prof. dr. T. (Tialda) Haartsen

Research projects

Fertile soils for future generations: integrated spatial strategies and effective governance for coherent rural regions (2024), 2 PhDs and 1 PostDoc. With a national consortium. Funded by NWO KIC MISSIE Stad en Land in Samenhang (co-applicant, WP lead and region coordinator).

Rural Communities at a Crossroad (2024), 1 PhD. With Jacob Dijkstra & Vincenz Frey. Funded by Ubbo Emmius Fund (co-applicant).

Return-migration initiatives of regions to re-attract young adult leavers (2023), 1 PhD. With Bettina Bock. Funded by the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Provinces of Drenthe, Fryslân, Groningen and Overijssel (main applicant).

Resilient communities, art and the Frisian ‘mienskip’-method (2022), 1 PhD. With Gwende van der Vaat. Funded by Arcadia, Leeuwarden (main applicant).

From 2021-2023 I was responsible for the completion of three projects that were left unfinished because of COVID19 extensions when prof. Dirk Strijker retired: Intergenerational Poverty in the Veenkolonien and two Interreg North Sea Region projects CORA (COnnecting Remote Areas with digital infrastructure and services) and COM3 (Building Competencies for Competitive Companies).

Island Schools - Working together on a European level to create sustainable education for Europe's island communities (2020), 1 PostDoc. Funded by Erasmus + (co-applicant).

STAYin(g)Rural (2019), 2 PhDs and 1 Postdoc. With Aileen Stockdale (Queen’s University Belfast, Northern Ireland) and Annett Steinführer (Von Thünen Institute, Braunschweig, Germany). Funded by NWO/ESRS/DFG, Open Research Area (ORA) (main applicant).

IMAJINE: Integrative Mechanisms for Addressing Spatial Justice and Territorial Inequalities in Europe (2017), with a European consortium. Funded by Horizon 2000 Topic REV-INEQUAL-07-2016 (co-applicant and WP lead).

Young Adult Stayers in Peripheral Regions (2017), 1 PhD. With Annett Agaard Thuesen and Egon Noe (University of Southern Denmark, Esbjerg) (co-applicant).

Determinants of Liveability (2014), 1 PhD. With Social Research Institute, Den Haag. Funded by Ubbo Emmius Scholarship (co-applicant).

Governance Role Shifts in Socio-Spatial Planning in Depopulating Rural areas (2014), 1 PhD. Funded by Ubbo Emmius Scholarship (co-applicant).

Facilities and services in the context of population decline: regional level models versus everyday life realities in rural areas (2013), 1 PhD. Funded by University Campus Fryslân scholarship (main applicant).

Success and failure of citizen initiatives (2013), 1 PhD. With Hanze University of Applied Sciences, Groningen.  Funded by young promovendi grant Hanzehogeschool Groningen with co-financing from Province of Groningen and several housing corporations in the north of the Netherlands (co-applicant).

Smaller policy related projects (selection)

Research project into the potential role of art and culture in rural transitions in the Netherlands (2024), 1 junior researcher. With Gwenda van der Vaart. At request of and funded by the Dutch Ministry of Agriculture (LNV) (co-applicant).

International comparison of rules and policies with regard to keeping rural facilities accessible (2024). With Bettina Bock. At request of and funded by the Dutch Ministry of Internal Affairs (co-applicant).

North West Friesland Phase 2: develop a serious game on how to discuss change/loss of facilities and services with inhabitants and stakeholders (2018). With Suzan Christiaanse and in collaboration with Partoer-Leeuwarden (main applicant).

Discussion paper on Depopulation and liveability in the Waddensea Region, as input for the Gebiedsagenda Wadden 2050 (GAW2050) (2018). At request of and funded by the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management.

Research project into the consequences of the closure of the last supermarket for liveability in the village of Ulrum (2015; 2017). With Suzan Christiaanse and Joost Gieling. Funded by the Ministry of Internal Affairs (main applicant).

