Collaboration with construction industry is crucial for academia

With a nod to the hard hats and safety vests that are invariably seen in newspaper photos of the construction sector, Bram de Vos and Stefan Aarninkhof considered a more modern interpretation during their interview. The outgoing and new chairmen of 4TU.Built Environment see more in an appealing yet realistic vision of the future: a green city with wooden buildings, no cars, and a high quality of life. The type of image that immediately makes clear what the collaboration between the four technical universities stands for: solutions for long-term livability.

“A photo with helmets and vests mainly confirms old images,” says Stefan Aarninkhof, who became chair of 4TU.Built Environment this summer. “I would rather see a landscape that shows various aspects: technology, nature, and society coming together.” Bram de Vos adds: “For me, it would be a city of the future, built using bio-based materials, with lots of greenery and quality of life. A vision that looks beyond today or tomorrow.”

This symbolic search for a new image marks the joint mission of the old and new chairmen. De Vos (Wageningen University & Research) has led the network in recent years and looks back with modesty. “The real power lies with the scientific director, the secretary, and their team. My primary contributions were in the areas of sustainability and landscaping. What I found most valuable was the network and the collegiality. A kind of intervision, more than a substantive role.”

Collaboration is the key

With his background in hydraulic engineering, De Vos' successor is also not someone from the hardcore construction industry. “Don't expect me to have a vision of what the next generation of prestressed concrete bridges should look like.” Aarninkhof, dean of the Faculty of Civil Engineering and Geosciences and professor of coastal engineering in Delft, with a career at Deltares and Boskalis, is taking over with clear priorities. At the top of the list is strengthening the combined power of the four universities. “No single university can solve today's complex construction challenges on its own,” he emphasizes. “Housing, climate adaptation, energy transition, aging infrastructure: they are all too big. It is precisely in our joint efforts that our added value lies. Only then can we set a convincing agenda for The Hague.”

But cooperation requires more than intentions. “Just talking about collaboration doesn't get anything done. You need to have projects,” says Aarninkhof. “Pilots, living labs, joint research programs, public-private projects—that's where the energy comes from.”

In addition, this collaboration will require listening more closely to the needs of the sector itself—and society as a whole, says De Vos. “We are sometimes still too inclined to remain on our own academic island. If you really want to make an impact, a connection with the professional field is an absolute necessity, and we want to strengthen this by involving stakeholders in a structural way.” Aarninkhof: “In these times, a little more flexibility can be expected from us as academics.”

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Talent for the future

A second priority is recruiting and retaining new talent – not only from universities, but also from vocational and higher professional education. “The sector is crying out for people,” says Aarninkhof. “We need each other. That's why I want to focus much more on joint training programs. Imagine a living lab where vocational, higher professional, and university students collaborate on a common issue. That automatically breaks down the walls.”

He admits that this is not always easy: “I have taught at a university of applied sciences myself. You realize how difficult it is to connect, which was an important lesson. I was telling my own story too much. The trick is to work together based on practical experience, with space and attention for the different roles.”

Aarninkhof also sees opportunities in getting young people excited. “Our profession is fantastic. Technically skilled and socially relevant, who wouldn't want that? We need to tell that story much more widely. Campaigns such as Civiele Helden (Civil Heroes) have shown that a different tone works and attracts students.”

From academy to impact

Looking back, De Vos sees that 4TU.Built Environment has made progress, but challenges remain. “Politics is often focused on the short term. Our role is to maintain that long-term vision – what will the Netherlands look like in 2120, and how do we build in a climate-proof and livable way? That is where we can make a difference.”

Aarninkhof agrees and points to examples from hydraulic engineering. "Building with Nature started with the Sand Motor as a pilot project along the Delfland coast. Now it involves projects worth hundreds of millions of euros. The concept of pre-competitive collaboration seems to be the key to success. “I would like to see that in the construction sector as well. Universities are the perfect partners to play a role in this: we have no political interests, and we train engineers for the future. That gives us a goodwill factor.”

New fields of expertise and thought leadership

In addition to collaboration and talent development, Aarninkhof wants to focus on profiling and innovation. “We are distinctive compared to individual universities. That means we also need to have an authoritative voice in the public debate. Opinion pieces, agenda setting in The Hague, contributing ideas to parties such as Rijkswaterstaat – there are opportunities there.”

And continue to invest in new fields, he adds. “Think of nitrogen reduction, biobased materials, climate-adaptive cities. These are the fundamental themes where we can make a difference.”

Well, nitrogen... De Vos looks ahead pensively. “Right at the start of my career, we already showed that solutions were necessary – and that they exist. But now, as I leave, we unfortunately have to conclude that we have only allowed the problem to grow.” After his chairmanship, De Vos will remain active, but in a different capacity. “I'm going to study ethics at the University of Applied Sciences for Older Adults. Lifelong learning, in other words, but I don't want to be involved in the field anymore. That's up to Stefan now.”

Aarninkhof is already looking ahead. “The power of togetherness may sound like a cliché, but I truly believe in it. If we take that step into the sector with a collaborative 4TU.In the Built Environment, we will make a real difference. I'm looking forward to it.”