Egbert Dommerholt makes no bones about it in his inaugural address. This week, he was officially appointed lecturer in Biobased Business Valorisation at the Hanze University of Applied Sciences in Groningen. There he was already active in the International Business School and as lecturer he is also affiliated with Hanze’s Research Centre Biobased Economy.
According to Dommerholt, the economy has too much influence on society. That has to change. We must move towards an economy that is not based on greed, but on needs: a ‘degrowth economy’, or a shrinking economy, in which the quality of life is decisive, rather than the quantity of consumption. The circular economy is only an intermediate step in that direction.
New models, new activities
“Profit is no longer the only goal. Enough is enough. We are going to build new models and undertake new activities,” says Dommerholt. He is thinking of a ‘multi-value creation model’ in which the development of new materials, new services and new strategies is done in a playful and creative way. Multidisciplinary research teams will be formed around companies, students will be challenged via challenges and anyone who wants to contribute will be given the opportunity to do so. “In this way, the Hanze UAS can grow into a social-ecological and technological laboratory, a living lab where people constantly fly in and out to help accelerate the transition. Such a trans-disciplinary breeding ground is an experiment in itself and can also inspire others.”
See also:
- “The circular economy requires a complete makeover” (Agro & Chemistry, 7 May 2021)
