Sustainable Society further strengthens its strategic capability by appointing Govert Buijs

Sustainable Society is pleased to welcome Govert Buijs as a fulltime Strategic Advisor. At the University of Groningen (UG) Sustainable Society’s main focus is to strengthen the societal impact of research, especially in the Social Sciences and the Humanities (SSH). In his new role, Govert contributes to the continuous development and positioning of Sustainable Society, both within the university and between the university and other stakeholders.

For the past four years Govert has worked as EU Liaison Officer for UG and the University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG), where his focus was predominantly on lobbying and building networks in Brussels. His experience at the nexus of research, politics and policy, and his involvement with Sustainable Society in his previous job provide the perfect match with the planned activities and ambitions of the societal theme.

In his new job, Govert will shift his focus from Brussels to connecting national (policy) developments with SSH research. There will still be a small ‘European component’ in his work, as he will continue to be involved with ACCOMPLISSH, the flagship Horizon 2020 project coordinated by Sustainable Society, which stimulates impact from SSH research throughout Europe. Moreover, he will continue his work with PERSON, the Platform for Energy Research in the Socio-economic Nexus, which has  emerged as a central rallying point for energy-related SSH research.

Sustainable Society engages with policy makers, politicians and a wide variety of stakeholders and calls their attention to the societal impact of research. It strengthens the reputation of the university as a valuable actor in the search for new insights and solutions to societal challenges.