Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR) is traditionally closed linked to the city and region of Rotterdam. Rotterdam is, so to speak, in our DNA. For many years, we have been joining forces with the municipality and other organisations in Rotterdam. In various Kenniswerkplaatsen or KWPs (Knowledge labs), researchers and Rotterdam policymakers work together to address issues in the city. A wide range of other initiatives also enable us to connect science with practice and share knowledge with the city.
Contacts
- Marjolein KooistraEmail address
- Isabel van der HeidenEmail address
Knowledge labs: city and university join forces
Researchers and Rotterdam policymakers work together in Kenniswerkplaatsen (Knowledge labs) on issues that are important for Rotterdam and for the resilience of the city and its residents. By combining academic and practical knowledge, we are making the city better equipped to face the future.
Kenniswerkplaatsen or KWPs (Knowledge labs) connect research, policy and practice in the city and region of Rotterdam.
The Kenniswerkplaats Stedelijke Arbeidsmarkt collaborates with policymakers, researchers, educational institutions, employers and social partners to gain a better understanding of how the urban labour market functions.
In doing so, this knowledge lab focuses on five key themes:
- labour market dynamics
- education & the labour market
- displacement
- reintegration & inclusion
- governance & collaboration
Contact: Joris Beek, LL.M.
The central question addressed by the Kenniswerkplaats Rotterdams Talent is what standard of education needs to be provided and how it should be tailored to enable more young people in Rotterdam to develop their talents to the full. This knowledge lab aims to contribute to the development of knowledge regarding Rotterdam's talent pool and to the improvement of Rotterdam's education policy and educational practice.
Contact: Tom Tudjiman, MSc and Jacqueline Schenk, PhD
The Future Society Lab is a leading knowledge and networking platform at the intersection of digital transformation and urban development. It is an initiative of the City of Rotterdam and Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR). Since its launch in 2024, the platform has been working closely with various local and regional knowledge institutions.
Contact: coordinator Harmen van Sprang and Rebecca Moody, PhD
Transitions, such as digitisation and climate change, are having a major impact on Rotterdam. How can the city organise itself to effectively manage these societal changes? In GOVLAB010, Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR) and the City of Rotterdam are designing and refining appropriate governance models for these complex challenges.
Contact: Lizet Kuitert, PhD (Engineering) and Professor Arwin van Buuren
CARE Lab Rotterdam is a collaboration between the City of Rotterdam, the Erasmus School of Health Policy & Management (ESHPM), Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences, Inholland University of Applied Sciences, policymakers, professionals and residents.
CARE Lab is a hub for research and experimentation focused on supporting people facing multiple challenges. It brings together diverse perspectives and explores new forms of care and community living.
Contact: Jeroen van Wijngaarden, PhD and Lieke Oldenhof, PhD
CEPHIR is the Academic Public Health Hub for the Rotterdam-Rijnmond, Zeeland and South Holland South regions. CEPHIR connects researchers, policymakers, administrators and professionals to work together towards a vibrant and healthy society, reducing health inequalities and providing the evidence base for effective health policy.
Contact: cephir@erasmusmc.nl
Healthy'R is the centre for behaviours research and development run by the City of Rotterdam and Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR). Its aim is to help the people of Rotterdam by making healthy choices easier and more appealing. To this end, Healthy'R combines scientific expertise with "street smarts".
Contact: Professor Semiha Denktaş and Paul Kocken, PhD
Other collaborations
Collaboration takes place in many other ways in the city.
The City of Rotterdam has established two endowed chairs at Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR):
- Chair of Child Poverty, with chair holder Professor Nicole Lucassen - in collaboration with Kinderhulp. Associated with the chair is a joint research program with lector Mariette Lusse (PhD), Rotterdam School of Applied Sciences, City of Rotterdam and Nationaal Fonds Kinderhulp (Dutch child relief fund). For more information, please read the article Nicole Lucassen benoemd tot bijzonder hoogleraar Kinderarmoede (only in Dutch).
- Chair Integrity of Local Government, with chair holder Professor Leonie Heres. The chair is intended to strongly stimulate research into public integrity, and administrative integrity in particular. For more information, please read the article Leonie Heres bijzonder hoogleraar integriteit van het lokaal bestuur (only in Dutch).
Convergence is a collaboration between Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR), Erasmus MC and TU Delft. The City of Rotterdam is a key social partner in various programmes such as the Resilient Delta Initiative (RDI) and Healthy Start.
Resilient Delta Initiative (RDI)
The mission of Resilient Delta is to design resilient solutions in the Rotterdam delta for global application. Together with social partners, Resilient Delta's interdisciplinary research teams are working on solutions that address critical issues, ranging from climate change to growing social inequality.
SPRING Research Consortium (part of RDI)
The SPRING Research Consortium works closely with public authorities, businesses, citizens and other stakeholders. The aim of the research is to improve the lifestyle, living environment and life expectancy of residents in neighbourhoods such as Rotterdam-Zuid.
Healthy Start
Children growing up in socially vulnerable circumstances often fall behind from the very beginning. Researchers at Healthy Start work with social partners to develop innovative preventive strategies. To ensure a healthy, promising start from pre-conception through to young adulthood.
The Erasmus Initiative "Vital Cities and Citizens" is working with local authorities, civil society organisations and businesses to identify the conditions that are essential for a city in terms of equality, safety, sustainability and harmonious coexistence. The municipality of Rotterdam and the wider region are key partners.
Contact: vitalcitiesandcitizens@eur.nl
Residents are working alongside researchers from Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR), TU Delft, Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences and Erasmus MC in various neighbourhoods to develop insights that will help them better understand and tackle local issues. Wijwijs is part of Convergence's Resilient Delta Initiative (RDI) and Vital Cities and Citizens (VCC).
