The initiative is supported by LLO Katalysator, a National Growth Fund programme aimed at developing skills for the future labour market and accelerating transitions. The underlying idea is that the energy and sustainability transition requires more than new technology. It also requires people with the right skills who continue to develop.

Lifelong learning is therefore the guiding principle of the LLO Katalysator project. It supports both early-career and experienced professionals in gaining the knowledge and skills needed for a more sustainable industry, enabling them to grow with the changes that industrial decarbonisation requires.

Key technology for decarbonisation

“We explicitly focus on electrochemistry,” says project lead Bart van den Bosch, associate lecturer at Inholland University of Applied Sciences and senior researcher at Avantium. “Electrifying chemical processes with renewable energy is a key technology to decarbonise the industry.” In this field, Inholland University of Applied Sciences and the University of Amsterdam have long collaborated with other research organisations and companies in the region under the banner of Amcel. “It is a fruitful collaboration,” Van den Bosch says. “Combining a university of applied sciences with a research university brings together the fundamental with the technical and applied. We are complementary in education as well. Together, we are well-positioned to contribute to the development of these emerging chemical technologies, while educating the people who will work with these in practice.”

New partners welcome

With support from the LLO Katalysator subsidy, Amcel is conducting a market analysis in the chemical industry. This will identify which knowledge and skills are currently lacking in practice and will form the basis for developing new learning modules in combination with research projects. Van den Bosch: “By integrating education and research, we teach our students how to combine theory and practice to solve complex problems.” Amcel extends this approach to broad upskilling and reskilling opportunities for professionals in the field of electrochemistry.

Several companies and public partners are already connected to Amcel and this specific project. New interested partners are welcome. “The more partners and the broader the initiative, the better we can contribute to delivering the transition that is urgently needed,” says van den Bosch.

Are you interested in joining or learning more?

Contact Bart van den Bosch via bart.vandenbosch@inholland.nl