Issue #3 - November 2024

An introduction by Tim van der Hagen, Rector Magnificus / President of the Board:

Now that the government is rapidly digitising, it’s important to keep in mind that public services call for a very different approach than commercial services. After all, it revolves around values such as integrity, equality and transparency, rather than maximising profits. That is why we talk about GOVtech instead of BIGtech. Within Digicampus, we have been working on this field with the government, businesses and citizens for five years now. Marijn Jansen and Nitesh Bharosa, the first professor of GovTech in the Netherlands, discuss the opportunities and obstacles for ICT innovation in the public sector.  

The benefits of successful government technology are clear: greater efficiency, more people-friendly solutions and less red tape. But what about defense technology? Innovation is key to keep our country and the EU safe and resilient. Yet it remains a contentious issue, that we must continue to discuss with each other. In this edition, we are having that conversation with Chief of Defence Onno Eichelsheim, who visited TU Delft Campus in August.  

Of course, we should always remain mindful of the downsides of technology. For instance, offshore wind energy can have profound ecological ramifications despite the major role it will play in helping us achieve our climate goals. When tech experts and ecologists join forces, we can learn to better understand the effects of technological developments on ecosystems and come up with designs that help protect or even enhance nature.  

Read all about this and more in the new issue of Pioneering Tech. Finished reading? Then be sure to visit the Pioneering Tech Platform for the latest articles and podcasts or stay up to date by subscribing to our newsletter.