A Future for Borgercompagnie

Location: Borgercompagnie (Municipality of Veendam and Municipality of Midden-Groningen, Province of Groningen).
Workspaces available at the Culture Workshop: https://cultuurwerkplaatsbc47.nl/
Period: November 2025 – February 2026

Background
Welcome to Borgercompagnie – a so-called ‘veendorp’ (ribbon-village) with a unique history, characteristic landscapes, and an independently minded community. The village lies partly in the municipality of Veendam and partly in the municipality of Midden-Groningen. It has only a few hundred inhabitants, yet they possess a rich social dynamic, deep roots in the history of Groningen, and a strong determination to chart its own course.

Like many small villages in the north of the Netherlands, Borgercompagnie faces major societal challenges: an aging population, housing availability, sustainability, the future of facilities, gas and salt extraction, and social isolation. At the same time, there are many opportunities for renewed community strength and bottom-up initiatives.

Every ten years, the village updates its village vision: a compass for the next 10–15 years. The goal is to give every resident a voice in this vision. Your research will form the first and perhaps most important building block of that vision.

Assignment Description

Your assignment:
Conduct participatory and qualitative research into the wishes, concerns, and future vision of the residents of Borgercompagnie. In doing so, involve as many inhabitants as possible in order to capture as many perspectives as possible. Based on this, you will create an advisory report that will form the core of the new village vision Borgercompagnie 2040.

Main question:
How do the residents of Borgercompagnie experience the current liveability of their village, what do they consider important for the future, and how can they and policymakers jointly shape a future-proof and socially vibrant village?

Possible sub-questions:

• What do residents consider important in their village, both in the short and long term?
• Which places, traditions, and networks are important?
• What concerns exist regarding housing, care, energy, safety, facilities, and nature?
• What are the future visions and dreams of residents?
• How do residents want to be involved in decision-making and implementation?
• Which societal developments (such as climate, energy, migration, aging) do they see as relevant to their living environment?

What will you do?
Possible activities, in consultation with (a delegation of) the village:

• Get to know the village: field visits, walking interviews, attending local activities.
• Policy analysis: Due to its unique position across two municipalities, it is important to analyze which municipal policies affect the village and where opportunities for initiatives lie.
• Processing data: from the survey distributed by the working group Village Vision Borgercompagnie.
• Interviews & participation: kitchen table interviews with residents, volunteers, entrepreneurs, young people, the elderly, and key figures.
• Maps and observations: chart both the physical and social structures (e.g., meeting places, facilities, landscape values).
• Co-creation: organize a creative activity (village workshop, residents’ evening, future table).
• Advisory report & presentation: deliver a visually appealing report that reflects the village’s identity, strengths, and aspirations.

What will you deliver?

• Research report / advisory report (including analysis, participation report, conclusions, and recommendations).
• Visual summary (poster, flyer, film, or infographic for residents).
• Presentation to the village association, the municipalities, and residents.

Learning goals

• You will learn to translate complex theories about participatory democracies and local governance to a local context.
• You will learn to work with qualitative research methods in a real environment.
• You will develop participatory skills and insight into community dynamics.
• You will apply policy and planning knowledge at the local level.
• You will practice translating complexity into clear and inspiring advice.
• You will gain essential professional skills such as project management, expectation management, professional communication, and product-oriented working.

Collaboration with:

• Borgercompagnie (village association / working group Village Vision)
• Municipality of Veendam
• Municipality of Midden-Groningen
• Welfare organizations
• Local resident initiatives

Why this project will stay with you
This is not a fictional case. Your work will be taken seriously and can truly have an impact on how this remarkable village develops. The residents are not waiting for experts from outside—they want to think and act together. You will be the bridge between stories, research, and a vision for the future.

Assignment Cordaid & Oxfam Novib

Introduction

It's an understatement to say that development cooperation is under pressure. In the Netherlands, the (now caretaker) cabinet led by Prime Minister Schoof has approved the largest budget cuts ever. But the Netherlands isn't the only country facing cuts to its aid budget. The governments of countries like the United Kingdom and France have also made significant cuts.

