Jeroen Vreeke: 'We guide the process to the perfect match'

What exactly does HZ Nexus do? And who works there? We spoke with Jeroen Vreeke, Account Manager for Business, Vitality & Hospitality, about the work and the team at HZ Nexus.

Connecting education, research, and the professional field

A nexus is a central point, an intersection, or a connection that connects different elements. This is precisely the role HX Nexus fulfills for both HZ and the external field. HZ Nexus connects HZ's education and research with the outside world. They do this through engaging practical assignments that HZ students or researchers can work on. "It's a two-way street," says Jeroen. HZ wants to be visible as a knowledge institute for companies and organizations in the region, but conversely, companies and organizations also want to be visible as future employers for our students.

"Carrying out real-life case studies for a real client is much more valuable than a fictional case," Jeroen believes. This way, students immediately build their resumes and also discover whether they are more commercially, technically, or socially oriented.We call this practice-based education. The result? "New insights, fresh ideas, and valuable connections between education and practice," says Jeroen.

Get to know the team

The HZ Nexus team consists of (account) managers, an office manager, and an intern. Below you'll find the contact details for our (account) managers, categorized by specialty. Please feel free to contact one of them if you'd like to propose a project or take on an open project within the education sector.

Landing point for the business community

HZ Nexus collaborates with approximately 14 core teams. These are large companies that often represent all three educational domains (BVH, HEW, and TWE). These include major healthcare institutions like Ter Weel and GGD Zeeland, or international players like Dow. HZ Nexus account managers contact these companies every 8 to 10 weeks to discuss ongoing projects. "By meeting so frequently, you can effectively monitor whether the right energy is being invested in all projects and whether expectations align with the results," says Jeroen. If it turns out that a project isn't progressing as expected, HZ Nexus can make timely adjustments to achieve the desired results for both clients and participating students.

Besides connecting the professional field with education, HZ Nexus is also an important point of contact for the business community. HZ Nexus serves as a landing point where external parties can submit their questions and receive further assistance. A company can be linked to a program or connected to The Work Zone, for example, if it's about internships for HZ students. "Even if a request comes in that's a better fit for Scalda or University College Roosevelt (UCR), we want to connect," says Jeroen. "We don't just refer people."

'The result? New insights, fresh ideas, and valuable connections between education and practice'

The perfect match

HZ Nexus is also increasingly collaborating with HZ lectorates and research groups. "Sometimes we receive a project from the field that's just too complex or too large for students," says Jeroen. "Then we talk to the client and the relevant research group." What does the client expect? And what is the research group's expertise? "We guide the process towards the perfect match," says Jeroen.

A great example of such a perfect match is the collaboration between the Healthy Region research group and Childcare Zeeuws-Vlaanderen. They conducted research on a pilot program involving free childcare. Here, too, the connection to education was made. Researchers from the Healthy Region research group posed a sub-question of the research to students in Professional Innovation. Jeroen explains: "It's a great example of how we try to make ends meet and connect education and research to practice."

Get in touch with HZ Nexus

Curious about the possibilities of collaborating with HZ Nexus? Contact one of the team members. For general questions, you can send an email to nexus@hz.nl. Or visit the HZ Nexus office on the first floor of the HZ Tower in Vlissingen. Do you want to stay informed about our projects? Follow HZ Nexus on LinkedIn or visit the project page using the button below.

To the project page