UNIC stands for: European University of Post-Industrial Cities in Transition. The City of Rotterdam is a key partner of UNIC. The UNIC Centre for City Futures brings research to the city and contributes to the resilience and renaissance of Europe's post-industrial urban centres.
The lab is an initiative of the City of Rotterdam in collaboration with Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR) and the Erasmus Centre for Data Analytics (ECDA), Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences and Techniek College Rotterdam. This new lab is an open and creative workspace where residents, researchers, designers, students and policymakers work together on fair, understandable and accessible applications of AI.
Education in the City
EUR is committed to impactful education in the city by working with local partners, researchers, and students on societal issues. We connect science with practice through initiatives such as Erasmus Verbindt, HefHouse, Cultuur & Campus Putselaan and the Rotterdam Thesis Price.
HefHouse welcomes everyone from the local community, as well as students from Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR), Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences and Albeda. Rather than relying on traditional classroom-based teaching, HefHouse puts the talents and knowledge of students directly to use in the immediate neighbourhood. The focus is on sustainable, community-led solutions to complex societal challenges.
Contact: Frieda Franke
Cultuur & Campus Putselaan is a collaborative project involving Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR), Codarts, the Willem de Kooning Academy, Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences, the City of Rotterdam, the Afrikaanderwijk Cooperative, Buzinezzclub, ELIA and ICLEI. Working from a historic building in Rotterdam South, the project is developing a new hub where research, education, culture and social initiatives come together.
Cultuur & Campus Putselaan actively seeks to bridge the gap between formal and informal education. The aim is to develop more relevant and accessible education and to formally recognise and value existing knowledge and skills within the neighbourhood. Art, culture and creativity are central to this, all in close collaboration with residents in the immediate vicinity.
The project is funded by the New European Bauhaus Light Demonstrator fund. Cultuur & Campus Putselaan will run until June 2026 and will then be continued by the participating educational institutions and the City of Rotterdam.
The university-wide student initiative Erasmus Verbindt (EV) connects academia and society in Rotterdam to work towards creating a positive social impact. Through this initiative, students aim to make an active contribution to solving complex issues affecting society.
Contact: Max Wagenaar
Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR) and Pauluskerk are working together to find effective solutions to homelessness and for undocumented migrants in Rotterdam. Several projects from EUR are involved: Erasmus Verbindt, Wijkwijs (community research), URBIMM (research on undocumented migrants) and GIDS (health students in the community). The organisations Kansfonds and Hieroo (consultancy firm) are also participating.
Professor Eveline Crone works closely together with Albeda. Albeda has partnered with the professor of Neuroscience in Society to develop new insights and innovations in the field of equal opportunities and youth. Kayla Green, PhD, has been appointed as a part-time Equal Opportunities Practitioner, establishing a link between the university and vocational education.
Contact: synclab@essb.eur.nl
Together with the City of Rotterdam and Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences, Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR) is a member of City Deals, part of the national Agenda Stad programme (The Dutch Urban Agenda). City Deals aims to address urban challenges more quickly by involving researchers, lecturers and students in the process. This ensures that knowledge is utilised more effectively and the the city provides a learning environment for students and researchers.
Erasmus University Rotterdam and the City of Rotterdam have established the Rotterdam Thesis Award. With this thesis prize, both parties want to encourage Erasmus University Rotterdam master students to make an active contribution to the city of Rotterdam.
Students could connect with social developments in the city of Rotterdam by contributing their expertise, creativity, enthusiasm and scientific knowledge. Students' contributions are of great importance to the city of Rotterdam. The award has existed since 2013 and is presented each year by a representative of B&W during the opening Academic Year.
Contact: Marjolein Kooistra, Rotterdam Thesis Award coordinator
Agreements and convenants
EUR has agreements and convenants with various partners in the city. This is to strengthen our collaborative relationships.
Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR), Antidiscriminatiebureau RADAR and the City of Rotterdam signed a covenant for the Rotterdam Inclusivity Project in June 2024. This will ensure a continuation of structural research into patterns of discrimination, racism and inequality in Rotterdam for a period of four years. Keep up to date with the research on the website discriminatiewijzer.nl.
Contact: Professor Peter Scholten
Within RASL, Codarts Rotterdam, Arts & Culture Studies (EUR), Erasmus University College (EUR) and Willem de Kooning Academy Rotterdam are joining forces in the fields of education and research.
Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR) is a partner in Citylab010, an initiative set up by the City of Rotterdam. Citylab010 supports innovative projects that make Rotterdam a greener, more socially inclusive and safer city.
Contact: erasmusverbindt@eur.nl
Other Initiatives
Rotterdam. Make it Happen.
Erasmus University Rotterdam is one of the initiators of the Rotterdam. Make It Happen., which was launched in 2014. There are now around 40 leading Rotterdam-based organisations affiliated as brand partners.
The brand alliance aims to position Rotterdam in a thought-provoking way as a smart, healthy and circular city. It focuses on raising the city's profile — both nationally and internationally — amongst talent, businesses, visitors, investors, residents and students, to contribute to economic value with a social impact.
Contact: Marcel Latupeirissa
EUR scientists in the city
Our scientists can often be found in the city, sharing their knowledge with a wide audience. For example, through:
- Studio Erasmus, the monthly talk show at Theater Rotterdam
- the annual Rotterdamlezing (Rotterdam Lecture)
- Lof der Geneeskunst (In Praise of Medicine), the Erasmus MC's annual public lecture at De Doelen
- the Tiger College, the opening address at the International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR) by one of our academics
Through the activities of the Wetenschapsknooppunt EUR (EUR Science Hub), we bring science into the classroom.