But it was above all the Trump administration's dismantling of the American aid agency USAID that marked a turning point in the transformation of the international aid landscape. USAID was responsible for approximately 40% of aid to vulnerable countries such as Afghanistan, Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The disappearance of American support also left deep holes in the UN aid architecture. This has created a domino effect with likely lasting consequences. It is no coincidence that there is now much talk at the UN level about a so-called "humanitarian reset": the situation as we knew it will not return, and so, as an international community, we will have to provide aid in a completely different (read: more efficient and effective) way.

With the parliamentary elections in the Netherlands looming at the end of October 2025, it remains to be seen how the next government will approach financing foreign expenditure. The previous government had also decided to significantly cut back the diplomatic capacity of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Embassies will be reduced in staff by 10%, and in The Hague by as much as 20%. As a result, several embassies, such as those in Burundi and South Sudan, have already been closed, and the Netherlands' diplomatic influence will generally be significantly diminished.

Experts believe that effective foreign policy must always contain a good mix of different elements: aid, trade, diplomacy, and security are the most important components. However, we are now seeing a situation where the strong emphasis on security/defense is putting pressure on the other components. This has already led to concerned reactions in the media from former military personnel, NGOs, the business community, and academia.1 They argue that weapons and "boots on the ground" alone cannot achieve lasting stability in a world that has become increasingly complex due to geopolitical tensions. Moreover, China is filling the gap left by the US on the African continent to attract scarce raw materials.

Research commissioned by Cordaid and Oxfam Novib shows that development cooperation is also good for the Netherlands, because every euro invested in development cooperation generates a significant return for the Dutch economy. Various arguments are put forward from different perspectives as to why, in addition to hard power, soft power remains essential for a country like the Netherlands, which is closely linked to the rest of the world.

The assignment

The assignment consists of several components, but it's certainly not set in stone. In any case, it will require considerable creativity and inspiration from the group.

The assignment consists of a few components, but is certainly not set in stone. Either way, it will make a big call on the creativity and inspiration of the group. The following could be considered:

·         Create a podcast with representatives from different backgrounds about the importance of an effective, comprehensive foreign policy for the Netherlands.

·         Conduct several in-depth interviews with experts from various backgrounds and ask them what they would advise the next government to maintain a strong and future-proof Dutch foreign policy.

·         Create an overview of media and political statements about the importance of investing in soft power and identify some common threads in these statements.

·         A comparative perspective: how is this debate progressing in Germany or England, for example? Can we learn anything from them?

·         How do young people view this topic? Organize a debate at university or high school with provocative statements or conduct an opinion poll among fellow students.

·         Organizing a pub quiz is an accessible way to share knowledge about complex topics. For example, ask how much 5% of the GNI for Defense or 0.7% of the GNI for

·         Development Cooperation actually amounts to in euros. Or in which countries the Netherlands currently has military personnel stationed.

·         Students from other universities, such as Radboud University and Leiden University, are also considering these issues. Contact them and organize something together.

The methodology

The work consists of literature research, interviews, scanning (social) media, and brainstorming creative ideas to strengthen youth engagement.

Designing the Student-Interface for Innokite

Students as Catalysts between University Research, Startups & Social Impact

On Innokite and the Fifth Generation University

This project is commissioned by Innokite, the University of Groningen’s incubator and accelerator for knowledge-intensive startups. Innokite supports founders and researchers in turning ideas into societal impact by providing training, mentorship, community, and resources. More information: innokite.nl .

Innokite collaborates with university faculties, startup founders, societal organisations, development agencies, and student organisations. Together, they form a regional innovation network linking academic knowledge to entrepreneurial practice. This aligns with the University of Groningen’s ambition to strengthen its technological profile and bridge disciplines while promoting entrepreneurship and innovation for societal challenges.

Background

Knowledge-intensive startup ecosystems like Innokite are vital for translating research and student ideas into tangible societal benefits. Innokite already offers incubation, acceleration (“bursts”), mentorship, and a collaborative community of researchers and entrepreneurial students.

Yet, the role of students as a bridge between the university and society requires clearer definition. Questions remain about how they participate, how roles are designed, and how their impact can be measured—for themselves, startups, and the broader community.

