3 December 2025
The Hague - Rotterdam Metropolitan region connects education with businesses at MICS
The Rotterdam–The Hague Metropolitan Region (MRDH) has taken the initiative to structurally strengthen cooperation between education and industry at the Mechatronics Innovation Campus Schiedam (MICS). To this end, a steering group was launched on 3 December under the leadership of Doekle Terpstra (former chair of Techniek Nederland). With this, the MRDH sends a clear signal: education must align much more closely with the high-tech manufacturing industry – and MICS is the place to make this happen.
The companies and educational providers already connected to MICS have indicated that they strongly support this initiative. They recognise the same sense of urgency and are willing to actively contribute, including through participation in the steering group.
Niels Langenhuizen (Director at MICS developer SDK Vastgoed) says:
“In the Schiedam region, we are working on a mechatronics campus where talent, technology, education and businesses come together. Together with the MRDH, we are strengthening the connection with education even further and addressing this challenge at a regional level. This confirms that MICS meets a clear need and is of broad significance for South Holland and the Netherlands as a whole. We therefore wholeheartedly embrace and support this initiative.”
Talent development
South Holland has an urgent need for more mechatronics and semiconductor professionals. Companies are looking for craftsmanship and innovative capacity, education seeks to better align with practice, and professionals are asking for upskilling and reskilling opportunities. MICS already brings these worlds together, and the MRDH exploration now focuses on the next step: structural collaboration from pre-vocational secondary education (vmbo) through to university level.
The exploration examines how education and industry can be better aligned and how shared facilities – such as labs, pilot environments and practical learning spaces – can contribute to innovation and Lifelong Learning (LLL). This will also strengthen the region’s international competitive position. The programme is led by Doekle Terpstra, former chair of Techniek Nederland.
During the MICS working conference on 3 December, the steering group was formed, consisting of companies, educational institutions and experts. In the coming period, Doekle Terpstra will work together with programme manager Joost van der Veen and the steering group on developing a shared vision for cooperation between education and industry. This will result in an action agenda with concrete investments in time, knowledge and funding. The action agenda will be presented on 12 March 2026.
Jan van Zanen, Chair of the MRDH and Mayor of The Hague, commented on the launch of the steering group:
“With this collaboration around MICS, we are taking an important step in offering young people prospects and providing companies with the skilled professionals they need.”
Impulse for the region
MICS is under development: more and more companies are establishing themselves on the campus and educational programmes are starting on site. Through the coordinating role of the MRDH, collaboration around talent development is now gaining additional momentum. This brings young people closer to the high-tech manufacturing industry, gives companies access to future skills, and offers professionals new development opportunities.
For MICS, this marks an important step in strengthening an open and collaborative ecosystem where talent, technology and businesses come together. At MICS, organisations and talent can grow. Grow with us!