Describe your collaborative partnership

Rotterdam economic policy has a strong focus on the port area, the medical cluster and creative industries. As an incubator for creative talent and entrepreneurship located in the Southern district, the Creative Factory hosts more than 60 startups and connects the three programs. Companies located in the Factory profit from attractive terms. Furthermore, Creative Factory serves as an icon of Kwaliteitssprong Zuid and  of the Economic Implementation Program.

Rotterdam University is one oft he partners of the Creative Factory since 2007. Rotterdam University employs 3 levels of student’s knowledge development in the collaboration with the Creative Factory:

• Consciousness 
• Learning and experiencing 
• Deepening and research 

 
As the result of  the fruitful collaborative projects it has brought so far,  the collaboration has recently been prolonged for 4 years (2011-2015). 

• Advice on corporate strategy, product development and financial planning 
• Internships and graduation projects 
• Link to Kwaliteitssprong Zuid
• Involvement of Knowledge centers and Associate Degree programs
• Collaboration among Rotterdam University, Creative Factory, HOPE-Centre for Entrepreneurship 
• Urban, national and international networks

Provide evidence of your success

The success of this  collaborative partnership is,  among others, indicated by its structural fit with educational activities of the different institutes of Rotterdam University. At first glance in 2007-2008 the project was believed to have  too little success. Altering the organizational structure on three levels enabled a better fit with the institutes and the curriculums. Alterations were made regarding the strategic level by intensifying contact frequency, enabling the exchange of knowledge and xperiences. On a tactical level the connection between Kwaliteitssprong Zuid has been strengthened.
On an operational level more emphasis was placed on the importance of informal collaboration between the staff members of Rotterdam University and the Creative Factory.  Therefor, a project leader has been appointed to maintain contact between the two partners and to align projects and internships with institutes and curriculums. This organic partnership has  led to many fruitful contacts between students and entrepreneurs. Nowadays almost all institutes of  Rotterdam University  have utilized and benefited from the partnership in different forms.

Why is your collaboration special and not a typical client-customer relationship?

A typical customer client relationship has a strong focus on offer and demand. This particular relation however has a strong focus on mutual learning effects  and the increase of professional and entrepreneurial capacities, enabled by the physical presence. The partnership entales that Rotterdam University contributes financially as a partner,  in exchange for the use of the unit located in the Creative Factory, thereby creating valuable learning opportunities  and (new) networks  for  both students  and professionals. The unit offers a space where  students and  staff can work, organize meetings, conferences etc. Besides utilization of the unit Rotterdam University can also use the meeting room  in the  Factory. In turn Factory entrepreneurs are being supported by Rotterdam University’s students who are doing an internship, a thesis or a research project and are thereby contributing to the growth and development of the companies.
Furthermore, as a partner Rotterdam University takes part in strategic meetings together with the other partners.

Websites

• Studio / Agency: www.creativefactory.nl
• Client: hogeschoolrotterdam.nl