The University of Groningen has expressed ambitions to strengthen its entrepreneurial ecosystem, in the form of The Fifth Generation University. Improving visibility, structure, and collaboration is key, and clarifying the student interface within Innokite is a crucial step.

Assignment / Research Question

Main Assignment: Develop a framework and actionable design for a Student-Interface that positions students as essential actors in Innokite’s mission: enabling research and innovation to generate societal impact via startups and entrepreneurship.

Main Question: How can students be structurally embedded within Innokite so they contribute meaningfully to societal impact, and how can this impact be measured and optimized?

Sub-Questions include:

·                   What roles do students currently play, and where are the gaps?

·                   What expectations and capacities do bachelor, master, and PhD students bring?

·                   What best practices exist in other ecosystems?

·                   Which indicators reflect societal impact across stakeholders?

·                   What barriers hinder student participation?

·                   What supports and infrastructure are needed to strengthen the interface?

Possible activities

·                   Desk research: review literature and models for student roles in startup ecosystems.

·                   Stakeholder mapping & interviews: students, startup founders, mentors, university staff, community partners.

·                   Survey: collect experiences and expectations of students and alumni involved in Innokite.

·                   Case studies: examine selected startups and the role of students in their development.

·                   Co-prototype workshops: with students and Innokite staff to test an interface model.

·                   Impact framework: define parameters, indicators, and data sources for measuring societal outcomes.

·                   Recommendations & roadmap: actionable proposals for embedding the student-interface.

Deliverables

·                   Advisory Report: analysis, literature insights, stakeholder findings, interface design proposals, impact framework, roadmap.

·                   Visual Summary: infographic/poster of proposed models and metrics.

·                   Final Presentation: to Innokite leadership, university staff, student representatives, and ecosystem partners.

Learning Goals

·                   Apply theory of innovation ecosystems, entrepreneurship, and impact measurement in practice.

·                   Develop qualitative and quantitative research skills.

·                   Gain experience in stakeholder engagement, co-design, and participatory decision-making.

·                   Build competence in evaluation frameworks and measurement metrics.

·                   Strengthen communication, project management, and advisory skills.

Collaboration Partners

·                   Innokite (primary) – incubation, acceleration, mentors, startup founders.

·                   University of Groningen faculties – Faculty of Science & Engineering, Social Sciences, Faculty of Arts, UMCG.

·                   Student organisations and student entrepreneurs.

·                   Local startups & entrepreneurs linked to Innokite.

·                   Municipal and regional agencies as societal impact partners.

Why This Project Matters

·                   Strengthening student roles unlocks untapped potential for innovation and entrepreneurship.

·                   A structured student interface enhances societal returns on research and university investment.

·                   Supports Innokite’s mission to connect science to society and create impactful ventures.

Advances the university’s strategic goal of raising its technological profile and regional innovation impact.

Opdrachtenbank RUG Career Minor – Assen

Title: Targeted Communication to Strengthen the Resilience of Youngsters

Context

Resilience and education are two key priorities within the safety policy of the Municipality of Assen. Each year, the municipality develops a Safety Plan for the coming year, which is then adopted by the municipal council.

In the 2025 Safety Plan, communication and education aimed at young people on safety issues are once again an important focus.

Problem statement

Young people are confronted in their daily lives with a wide range of safety risks, ranging from online crime (such as money mule schemes, phishing, and sextortion) to substance use, peer pressure, and risky behavior in social networks. Municipalities, schools, and civil society organizations often deploy educational programs or campaigns to increase resilience among youth. However, the effectiveness of such interventions is far from guaranteed. Some messages enhance awareness and help young people make responsible choices, while others can have counterproductive effects.

Overly explicit or sensational information may spark curiosity, normalize risky behavior, or even have an unintended “pull effect.” What is lacking is scientifically grounded knowledge about the mechanisms that determine when communication genuinely protects and empowers young people, and when it unintentionally produces negative effects. A deeper understanding of the psychological processes at play — such as social comparison, peer influence, and the need for autonomy — is essential. By studying how young people interpret messages, which factors shape their behavior, and through which channels they can be reached most effectively, knowledge can be generated that is directly applicable to policy and practice.

