Sustainable cities & regions (SURE) - Wij maken de sprong!

SURE (SUstainable Cities and REgions) focuses on the complex challenges of the energy transition and the sustainability of the built environment. Central to this is the inclusive role of residents, ensuring that technical solutions for a smart, sustainable, and livable city are implemented more quickly and effectively. Utrecht University of Applied Sciences and Hanze University of Applied Sciences Groningen are jointly establishing a SPRONG, a transdisciplinary network that contributes to regional experimental areas through co-creation, operating in an investigative, innovative, and learning-oriented manner.
The SPRONG group has undergone significant development over the past four years. Its profile focused on the connection between technological and social innovations and is firmly embedded in the policies of both universities of applied sciences. Research capacity has grown significantly, the network has been built broadly and diversely, and methodologies and tools have been developed that are applied in both education and practice.
The objective of phase 1 remains unchanged. Over the next four years, we will work on the following concrete and crucial sub-objectives, which we will address jointly:
1. Strategy, organization, and profiling A: Strategic programming for accelerating the energy transition in the region B: Organizational development for internal (CoE) and external collaboration (SPRONG group)
C: Profiling of CoEs with themes important for accelerating the regional energy transition
2. Sprong Sure as a learning network D: Further development of the learning communities affiliated with Sprong Sure E: Personal, team, and organizational development F: Tools for integrated energy transition
3. Area-based approach in experimental areas and related projects G: Methodology and quality framework for transdisciplinary work H: Working and learning in experimental areas
Actual interaction takes place in the projects we carry out with the partners. That's why we've restructured phase 2, focusing on projects and enriching them with SURE's tools, methodologies, and quality framework.