The City of Rotterdam is partner of Erasmus School of Social and Behavioural Sciences. Rotterdam can be regarded as a laboratory with many (new) social developments. It is a city with a wide diversity of social challenges and ESSB researchers engage with the city by sharing and developing new knowledge for wicked urban problems.
Knowledge Labs and other partnerships
ESSB is closely involved in the Knowledge Labs, which consists of researchers of various disciplines and representatives of the City of Rotterdam and other knowledge institutions. The Knowledge Labs relate to the knowledge questions of the City of Rotterdam.
Contact: Marjolein Kooistra, kooistra@essb.eur.nl, 06 83676038
Liveable neighbourhoodsThe central aim of the Knowledge Lab Liveable Neighbourhoods is to promote the liveability of Rotterdam neighbourhoods. The lab wants to explicitly use existing knowledge and experience in the field of liveability improvement (‘co-creation’ of knowledge). Coordination: Dr. Beitske Boonstra & Dr. Vivian VisserEmail address
Rotterdam TalentOn the one hand, this knowledge lab aims to contribute to knowledge development in the field of Rotterdam education. On the other hand, the lab aims to contribute to the exchange and application of that knowledge and thus to the improvement of educational policy and practice in Rotterdam. Coordination: Drs. Tom Tudjman & Dr. Jacqueline SchenkEmail address
Future Society LabHow can the potential of big data be realised? What is needed for this and what risks are involved? What data are available and how reliable are they? And what about privacy sensitivity? The Future Society Lab investigates these and other questions. Coordination: Dr. Rebecca Moody & Harmen van Sprang (the Lead of the Future Society Lab)Email address
Urban Labour MarketPerhaps Rotterdam's biggest challenge lies in the area of the labour market, where supply and demand no longer match. Rotterdam City Council and Erasmus University Rotterdam have therefore set up the Urban Labour Market Knowledge Lab. Coordination: Dr. Joris Beek, Dr. Fabian Dekker & Prof.dr. Menno FengerEmail address
GOVLAB010EUR and Rotterdam City Council want to move forward together on themes that are crucial for Rotterdam. The transition to a sustainable city, to a city without division, to a city that grows, to a healthy city. These transitions call for new forms of governance. How can the city organise itself so that social changes can be managed properly Coordination: Dr.ir. Lizet Kuitert & Prof. dr. Arwin van BuurenEmail address
Healthy'RHealthy'R is the expertise centre of the city of Rotterdam and Erasmus University Rotterdam. Its aim is to help Rotterdammers choose healthier behaviour. Coordination: Prof.dr. Semiha DenktasEmail address
Other research collaborations
Child Poverty Research ProgrammeThe Child Poverty Research Programme is a collaboration between Nationaal Fonds Kinderhulp, the municipality of Rotterdam, Hogeschool Rotterdam and Erasmus University Rotterdam. The programme will conduct research into the effectiveness of interventions and professional practice aimed at children growing up in poverty. This unique collaboration provides a new connection between science, policy and practice in the field of child poverty and is led by Prof. dr. Nicole Lucassen (EUR) and Dr. Mariëtte Lusse (lecturer Kinderarmoede, Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences).Email address
Research Project ‘Evaluation new integration policy Rotterdam'Four-year research project ‘evaluation new civic integration policy Rotterdam’ commissioned by Rotterdam municipality. Prof.dr. Jaco Dagevos, professor of integration and migration ESSB, and his team are investigating how the new civic integration law can be effectively implemented by the municipality. The municipality wants to know what does and does not work in the municipal approach and factors that are important in this respect. For this research project, they are collaborating with researchers from the Research and Business Intelligence Department (OBI) of the municipality of Rotterdam. Coordination: Prof.dr. Jaco DagevosEmail address
Regional Knowledge Lab on Erratic Behaviour Rotterdam-Rijnmond (RKOG-RR)Since 2022, within the Rotterdam-Rijnmond region, there has been more and more cooperation for better care and assistance for ‘persons with confused or erratic behaviour’ and the current consortium of partners has formed. Subsequently, the consortium has united into the current regional knowledge lab (RKOG-RR), which will be funded in the coming years through a grant from ZonMw. Participating partners oa: care institutions, knowledge institutions, police, local authorities (e.g. city of Rotterdam) in Rotterdam-Rijnmond region Founder and programme leader, UHD Forensic Psychology EUR / ESSB: Dr. Josanne van DongenEmail address
Endowed chairs
Endowed Chair in Integrity of Local GovernmentProf.dr. Leonie Heres has been appointed to the endowed chair Integrity of Local Government from 1 December 2021. The city of Rotterdam created the chair.Email address
Endowed Chair Professor of Child PovertyFrom 1 February 2022, Prof.dr. Nicole Lucassen has been appointed endowed Professor of Child Poverty. The chair was established by the city of Rotterdam and Nationaal Fonds Kinderhulp and is part of the new Child Poverty Research Programme, in which Hogeschool Rotterdam also participates.Email address
Covenant Rotterdam Inclusivity Project
Covenant Rotterdam Inclusivity Project (2024) between Rotterdam City Council, Anti-Discrimination Agency RADAR, and EUR/ESSB. The Rotterdam Inclusivity Project covenant includes agreements to conduct structural research into patterns of discrimination, racism and inequality in Rotterdam over the next four years. The insights will contribute to improving municipal policies.
Contact: Prof.dr. Peter Scholten p.scholten@essb.eur.nl