Energy Campus Zeeland accelerates the energy transition by connecting education, research and entrepreneurship.
Energy Campus Zeeland is a place where education providers, businesses, researchers and local residents work together on the energy transition. We connect knowledge, practical developments and innovation so that our region is prepared for the energy demands of tomorrow.
What is Energy Campus Zeeland?
Energy Campus Zeeland is a collaboration between Scalda, HZ University of Applied Sciences and Dockwize. Together, they support the region throughout the energy transition. The three partners provide modern education programmes, innovations and activities that help both residents and businesses progress. At the Energy Campus, students, teachers, researchers, companies and social organisations come together to learn, explore and innovate.
The goal is clear: to build a workforce that is agile, resilient and ready for the jobs of the future. This is made possible through modern facilities, high-quality education, cutting-edge research and collaboration with industry.
Why?
The energy transition has a significant impact on daily life and industry in Zeeuws-Vlaanderen and Vlissingen-Oost. There is a growing need for well-trained people who understand new technologies and can put them into practice. Social engagement is also crucial, and innovative ideas are needed to make processes smarter and more sustainable.
The gap between the available training options and the demands of industry is large. Energy Campus Zeeland helps to bridge this gap by bringing parties together and ensuring that people can adapt to change. As a result, the region becomes stronger, more sustainable and future-proof. This project contributes to the objectives of the Just Transition Fund and has a major impact on the region.
Objectives
Building a Zeeland workforce that is agile, resilient and ready for the jobs of the future. There are four concrete objectives that help students, employees, companies and the region adapt to the energy transition and the opportunities it brings:
- Increasing innovation capacity: Energy Campus as an innovation hub
- Modernised educational facilities: Energy Campus as a physical location (or locations)
- Research as a catalyst: Energy Campus as a knowledge hub for the energy transition
- Lifelong development: Flexible training opportunities offered by the Energy Campus
Innovation hub
Energy Campus helps businesses and organisations innovate. It organises Innovation Energy Challenges, supports intrapreneurs within large companies and assists start-ups. This leads to new ideas, new products and smarter ways of working.
In the Social Impact Lab, research is conducted into how the energy transition can be fair for everyone. Businesses, government bodies, citizens and students work together on solutions that strengthen and sustain the region.
Modern educational locations
Energy Campus develops and modernises educational spaces so they resemble real-life practice as closely as possible. Students and professionals train in realistic settings across the existing locations of the three partners. These locations have been modernised or expanded. Examples include:
- Smart Grid and Smart Energy setups in Technum
- Industry 4.0 setup in Technum
- Full-scale training environments at KAAP
Knowledge hub
Energy Campus brings knowledge together. Researchers from HZ and Scalda work on current issues relating to industrial heat, sustainable raw materials and the organisation of the energy transition.
This knowledge is used in education and in projects with businesses. In this way, the region remains at the forefront, and people have access to reliable, up-to-date information.
Lifelong development
The three partners offer flexible learning opportunities for anyone wishing to retrain or upskill. They match questions from industry with appropriate courses and training programmes. This helps the workforce remain agile and resilient. They work closely with companies to ensure that employees can continue to develop and that organisations remain future-ready.
Key results
Since the launch of Energy Campus Zeeland, several important results have already been achieved. Below are the main milestones:
- The Lucas-Nülle Industry 4.0 educational setup has been installed and put into use.
- Several study programmes have been redesigned to better meet industry needs.
- The elective module in Nuclear Technology has been developed, and the first certificates have already been awarded.
- Various projects are underway with partners such as Stedin.
- The Impact Lab has been launched, where companies, researchers, students and citizens collaborate on themes such as social inclusion and broad prosperity.
- Expansion of the KAAP innovation centre.
- Preparations are underway for the Immersive Classroom, which will enable learning in realistic environments. It is scheduled to open in the second quarter of 2026.
