Fleur Deken appointed as URC professor - Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

26 June 2023

The Executive Board of Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam appoints Fleur Deken as a full professor of Strategy, Technology, and Innovation at the University Research Chair (URC). The chair will be embedded within the School of Business and Economics starting September 1, 2023. The URC recognizes VU Amsterdam's outstanding academics who are seen as emerging leaders in their field. Deken: "My goal as the URC chair is to enable organizations to participate more effectively in mission-oriented collaborations".

Fleur Deken examines strategic collaborations for the development of technological innovations in the URC chair. Her research revolves around the interplay between social processes and technical design processes. She investigates how parties can effectively collaborate on innovations for a better world, such as solutions for complex care at home and the energy transition. "Mission-oriented innovation policy has led to various new types of collaborations, such as fieldlabs, living labs, and innovation ecosystems. While these collaborations are essential for developing the innovative solutions our society needs, we lack knowledge about what governance structures and practices are needed for these new forms of collaboration to succeed," Deken explained.

In the coming years, Deken will develop new governance models for mission-oriented collaborations and uncover the new capabilities organizations need to participate in such collaborations effectively. She will disseminate her research results through education and commissioned research to private and public organizations, as well as within the various consortia she has jointly established, including a recently awarded €1.5 million NWO grant to explore experimentation spaces for mission-oriented innovation together with the University of Twente, Eindhoven University of Technology, and Tilburg University. "So far, I have mainly examined mission-oriented innovation from the perspective of private and public organizations. In the coming years, I will expand my research to the role of knowledge institutions in mission-oriented innovation and generate impact by supporting VU Amsterdam in its functioning within such collaborations," Deken stated.

"I firmly believe there is synergy between my research and creating societal impact. For example, I serve as a committee member at Kansen voor West, the European regional investment fund for innovation consortia. Here, I face the complexity and uncertainty associated with technological innovation and have the opportunity to apply research insights in practice."