Heleen Geerts, alumna of The Hague University of Applied Sciences (European Studies, 2000) returned to The Hague in 2005 after having worked for international entreprises. Here she began her career as a knowledge broker at the SME/service-entrepreneur desk ‘Regiondirector' of THUAS. Her increasing involvement with the educational Entrepreneurship program led to lecturing more frequently, earning a master's degree in Strategic Management (Partnership Management), and becoming a lecturer-researcher at the Designing Value Networks research group. Her work focuses on systemic co-design research regarding eco-systems and experimental learning environments like living labs and exploring value networks for transitions across entrepreneurial contexts.
A significant part of her academic journey involved a research project Future Proof Retail, where Heleen contributed to developing, organizing, and facilitating knowledge exchange between eight national, locally-focused living labs. The knowledge gathered was published in two books on How to Innovate with Living Labs. This experience led to her involvement in the establishment of the THUAS Learning Community ‘Haagse Labs’ and the development of a Retail Innovation & Experience Campus in the Hague region in collaboration with a diverse public-private consortium. Heleen later served as vocational professor (practor) for new retail & entrepreneurship at the Regional Vocational institution ROC Mondriaan.
With the motto "From ego to eco-system," Heleen is dedicated to fostering a sustainable and inclusive society. Heleen's involvement in public-private collaborations and entrepreneurship, demonstrates her commitment to dynamic learning environments where experimenting, learning, innovating and creating are central. On behalf of THUAS, she collaborates with researchers, companies, educational institutions and the local, regional and international community to co-create innovative solutions.
Lectures
Tips and tricks of appreciative enquiry
03 Feb, 18.00-18.30, @Aula Magna, Department of Agriculture Food and Environment
Prototyping expedition workshop
05 Feb, 15:00-16:00, @Podere La Chiesa
Do you know that 95% of the knowledge we have is concentred on the tip of our fingers and despite our efforts to verbalize it or bring it into creative motion, it doesn’t always come across. So, why not reframing the above and start with action before reflection? Lego® Serious Play® is the methodology that enables you to subconsciously arrive at new worlds, co-design, listen, engage and have all voices heard, while of course having fun and trusting the flow of the process!
Let us embark on this expedition together and prototype the sustainable future of wine!
Sip & Tell: crafting captivating Stories along the Wine Routes
06 Feb, 10:30-11:30, @Centro Avanzi
Interested in bringing your message across and engaging the audience to think along with you? Curious on what it takes to have the participants of your presentation in an awe? And how to make this interactive? Then this shall be the workshop to immerse yourselves in tools and techniques to make that happen.
Stories are the magic that makes people remember something forever since they do not just touch and open your mind but also plant seeds in your heart and speak to your emotions, let us see together how this happens in practice.