The four universities of technology in the Netherlands (Delft, Eindhoven, Twente and Wageningen) appeal to political leaders in The Hague to make technological innovation a structural part of their agendas. Technological innovations are a vital link in the transition process to a resilient, safe and sustainable future. The post-corona future comes with new social challenges that require new solutions. The first Techrede address is scheduled to take place on 1 October and aims to impress upon everyone not only the importance of these types of innovations but the importance of public involvement as well.
Techrede as the equivalent to the Troonrede (speech from the throne)
In times of crisis or other unexpected events, a society has to be capable of quickly taking action, making changes or going with the flow. This means societies need to be resilient. In this technological equivalent of a Troonrede, the four universities (joined together in the 4TU.Federatie) aim to raise awareness among other knowledge institutions and the business community of the fact that the corona crisis has highlighted the importance of resilience. Technological innovations are indispensable to this resilience.
“The COVID-19 crisis has made a number of things very clear”, explains Louise O. Fresco, president of 4TU and chairperson of Wageningen University & Research. “For reasons such as health, climate and scarcity of resources, we must use knowledge, technology and innovation to create a liveable and sustainable society. The future is high-tech – but it must be environmentally and economically responsible high-tech – and a social debate is required for this purpose, fuelled by the expertise provided by technical universities.”
Climate, health and food
Only by assuming responsibility together can we ensure the smooth transition to a resilient, safe and sustainable future, as the Techrede will demonstrate. The Techrede draws attention to various transition themes such as climate, health and food. Where are we now, where are we going and what do we need to go forward?
Support from the business and science communities
The message shared by the Dutch universities of technology is supported by innovators from the business community (from start-ups to SMEs and multinationals), scientists and young people alike. In the run-up to the Techrede, they show their involvement through various vlogs and a 4TU miniseries. In each episode, a host goes in search of answers to the question of how technological innovations could usher in a wonderful future for us all.