Towards a regional plan of facilities and services in North-West Fryslân (2015). With Suzan Christiaanse. At request of and funded by Municipalities of North-West Friesland (main applicant).

Travel for ambitions: research into relation choice of secondary education and public transport in rural areas (2015). With PAU Plan Advies en Uitvoering, Groningen. Funded by the Province of Fryslân (co-applicant).

Towards a regional model of facilities and services in North-East Fryslân (2012). With Marien de Bakker. PI; At request of and funded by Municipalities of Achtkarspelen, Dantumadiel, Dongeradeel, Ferwerderadiel, Kollumerland c.a. and Tytsjerksteradiel, the province of Friesland and Vital Rural Area (co-applicant).

PhD-begeleiding:

Lopende PhD projecten

1. Franziska Lengerer, Retirement stage rural staying and participation, STAYin(g)Rural project, in collaboration with the Thünen Institute Braunschweigh, Germany (2019-2025)
2. Hieke van der Kloet, Smart Living voor senioren in rurale gebieden
   Een onderzoek naar motieven en oplossingen voor senioren om in de (Oost-Groningse) regio prettig, gezond en slim te blijven wonen, in collaboration with Hanzehogeschool Groningen (2019-2025)
3. Medina Savira, Rural Digitalisation in Indonesia, in collaboration with Institut Teknologi Bandung, Indonesia (2022-2026)
4. Carmen van Bruggen, Participatory art and the notion of mienskip in Friesland, in collaboration with Arcadia (2023-2028)
5. Chengxi Liu, Participation of Women in Rural Governance (2023-2027)
6. Tineke Reitsma, How to lure back young adult leavers to rural regions (2024-2028) 
7. Kjelda Glimmerveen,  “Telling our own stories from our own perspectives”: regional narratives in the Northern Dutch filmmaking industry (2024-2028)
8. Lieselot Vroom, Rural Communities at a Crossroads (2025-2029)
9. Guus van Tilborg, Homecoming to Heritage: The University of Groningen’s Heritage and its Role in Student Place Attachment (2025-2029)

Afgeronde PhD projecten

1. Rixt Bijker, Migration to less popular rural areas. The characteristics, motivations and search process of migrants (2007-2012)
2. Akke Folmer, Wildlife: a hidden treasure of green places in urbanized societies (2009-2016)
3. Hans Elshof, On the self-reinforcing aspects of population decline on the local scale level in North-Netherlands (2011-2016)
4. Jelmer Jeuring, Perspectives on proximity tourism in Fryslân (2013-2017)
5. Joost Gieling, A place for life or a place to live. Rethinking village attachment, volunteering and liveability in Dutch rural areas, in collaboration with the Netherlands Institute of Social Research (SCP) - Den Haag (2014-2017)
6. Erzsi de Haan, Success and failure of citizen initiatives in depopulating rural areas, in collaboration with Hanzehogeschool Groningen and Siegen University Germany (2014-2018)
7. Hiska Ubels, Governance role shifts in the context of population decline (2014-2019)
8. Erik Meij, Exploring the social dimensions of spatial inequalities (2017-2021)
9. Eva Maersk, There and  back Again: the intertwining of educationally related (im)mobility choices of young adults from peripheral regions with contemporary identity and place narratives, in collaboration with Danish Center for Rural Research, University of South Denmark (2017-2022)
10. Henk Hofstede, Young adult rural stayers, STAYin(g)Rural project (2019-2023)
11. Christina Rundel, Digital Inclusion in Rural Areas (2018-2023)
12. Suzan Christiaanse, Facilities and services in the context of population decline: regional level models versus everyday life realities in rural areas, in collaboration  with social research institute Partoer and Campus Fryslân - Leeuwarden (2014-2024)
13. Yueyue Gao, Living in Small County Cities: Motivations and Strategies of Rural (Return) Migrants in China (2020-2025)