Centre of expertise green

Practice-oriented research in the green domain

The green sector faces a number of major challenges in the coming decades, partly as a result of global developments. Such as meeting the ever-increasing demand for healthy, safe and sustainably produced food, maintaining biodiversity and landscape quality.

A change in the system is needed to address these social challenges. In the green domain, this requires changes in thinking and behaviour, use of new technologies and new forms of collaboration. The food production system and the way in which we deal with our nature and living environment is difficult to change due to complexity and depends on the path chosen. The effect of new combined knowledge in practice and up-to-date degree programmes are essential in this transition and offer many opportunities.

The four green universities of applied sciences, Aeres, VHL University of Applied Sciences (VHL), HAS University of Applied Sciences and Inholland University of Applied Sciences will continue their collaboration within the Centre of Expertise Green in the field of practice-based research in order to make a significant contribution to solving social issues with focus and scope in the coming years.

Centres of Expertise (CoE) are sustainable, action-oriented partnerships in which universities of applied sciences, businesses, governments and other public and social organisations jointly research, innovate, experiment and invest for the benefit of future-proof higher vocational education and professional practice and to accelerate the desired economic and social transitions.

Change and joint learning

CoE Green wants to make a significant contribution to social issues in the field of food, climate, nature and the living environment through practice-based research. This is achieved by developing and building on knowledge within the green sector in the Netherlands, disseminating this knowledge and implementing it in green education and green professional practice: regionally, nationally and internationally.

Sustainability requires a change in thinking, courage and acting through a consistent, integrated and innovation-oriented approach to the various aspects of production and management. An impetus is needed to accelerate this turnaround. Practice-oriented research can be used to make existing and new combined knowledge accessible, applicable and 'linkable'. Users can be assisted in their selection process and support for change and innovation can be created through joint learning and step-by-step change. The collaboration will take shape in living labs, field labs and living labs.