Den Haag Draait Door: working together to solve urban problems
On Thursday the 29th of October, Kennis Maken Den Haag organises the third edition of Den Haag Draait Door. In this online talk show, experts and policymakers will discuss problems that exist in the city of The Hague. During this edition, as usual, students, researchers and residents from the region are welcome.
There exist more and more problems in The Hague that require a solution. Co-organiser and programme coordinator of Urban Studies Jetse Siebenga, cites as an example the densification of the city: 'The city of The Hague is growing, more and more people live there and in the next ten years the city will continue to grow.’ According to him, this raises complex issues: how should people live in the city and how do they move around? But also, questions about pollution caused by the growing amount of traffic in the city and other problems that play a role, such as poverty, isolation and growing inequality between different parts of the city.
Exchange of knowledge
In The Hague, various city labs exist to solve such complex problems. In these city labs, researchers work together with policymakers and residents to formulate and solve problems. According to Siebenga, city labs can offer opportunities for the use of knowledge. ‘For researchers it is good to see that the research they do can ultimately have an impact and contribute to the development of the city.'
The city as a testing ground
The contribution of students is also important in solving problems in the city. ‘The city is a testing ground for both researchers and students,' says Siebenga. ‘It is the place to use and practice your academic skills.' For the course Research Methodology, for example, students of the bachelor Urban Studies make full use of data published by the municipality of The Hague on their site. In addition, in different neighbourhoods, students of Urban Studies practice with conducting interviews and gathering knowledge about the neighbourhood.
The municipality is also experimenting with numerous things. Take, for example, the installation of mobile, temporary bicycle platforms to investigate whether and how these were used. A simple experiment, in which student observations can be useful in consultancy on the permanent placement of bicycle platforms. Although The Hague is the perfect place to learn, according to Siebenga it still happens too little that students contribute to the well-being of the city by practicing their skills. With Den Haag Draait Door, this will change, and the student will become more involved with the city.
Solving problems together
Den Haag Draait Door is not only interesting for researchers and students, but also for the inhabitants of the city. ‘For residents, it is fun and inspiring to see that together you can come up with solutions to problems in the city. It is also very inspiring to see that researchers and representatives from various institutions meet in The Hague,' says Siebenga.
During this edition, on 29 October from 12.00 - 13.00, Jaswina Bihari-Elahi, (project leader Laak Vitaal), Benjamin Sprecher (assistant professor at the Institute of Environmental Sciences) and Robert Duivenman (researcher at the Centre for Expertise Governance of Urban Transition) will be present.
Will you also sign up for Den Haag Draait Door?