Education on strike
Dutch primary education has a huge problem, that also affects bio-economy developments. There’s a substantial shortage of teachers, the teaching profession is not appreciated much, and the pay gap with secondary education is decently described by the sector as ‘not appropriate’. Emergency measures like shorter school weeks or even closure of schools are not unthinkable
Marker posts
Bio-based park benches in Bergen op Zoom were in the news during the first week of September. The initiative to acquire eleven bio-based benches, constructed from a composite of lightweight concrete with fibres of elephant grass, came from the Bergen op Zoom municipality, thus acting as launching customer for this product. It is an example
Biologists need to know about programming
In an interview about digitization of education, Onderwijs moet de voordelen van ICT gebruiken, published in the Dutch newspaper NRC, May 8th, 2017, the president of the Dutch Education Council, also a professor educational economy, was asked whether programming and coding are part of digital skills. Her answer: ‘No. After one year you can discard
Green PAC, motor of the biobased economy
‘Green PAC is the hub for green (fibre) chemistry in the North East Netherlands,’ says the organisation on its website. It initiates and facilitates business driven knowledge development. Green PAC (shorthand for Green Polymer Application Centre) is an initiative of the universities of applied sciences Stenden in Emmen and Windesheim in Zwolle. Centre of polymer
Lost in translation: dysfunctional science communication
In her lecture at the European Forum for Industrial Biotechnology (EFIB), last October in Glasgow, Professor Dame Anne Glover, Vice-Principal External Affairs, University of Aberdeen, lectured about effectively communicating about science, engineering and technology. And a couple of weeks later at the ‘Agro meets Chemicals’ conference in Utrecht professor Louise Fresco, Wageningen University, stressed the
Teaching sustainability in secondary education
Last year, at the symposium Het Groene Brein Roots!, I met a Programme Coordinator from the teacher training course at Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences, RUAS. He mentioned that he was working on a project on teaching sustainability, in order to integrate sustainability into the secondary education curriculum. At the time, I was also working
Universities of Applied Sciences important for the biobased economy, says Han van Osch
Universities of Applied Sciences have undergone a major transformation in the past few years, says Avans University’s Han van Osch. They orient themselves much more towards practical results, and try to fulfil directly the needs of the business community. They now play a crucial role in the development towards a biobased economy. For many years,
Biokits with Do-It-Yourself genetic engineering could involve a criminal act
A number of American companies offer Do-It-Yourself genetic engineering kits on the internet, in order to practice Synthetic Biology and Biological Design at home. With these biokits one can alter the genetics of living organisms such as E. Coli-bacteria or yeast. Examples can be found at DIY and Education. Amino Labs and Biorealize, together called
on: 4 March 2017