Earlier this year, Minister Bruins of Education, Culture and Science called on educational institutions to collaborate more closely in a policy letter. The educational institutions in Twente, the University of Twente, Saxion and ROC van Twente, have been working closely together for many years to educate, attract and retain talent. During the minister's working visit on Monday 16 June, they demonstrated their efforts in this.
Education and research
Both education and research were discussed at length during the visit. A striking example of this is the ChipTech Talent Twente Strengthening Plan: a close collaboration between ROC van Twente, Saxion and the University of Twente. With this programme, the educational institutions are jointly building a strong talent pipeline for the chip industry, with continuous learning pathways from secondary vocational education to university education. The emphasis is on innovative and practice-oriented education that closely matches the needs of the regional business community.
In the XUV lab at the University of Twente, the minister gained an impression of the innovative research taking place in Twente and how companies, researchers and students are directly involved in it.
UT, Saxion and ROC van Twente showed how they develop teaching programmes together, including through continuous learning pathways and projects such as Lab-on-a-Chip. Students enthusiastically talked about their studies, practical experiences and future plans, which led to lively discussions.
The minister travelled by bus through Kennispark to Saxion, where he spoke with students, teachers and lecturers. From mechatronics to mechanical engineering and smart robotics: everywhere he went, he saw tremendous passion for educating young technical talent and retaining it for the region.
Focus on the impact of budget cuts
During the visit, attention was also drawn to the impact of the government's planned budget cuts on higher education and research. The attendees expressed their concerns about the possible consequences for the region, which is focusing on strengthening technical education and attracting talent. The message was clear: in order to remain nationally competitive in key technologies such as chip technology and mechatronics, structural investment in education and research is crucial.
Vinod Subramaniam, chair of the Executive Board of the University of Twente: 'The visit underlined how Twente is working together on the future – with strong networks, innovative strength and a clear mission: to use technology for a better society.
Inge Grimm, chair of the Executive Board of Saxion, adds: 'The technological profile of our region offers students plenty of opportunities to dive into practice while still studying. They work on current and challenging labour market issues. Saxion encourages this through practice-oriented research and by focusing on the personal and professional growth of our students. Good examples of this are the 100-day programme and the technology learning pathway. The visit gave the minister an inspiring insight into the opportunities this region offers, both for the talent of tomorrow and for the future of the Netherlands.’
Trudy Vos, chair of the Executive Board of ROC van Twente: 'Twente offers great opportunities to make a substantial contribution to social challenges in healthcare, construction, energy transition, and safety. This requires talent—a great deal of talent. The educational institutions in Twente are working together to educate all that talent. Everyone is needed!'