This will enable municipalities, schools, youth workers, and organizations such as HALT to base their communication on evidence-based principles, ensuring that interventions are better aligned with the lived experiences of young people and contribute in a sustainable way to a safer and more resilient generation. In this project, you will conduct research on behalf of the municipality of Assen into which forms of communication and strategies effectively strengthen young people’s resilience against safety risks, and which may have unintended adverse effects.

Research question

How can communication with young people on safety issues be designed in such a way that it strengthens their resilience, without unintentionally encouraging risky behavior?

Possible approach

·         Literature review: map existing scientific knowledge on the effects of communication with young people (e.g. social learning theory, reactance theory, nudging, framing).

·         Analysis of best practices: identify which types of messages and communication tools have proven effective in practice, and which have had counterproductive effects.

Guiding questions

·         When does information trigger curiosity, and when does it foster resilience?

·         What role do age, peer pressure, and social norms play?

·         How can messages be framed to activate young people rather than entice them?

·         Which tools or channels (e.g. schools, social media, youth work, peer-to-peer) are most effective in reaching young people?

Desire

A scientifically grounded set of recommendations with guidelines for shaping effective and safe communication with young people. These guidelines will provide municipalities and their partners with concrete tools to engage and inform young people on issues such as online crime, substance use, and social safety — in a way that strengthens their resilience without producing unintended negative side effects.

The Impact of Learning and Innovating Together in the Performing Arts Sector

A research question commissioned by SPOT Groningen

About SPOT Groningen and CrossWise

SPOT Groningen is the largest theater and concert organization in the North of the Netherlands. CrossWise is SPOT Groningen’s vibrant practice-based learning environment, where students and lecturers from Hanze University of Applied Sciences, Alfa-college, NHL Stenden University of Applied Sciences, Noorderpoort, the University of Groningen, as well as cultural professionals from SPOT and other cultural partners, come together to learn and innovate. This happens in innovation labs, through projects, and during internships.

About the Assignment

The CrossWise program has existed for nearly five years and is approaching its first lustrum. Over this period, educational partners have joined, the number of cultural partners has grown, and students, lecturers, and professionals have completed various projects, internships, research assignments, and learning tracks.

Although the impact is often tangible, SPOT wants to explore how CrossWise’s impact can also be made structurally visible and measurable—for all stakeholders: from participants (students, lecturers, and professionals) to partner organizations (knowledge institutions, SPOT Groningen, and cultural partners).

The goal is to develop a method for sustainably monitoring impact and assessing it against the goals of CrossWise. This is not only important for future decision-making and further development, but also as substantiation in funding applications.

What will you do?

SPOT is looking for students who want to help make the impact of CrossWise visible and measurable. You will conduct quantitative and/or qualitative research that sheds light on the impact of CrossWise for the various stakeholders.

• Together with SPOT, you will develop an analytical model/framework for your research. Which parameters do you include and which not? Can the literature provide more insights into measuring the impact of initiatives and programs similar to CrossWise?
• Based on discussions with the client, you will select target groups (such as students, lecturers, professionals, knowledge institutions, cultural partners, and SPOT itself) and collect data on the perceived or realized impact. You will process these findings into an overview or database, which will form part of the final product.
• The outcomes will provide SPOT with insight into the value and reach of the program, highlight opportunities for growth or deepening (such as new partners or funds), and make visible where blind spots or development opportunities still exist.

Why this assignment?

• You have the opportunity to translate your academic knowledge and expertise into a real policy issue for a major player in the Northern Dutch cultural sector.
• You will gain in-depth knowledge of a large cultural organization like SPOT and the innovative environment of CrossWise.
• You will contribute to making the social value of collaborative learning and innovation in the cultural sector more visible.
• You will develop an impact framework that is not only relevant for this assignment but also valuable for your further career—in policy, research, or the cultural sector.
• You have the opportunity to conduct your research at CrossWise (in De Oosterpoort).

Ontwikkeling van weerbaarheidsonderwijs voor middelbare scholieren

Opdrachtgever: Veiligheidscampus Assen

Note: yet to be decided if this assignment is also open to international students

Introductie

In een wereld vol geopolitieke onzekerheden is het opbouwen van weerbaarheid in de samenleving cruciaal. Dit vereist niet alleen militaire paraatheid, maar ook een sterke, goed voorbereide en weerbare maatschappij. De afgelopen tijd hebben zich verschillende initiatieven ontpopt om in Nederland en Europa te werken aan deze doelen.

