THUAS welcomes the King’s Commissioner

THUAS and the Province of South Holland are strong partners in addressing societal challenges and advancing the ambitions of the regional growth agenda. From digitalisation and AI to cybersecurity, resilience and human capital, these are themes on which we already collaborate closely. The visit provided an opportunity to get acquainted and further deepen this partnership.

The morning began with an administrative meeting in which Executive Board President Elisabeth Minnemann, along with Executive Board members Hans Nederlof and Arend Hardoff, discussed the strategic direction of THUAS. Topics such as internationalisation, defence, and Project Beethoven were highlighted, as well as the position of universities of applied sciences within the broader knowledge landscape. The conversation also explored the opportunities and challenges for practice-based research and the role THUAS plays in this area for the South Holland region.

The role of universities of applied sciences in the regional ecosystem

“We are a metropolitan knowledge institution with strong regional roots”, says Elisabeth Minnemann. “Our strength lies in the combination of education, practice-based research, and direct connection with society. From that role, THUAS contributes applicable knowledge and solutions on topics that are urgent for the region.”

Learn by doing: students in practice

How education and practice come together became clear through the contributions of students from the Bachelor of Integral Safety Studies. As a first-year student noted: “Safety is never something you manage alone. It’s by practicing scenarios together that you learn to recognize situations early and act collectively.” A third-year student showed how these themes play out in the work of the Hollands Midden Safety Region, where she contributes to population care and crisis management.

Valuable exchange

The contributions of students and researchers demonstrated the value of practice-oriented education for the region. The King’s Commissioner reflected: “It is very interesting to see how THUAS not only transfers knowledge through research but also delivers practice-focused interventions for clients and partners.”

Many thanks to all colleagues who contributed to this programme. We look forward to strengthening our collaboration with the province!