a collaboration?
‘Vehicle manufacturer Scania is a good example. Their largest and most modern assembly plant in Europe is based in Zwolle. Scania turns all the individual parts into complete trucks, delivered to over 80 countries. They want to make their production process more flexible, so they can scale up quickly when there’s a peak in orders – without overburdening their staff. They call it future flexibility. They’re already in discussions about this with, among others, Professor Sebastian Thiede from UT. This type of practice-oriented questions fit perfectly with our research.’
And in the field of education?
‘We’re working on improving the transition to the master’s in Sustainable Energy Technology (SET), to make it more attractive for students from universities of applied sciences like Windesheim. I’ve updated the pre-master programme to create a smoother flow from mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, civil engineering and physics. And for me, that’s just the beginning. I also hope that eventually we can launch a part-time master’s in Zwolle. That’s a dream that governments are also enthusiastic about.’
What role does Perron038 play in all this?
‘Perron038 is a key partner. It’s the innovation hub in Zwolle, where companies, education and government work together on the smart manufacturing industry of the future. Topics like robotics, artificial intelligence and sustainability are central here. UT has been an official partner of Academy Perron038 since 2023. This gives us the chance to connect directly with companies in the region, gather research questions, and link education and lifelong learning with practice.’
Finally, what do you hope this collaboration will lead to?
‘To more concrete projects where companies and researchers truly work together. And to expanding Lifelong Learning significantly. Large companies often have their own internal academy, tailored to their business. The challenge for UT and Windesheim is to connect with those initiatives and attract new talent together. Zwolle and Enschede are a good match – both practical and down-to-earth. It would be fantastic if we could harness that for the benefit of both the region and the university.’
The University of Twente and Zwolle
The University of Twente and the Zwolle region are joining forces to tackle societal challenges and seize opportunities together. Zwolle is growing and needs academic knowledge and technical talent, while UT wants to maintain student intake. The proximity of Windesheim University of Applied Sciences and strong partnerships offers a solution.
This collaboration focuses on the smart manufacturing industry, with further developments in health, climate, and the energy transition. Together with companies and organisations, we develop targeted learning pathways, link research to real-world questions, and embed new insights directly into education. We’re also working on a smoother talent pipeline, particularly in technical sectors.
