THUAS Participant in the Graduate Network for Technology & Digitalisation

Rizal Sebastian is a professor at The Hague University of Applied Sciences. His research group Future Urban Systems within the Centre of Expertise Mission Zero, focuses on sustainability and digitalisation in the built environment. Over the past two years, he has been a member of the national core team of the Technology & Digitalisation (T&D) domain. Now that The Hague University of Applied Sciences has been allocated two drawing rights within T&D, it has become one of the new participants in the Graduate Network (GN) of the T&D domain, and Sebastian will join the Graduate Committee.

Step towards the Professional Doctorate (PD)

He explains why The Hague University of Applied Sciences has decided to join the Graduate Network of the T&D domain:
“We have been interested since the official kick-off of the PD by the then Minister Robbert Dijkgraaf on 2 October 2023 at The Hague University of Applied Sciences in The Hague. The reason we are now joining the GN is that within our university we have two faculties that fall under the T&D domain: the Faculty of Technology, Innovation & Society and the Faculty of IT & Design. Both faculties already offer master’s programmes, which is one of the conditions for participation in the PD pilot. We now want to take the step towards the PD together with these faculties. In terms of content, there are three fields in which we want to contribute: as a professor, I myself work in the field of technology and digitalisation in the built environment, and colleague professors focus, among other things, on manufacturing, sensor systems, and health technology.”

Offering EQF level 8

Shirley Uitte de Willige is Strategic Policy Advisor for Research at The Hague University of Applied Sciences. One of her responsibilities is serving as secretary to the doctoral committee and setting up the PD for the four domains in which the university is active: Health & Wellbeing, Energy & Sustainability, Learning & Professionalisation, and Technology & Digitalisation. She mentions another reason why The Hague University of Applied Sciences is now joining T&D: “We want to be able to offer EQF level 8 as a university of applied sciences. It strengthens the entire research community if you can offer this level together with professional practice partners.”

Because Sebastian has been part of the core team since the official start two years ago, he already had good contacts with professors from other universities of applied sciences.
“As a result, I already had a lot of information about the experiences of the universities that have been involved in this domain from the beginning. This included discussions on assessment and monitoring of EQF level 8. Initially, there was debate about the positioning of the PD in relation to the PhD and PDEng in the Netherlands and in relation to the PD abroad. By now, that positioning has become much clearer.”
He mentions another example of a lesson learned:
“The recruitment process. The discussion focused on internal versus external PD candidates. We would like to move towards more external candidates, but we are still exploring how best to approach professional practice partners, what agreements we should make with them, and how to deploy PD candidates most effectively.”

An equal counterpart

Participation in the T&D domain fits within the ambition of The Hague University of Applied Sciences to further strengthen and sustainably position practice-oriented research within the institution, says Uitte de Willige.
“The Hague University of Applied Sciences sees the PD trajectory on the one hand as a route to develop talent and on the other hand as a way to enrich education with the knowledge gained through it.”
And that is not the only ambition, she adds:
“As universities of applied sciences, we really should become more of an equal counterpart to universities and an equal partner within the entire research ecosystem in the Netherlands. We are not the neglected stepchild!”

Sebastian adds:
“In terms of knowledge development, my colleague professors and I also consider participation in the PD pilot important because of continuity. The PD allows us to tackle substantial research themes with a focus of four or five years and to fully develop the body of knowledge and skills. This is also important because The Hague University of Applied Sciences, and my research group in particular, are actively involved in European research projects.”

Added knowledge

Through participation in the Graduate Network of the PD domain Technology & Digitalisation, The Hague University of Applied Sciences makes an important substantive contribution. Sebastian explains:
“A good example is digital twins. We have now submitted a PD proposal for their application in urban development. This is highly relevant, as our region is one of the most densely populated. Moreover, there is a great deal of development taking place. This brings three challenges: the housing shortage; the shortage of personnel, particularly in the field of digitalisation; and climate change and heat stress.”
He mentions two further examples:
“One colleague professor focuses on smart and circular manufacturing, and another works on smart sensor technology in greenhouse horticulture. All three topics can be linked to practical applications in the region of The Hague University of Applied Sciences. In addition, all three research areas connect technology and digitalisation.”

There is also added value in another respect, says Sebastian:
“As a professor, I am co-lead of the professors’ platform for the built environment. Within that platform, we work closely with TU Delft’s departments of the built environment. This allows me to contribute the connection between PD and PhD within the Graduate Network of T&D. I also bring an international perspective. I am an endowed professor in London, and over the past five years I have been involved in doctoral trajectories in Italy within the International Doctorate in Architecture and Urban Design programme.”

Region-specific challenges

Uitte de Willige sees a major advantage in the regional distribution of the universities of applied sciences participating in the PD pilot:
“This leads to a variety of specific issues from different parts of the Netherlands. Because all professors come together, opportunities for promising collaborations may emerge.”
Sebastian identifies two additional areas of added value:
“First, the impact you can make, and second, the distinctive character of the PD, because it allows you to work with regional practice partners on region-specific challenges. Some challenges, such as smart cities and digital twins, are generic but require specific regional implementation. The PD is particularly well suited for this.”

The Hague University of Applied Sciences had already participated in the Graduate Network of the Health & Wellbeing domain. Now that it is also participating in the Graduate Networks of other domains, including T&D, lessons can be learned from the experiences in Health & Wellbeing. Sebastian explains:
“This includes, for example, expectations regarding the qualifications and competencies of PD candidates.”
Uitte de Willige adds:
“The same applies to monitoring and evaluation. Together, the different domains must make the national PD pilot a success.”