Delta Platform welcomes Louise van der Heijden as its director. She succeeds Willem den Ouden. Delta Platform is the Center of Expertise in the field of delta issues and represents twelve universities of applied sciences.

Louise has been one of the faces of Delta Platform since its founding. “I believe in Delta Platform. It’s also my baby." She played a crucial role in the establishment and development of Delta Platform, which emerged from the Center of Expertise Delta Technology, an initiative she co-founded in 2015. Under her leadership, Delta Platform has positioned itself as a key player in applied research in the water sector.

Three tasks

In recent years, Louise worked at Regieorgaan SIA and Green Techport Brabant. She is taking on the role immediately. Louise has a broad network in the water sector and brings valuable experience from previous roles at Regieorgaan SIA and the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management (IenW). Over the next year and a half, Louise has been assigned three tasks by HZ University of Applied Sciences and Van Hall Larenstein University of Applied Sciences:

  • As the figurehead of Delta Platform, further expand the network;
  • Develop Delta Platform so that it functions as a national platform by 2026;
  • Organize the activities of Delta Platform in the Southwestern Delta in an efficient manner, in line with its national positioning.

Experience and passion

Barbara Oomen, chair of the Delta Platform board, in which Van Hall Larenstein and HZ are represented, is particularly pleased with Louise's appointment. “With her experience, ability to connect, and passion for water issues, Louise is the ideal person to further strengthen Delta Platform. With all the challenges in the field of water and the solutions that lie in the collaboration between practice, education, and research, this is more important than ever.”