Collaborating
Twente faces major societal and economic challenges. From the energy transition and technological innovation to the future of the labour market and broad prosperity, these challenges affect every organisation: public authorities, residents, businesses, and the knowledge and educational institutions that make Twente what it is. Collaboration is therefore not a choice, but a necessity.
Why collaborate?
Twente Board establishes and strengthens partnerships to position Twente as a region. This applies towards The Hague, Europe and international partners, but equally within the region itself: for businesses that want to grow, for talent that sees its future here, and for breakthrough innovations that require the involvement of the entire education chain.
By working together with public authorities, businesses, knowledge institutions and civil society organisations, we combine knowledge, people and resources. This increases our collective impact, accelerates innovation and helps us build one recognisable narrative for Twente. Twente Board fulfils the role of connecting link and acts as the strategic partner for economic development in the region.
Collaborating with Twente Board?
Would you like to know how your organisation can connect with existing partnerships or new initiatives? Twente Board is keen to discuss shared ambitions and opportunities for Twente.
Below you will find an overview of our most important partnerships.
Province of Overijssel
The Province of Overijssel is a structural partner in the regional development of Twente. Twente Board works with the province to connect administrative capacity, investment and knowledge. The collaboration focuses, among other things, on Regional Deals, joint public affairs activities towards the Dutch national government and Europe, and investments in the innovation ecosystem through partners such as Novel-T and Oost NL. The shared objective is to strengthen broad prosperity — our Gross Twents Happiness — and to build a future-proof economy for Twente.
Oost NL
Oost NL is the regional development agency for the eastern Netherlands and an important link for innovation, investment and internationalisation. Twente Board works with Oost NL to connect Twente-based businesses and knowledge institutions with funding, programmes and networks. In this way, the partnership contributes to growth, innovation and the positioning of Twente internationally.
Novel-T
Novel-T supports innovative entrepreneurs in starting, growing and renewing their businesses. As a co-founder, Twente Board works together with the University of Twente, Saxion University of Applied Sciences, the Province of Overijssel and the Municipality of Enschede to build a strong and entrepreneurial innovation ecosystem. The aim is to connect entrepreneurship, knowledge and talent, capital and Twente’s innovative capacity.
The Dutch national government
To address societal and economic challenges, Twente Board works structurally with the Dutch national government. In cooperation with ministries, and through instruments such as Regional Deals and the National Programme for Vital Regions (NPVR), Twente’s challenges are placed on the agenda and Twente contributes to solving national challenges. This collaboration ensures better alignment between national policy and regional practice.
Brainport Eindhoven
Brainport Eindhoven and Twente Board work together to future-proof and strengthen the Dutch high-tech and chip industry. Twente Board contributes from a shared responsibility to grow the national high-tech ecosystem, including suppliers and talent development. The collaboration takes place with Brainport and, through national coordination, also with regions such as Delft and Groningen and with the Dutch national government. The shared objective is to train sufficient talent, strengthen value chains and thereby safeguard the international earning capacity and strategic autonomy of the Netherlands and Europe in the chip sector.
Both regions have a strong technological foundation and apply a similar way of working, with collaboration within the triple helix of government, business and knowledge institutions at its core.
The boards of Twente Board and Brainport Eindhoven meet annually for strategic coordination on innovation, technology and talent. At operational level, teams work together on challenges that go beyond regional interests and require a joint approach towards the Dutch national government and Europe.
Within this structural collaboration, the regions work together in national programmes, often alongside other regions. A concrete example is the National Microchip Talent Reinforcement Plan (Beethoven), in which the Dutch national government and regions collaborate to increase training capacity for technical talent at all levels in order to strengthen the Dutch microchip sector.
Economic Boards Nederland
Economic Boards Nederland connects regional economic boards around shared challenges and acts as a discussion partner for the Dutch national government in stimulating public-private collaboration and investment. Together with other regions, Twente Board shares knowledge and experience in areas including the talent challenge, stimulating innovation for Europe’s strategic autonomy, and the preconditions for entrepreneurship, such as grid congestion.
Kennispunt Twente
Kennispunt Twente is Twente’s knowledge and research agency, collecting data, monitoring information and analyses on societal and economic developments in the region. Twente Board works with Kennispunt Twente to substantiate strategic choices, including through the Twente Index. The purpose of the Twente Index is to better understand developments in Twente, position the region on the basis of evidence, and develop policy grounded in facts to further advance the region.
Marketing Oost
Marketing Oost works through Visit Twente to position and promote Twente as an attractive region in which to live, work and stay. Twente Board collaborates in this area to tell Twente’s story in a clear, consistent and recognisable way to visitors, talent and residents. This is done in cooperation with Twente Marketing and city promotion organisations such as Enschede Promotie and Hengelo Promotie. The intended effect is a strong and coherent regional image that contributes to economic vitality, liveability and pride in Twente.
TECH.LAND
TECH.LAND is a cross-border collaboration between technology regions in the Netherlands and Germany. Twente Board participates in order to strengthen Twente’s international competitiveness, together with other strong technology clusters. By sharing knowledge and connecting agendas around technology, talent and innovation ecosystems, Twente becomes better connected to European and international programmes.
ThinkEast
ThinkEast is a collaboration between eastern regions working together to build a strong economic profile for the eastern Netherlands. The focus is on innovation, entrepreneurship and a future-proof economy.
Joint programming and positioning create greater coherence and impact, both nationally and internationally.