1. Molenbochtplein 34 • 5014 EJ Tilburg • The Netherlands • T +31(0)13 580 01 56
KvKnr 53427696 • ABN-AMRO: 598.57.91.09 • office@deambassade.net • www.deambassade.net
Research into the Educational institutes connected to the DC Network
Andrea Martina Zaghi: andreazaghi_YA@deambassade.net
Actions
To the institutes that are interested in taking part in this research, I would like to interview the
responsible for the internationalization strategy or who would be able to provide information to answer
the following questions:
• Gaining an insight into the international strategy of the institute to understand if it fits with the
values of the DC Network
• Gaining knowledge in the strategic collaborations of education institute/companies and other
knowledge institutes
• Best practices?
• The connection between the external and internal environment
• In order to individuate which office/department would be the most suitable to take care of this
cooperation
• Assessing the resources and the interests of the educational institute in this cooperation within
the DC Network.
• Long-term Living Lab: a possible cooperation. Willingness and feasibility?
In the section below I provide background information to make clear the context of the reseacb. If you
are willing to help me and participate into this research, please contact me.
What is the Districts of Creativity Network?
The Districts of Creativity (DC) Network consists of thirteen regions that consider creativity and
innovation important factors for sustainable growth and development (DC Network, 2015). It was
formed to encourage trans-regional collaboration and foster the exchange of best practices of innovation
through creative crossover in business, culture and education. The members organize two main activities
yearly.
The Creativity World Forum is world's greatest event focused on innovation, creativity and business
development and it rotates yearly between the DC regions.
The second main activity organized by the DC Network is the Reverse Mission. It is a three days event
designed to explore how the hosting region encourages creativity and innovation. The purpose of the
mission is: exchange on regional and local policies to promote innovation and creativity; exploring
opportunities for international cooperation and synergies; sharing of best practices and successful
stories in order to achieve innovation. Brabant will be hosting the next Reverse Mission 2016, from April
19th until April 22nd.
The commissioner of this research
The Embassy for Creative Affairs (ECA) was initiated in 2011 by Sonax. Geurt Grosfeld is the name behind
the organisation and commissioner of this research. The ECA is an independent platform that generates
new opportunities and focusses on societal challenges by bringing together people, businesses and
education to dialogue and collaborate with each other. The professionals active in this platform come
from different disciplines and sectors: private sector, creative industries, politics and administration,
research and education. In collaboration with the Province of Noord-Brabant, in January 29th 2014, the
region of Brabant became officially part of the DC Network. The provincial government appointed the
Embassy for Creative Affairs as the spokesman in the DC Network.
The research’s purpose
During the Reverse Mission in Scotland, the idea emerged to establish exchange between students and
higher educational institutes connected to the DC Network. The reason behind this lays in the purpose of

2. Molenbochtplein 34 • 5014 EJ Tilburg • The Netherlands • T +31(0)13 580 01 56
KvKnr 53427696 • ABN-AMRO: 598.57.91.09 • office@deambassade.net • www.deambassade.net
the DC Network of boosting innovation and the lack of a fundamental component, the education
(Grosfeld, 2015). An overview of the educational institutes connected to the DC Network is missing.
The added value of the education sector in the DC Network
Researches show that most of the regions belonging to the Districts of Creativity Network incorporated
the Triple Helix model as innovation strategy in their regional policies (Brabant, Flanders, Scotland,
Finland are the most prominent ones). Academic know-how is utilized in the context of internal and
international strategies to create, experiment and exchange knowledge. Nevertheless, only two
elements of the Triple Helix, industry and government, with a different degree of formality, are present
in the DC Network and actively importing and exporting ideas on an international level. Flanders and
Brabant already made a step forward in incorporating the education sector into the DC Network by
commissioning researchers and projects.
The new programs Erasmus+ and Horizon 2020 were realized towards the achievements of EU2020 goals,
particularly in the context of two main points, the Innovation Union, and New skills for New Jobs.
However, policy-makers did not leave guidelines on how to translate the new priorities into concrete
actions for higher educations. Therefore, with budgets being tight, governments are finding new ways of
distributing their limited funding to targeted projects or excellence initiatives. For educational institutes,
it is a vicious circle where there is an increased pressure “to do more with less” and finding new financial
sources. In addition, there are no European shared policies in this regard (Sursock, 2015).
In this context, formally incorporating the education sector in the practice of DC Network will create a
stronger platform that will be active throughout the whole year by generating and exchanging
knowledge between the various HEIs involved. This has a potential to further promote regional cross-
collaboration that can ensure institution visibility, higher ranking and provide students with greater
access to a range of higher education institutions as well as internships and work placement
opportunities in the industry. It will provide new learning opportunities for students and staff; it will
further fade the barriers between class experience and working experience by creating joint
international projects. Also, the other stakeholders involved will benefit by incorporating the education
sector because it will open a further channel to create direct opportunities with other districts. It will
build durable bridges between the regions where multiple actors will pass through and benefit from. On
a bigger prospective, it will increase the impact of the DC Network on a larger population and towards
the achievements of EU2020 goals.
Research objective
To get an insight into the internationalization strategies of the higher educational institutes connected to
Districts of Creativity Network, in order to provide the commissioner with recommendation regarding
the most suitable cooperation that should be implemented to better involve the educational institutes to
the DC network.
Current situation
Parallel to this research, the first edition of the Living Lab is taking place at the next Reverse Mission in
Brabant. Students from different studies and backgrounds are gathered in groups to work on a certain
topic and to propose new solutions to the scenario presented. The province of the region proposes the
topics: agrofood, health, and mobility. The findings are presented at the closing ceremony of the Reverse
Mission. The Living Lab was initiated by the Embassy for Creative Affairs and Creative Education, a sub-
network of educational institutes within BrabantDC.
The Living Lab is mobile and will be hosted in different locations: Eindhoven, Den Bosch, and Tilburg.
There are two aspects that need to be highlighted: the commissioners provided the starting point
situation but not the expected end-results because it might restrict the possibility of the Living Lab, the
students can think freely, without being limited by the thoughts of the end-results that need to be
delivered. The second aspect of the Living Lab is the fact that it brings together students from
completely different cultures, study backgrounds and age. Therefore, the process of the Living Lab is
very valuable and every group will have a facilitator that helps to create synergy among such differences.
This process of designing the Living Lab is under construction. Experts are brought together to create the
most suitable process that fits the needs of the Living Lab.