Zo is in Assen de Veiligheidscampus Assen van de Universiteit van het Noorden opgericht door de kennis instellingen DCTerra (in DNA verband), NHL Stenden, Rijksuniversiteit Groningen en de gemeente Assen. Binnen de Veiligheidscampus worden studenten van mbo tot universitair niveau opgeleid en wordt onderzoek gedaan binnen het domein van weerbaarheid, openbare orde en veiligheid.

Op 25 augustus jl. is bekend geworden dat de veiligheidscampus gevestigd wordt op de Johan Willem Friso (JWF) Kazerne. Op dat moment is ook de Drentse Agenda Defensie en Veiligheid aangeboden aan de staatssecretaris van Defensie, waarin de Veiligheidscampus de derde pijler: Drenthe veilig, weerbaar en paraat voor een groot deel heeft gevormd.

Ook in politiek Den Haag wordt de noodzaak voor het opbouwen van een weerbare samenleving steeds meer onderschreven. Hierbij wordt ook steeds meer onderkend dat het van belang is om jongeren eerder te laten kennismaken met de wereld van defensie. Eén van de initiatieven vanuit de Tweede Kamer die deze noodzaak agendeert is de motie van dhr. Ceder.

In deze aangenomen motie verzoekt dhr. Ceder de regering de mogelijkheden te onderzoeken voor de ontwikkeling van een keuzemodule defensie voor middelbare scholieren. Dit zou passen in een bredere module gericht op weerbaarheid, want ook de veiligheidsregio’s en gemeenten staan voor weerbaarheidsopgaven. In de Drentse agenda Defensie en Veiligheidscampus wordt dit door de veiligheidscampus gekoppeld aan een te ontwikkelen weerbaarheidscentrum.

Het onderzoeken van de mogelijkheden om te komen tot een module of leerlijn gericht op weerbaarheid en dan specifiek op het gebied van weerbaarheid voor middelbare scholieren sluit goed aan bij de doelstellingen van de Veiligheidscampus Assen. De Veiligheidscampus heeft daarom, bij monde van de gemeente Assen en DCTerra onderstaande opdracht geformuleerd.

Opdracht

Doe onderzoek naar de mogelijkheden voor het ontwikkelen van een module of leerlijn weerbaarheid voor middelbare scholieren. De opdracht bestaat uit verschillende onderdelen en onderzoeksfasen en geeft ruimte voor eigen invulling in overleg met opdrachtgever.

Onderstaande punten kunnen helpen bij het uitwerken van de opdracht en het onderzoek

• Start met verdere afbakening van het onderzoek en formulering van onderzoeksvragen.

• Onderzoek het begrip weerbaarheid. Wat wordt hieronder verstaan in maatschappelijke context en op welke manier hebben onderwijs en overheid hier invloed op.

• Betrek ook de fysieke kant van weerbaarheid, zoals deze bijvoorbeeld nu al door Defensie incidenteel op middelbare scholen wordt aangeboden, in je onderzoek.

• Onderzoek naar weerbaarheidsonderwijs voor jongeren in internationale context, bijvoorbeeld de Scandinavische landen. DCTerra beschikt over diverse Europese contacten.

• Onderzoek naar draagvlak, behoeften en mogelijkheden van verschillende stakeholders. Je kunt hierbij denken aan scholen, leerlingen, vakdocenten, overheden (gemeenten, veiligheidsregio) en de ministeries van defensie en justitie en veiligheid.

• Formuleren van doelstellingen en thema’s voor een weerbaarheidsmodule voor het voortgezet onderwijs.

• Aanbevelingen voor de stakeholders voor verder onderzoek en uitwerking.

Afhankelijk van het verloop van het onderzoek wordt in samenspraak met de opdrachtgever bepaald welke vorm het eindproduct heeft. Denk hierbij aan workshops, een onderbouwde leerlijn of modules en een onderzoeksrapport.