Kick-off CIVIC-4CE and Inaugural Lecture by Cor Beyers
24 November 2026
15:00 - 18:00
The Hague University of Applied Sciences, The Hague
On 24 November 2026, CIVIC-4CE will officially launch in The Hague. This large-scale research programme brings together researchers, businesses, public authorities and civil society organisations to tackle an important challenge: how can we make circular choices easier, more attractive and more natural for consumers? As part of the event, Cor Beyers, Professor of Practice in Data Driven Marketing at The Hague University of Applied Sciences, will deliver his inaugural lecture.
He will explore how data can help encourage more circular consumer behaviour. His central message:
“Repair doesn’t start with the device. It starts with the choice.”
About CIVIC-4CE
The urgency is clear. The Netherlands aims to become fully circular by 2050, yet consumers still face barriers in their everyday lives. Repairing a product is often more expensive, more complicated or less appealing than replacing it. CIVIC-4CE (Circular Consumption through Value-Chain Integration & Co-Creation) investigates how these barriers can be removed. By combining insights from behavioural science with data, AI, XR technologies and innovative business models, the consortium develops practical solutions to encourage repair, reuse and longer product lifespans. The programme takes an integrated approach, bringing together consumer behaviour, product design, business models and policy.
What can you expect?
Kick-off CIVIC-4CE
At the official kick-off on 24 November, you will discover how researchers, businesses, public authorities and civil society organisations will work together over the next five years to develop an integrated approach to circular consumer behaviour. You will also learn more about the role of innovative technologies, such as AI and XR, and how new business models can make repair and reuse more attractive.
Inaugural lecture by Cor Beyers
Following the kick-off, Cor Beyers will deliver his inaugural lecture, presenting the vision, ambitions and research themes of the Data Driven Marketing research group.
Using CIVIC-4CE as an example, he will demonstrate how data can help identify and overcome barriers to circular consumer behaviour, and how this approach contributes to the programme's mission.
Programme
- Workshops
The programme opens with a series of practical, hands-on workshops. Find out more about the different workshops below. - Opening by Hans Nederlof
Hans Nederlof, a member of the Executive Board of THUAS, will open the event in the auditorium. - Presentation by Erick Webbe
People’s perceptions of AI are not always positive: it is seen as a threat to jobs and as a technology that consumes large amounts of energy and fuel. But is that the whole story? Erick Webbe, CEO of KickstartAI, will show that the reality is considerably more positive. Drawing on practical examples, he will demonstrate how AI can contribute to a more sustainable future. From large corporations and the national police to individual households, AI offers a wealth of promising opportunities. It is up to us to make the most of them. - Inaugural lecture by Cor Beyers
For decades, marketing has used data to encourage consumers to buy products. But can those same insights also help products last longer? In his inaugural lecture, Professor of Practice Cor Beyers will introduce the Data Driven Marketing research group. Using the CIVIC-4CE research programme as an example, he will show how data can reveal what drives consumers to choose between repairing and replacing a product. He will also explore how these insights can help influence that decision and keep products in use for longer. - Panel discussion
During the panel discussion, Erick Webbe, Cor Beyers and four researchers from the CIVIC-4CE research programme will share key insights from the workshops. The central question is: what does it take to make repair and reuse the natural choice? Together, we will explore insights into consumer behaviour, design, interventions and policy, and further shape the direction of CIVIC-4CE. - Closing and drinks
Workshops
Choose from the following workshops:
Consumer behaviour: drivers and barriers
Guido van Koningsbruggen and Erik Kostelijk
Why do consumers choose to replace a product rather than repair it? In this workshop, you will discover the factors that influence everyday consumer choices. You will also explore what could encourage consumers to choose circular alternatives more often.
Smart technology: repairing with AI and AR
Alexander Klippel, Nicole Stofberg and Nina Rosa de Jong
Can AI and AR make it easier to repair electronic devices yourself? AI can provide a personalised, step-by-step guide, while AR displays these steps visually on the device. In this hands-on workshop, you will discover how these technologies can already support device repairs. Do you have a small, broken device at home that needs repairing? Let us know which device it is and what the problem is when you register. We will do our best to repair it using AI and AR!
From broken e-bike to circular business model
Sonja van Dam and Jenny Coenen
What happens when an electrical component in an e-bike breaks down? And why is repair often not the most obvious choice? During this workshop, we will share the results of two surveys among approximately 500 e-bike owners and more than 40 mechanics. We will zoom in on one component with a practical demonstration of the automated disassembly of an e-bike motor. Afterwards, we will work in small groups to map out where repair and reuse are currently failing for the different parties in the value chain. Think in advance about what, in your view, needs to change to make repair or reuse the natural choice. We are curious to hear your insights!
The road to circular consumption
Jaco Quist
What will circular consumption look like in 2040, and how do we get there? During this interactive workshop, we will work together to answer four questions: Why is circular and sustainable consumption so difficult to achieve? Which emerging initiatives, such as repair cafés, lease arrangements and markets for refurbished products, offer opportunities for scaling up, and under what conditions? Which cultural, structural, organisational and technological changes, actions and strategies are needed? Which policies and interventions can support the large-scale adoption of circular consumption?
Practical information
Date: Tuesday, 24 November 2026
Time: 3:00 PM – 6:00 PM
Location: The Hague University of Applied Sciences, The Hague
Language: English
Admission: Free
Registration
Will you join us on 24 November? Register via the registration form. Keep an eye on our website or follow us on LinkedIn for the latest updates and developments.