By Jhr. Mr. Alexander W. Beelaerts van Blokland, Justice (Judge) in the (Dutch) Court of Appeal and Special Adviser International Affairs, appointed by the Mayor and Aldermen of The Hague
Since the 29th of May 2015 New World Campus has established itself in The Hague. Although the new NGO only opened its doors only 6 months ago, the organisation is already hosting several events on a weekly basis in cooperation with young start-ups and innovative organisations. New World Campus acts as a mechanism which aims to connect investors, international organisations, government institutions and smaller organisations.
New World Campus is located in the former Postcheque- en Girodienst building at Spaarneplein, five minutes away from train station Den Haag HS. The building offers company spaces, start-up spaces and flex spaces, all located under one roof in order to stimulate cooperation and new alliances between new establishments, NGOs and innovative organisations. New World Campus is also home of the ‘Wicked Problems Plaza’: an area where multilateral problems are being discussed and which serves as a place where knowledge is being exchanged between several experts and stakeholders. ‘The Wicked Problems Plaza’ works closely together with the Partnership Resource Centre of Erasmus University. Examples of wicked problems are climate change related issues or the fashion industry.
As an innovative and sustainable organisation, New World Campus focusses on five main themes: water & sanitarian, ICT, sustainable construction, energy and agriculture and food security. By using the principles of open innovation, co-creation and effective research and development, the organisation hopes to bring stakeholders together. Although many organisations consider Amsterdam the place to be when it comes to innovation and young start-ups, the choice was made for The Hague. According to New World Campus, The Hague is considered a good place for international and sustainable networks and initiatives. The City of Peace and Justice combines international knowledge of water, governance and development with 140 NGOs and more than 20 IGOs. The building at Spaarneplein should become a ‘Home of Sustainability’ in The Hague, where local sustainability issues find answers.
The goals set by New World Campus are promising for the international community in The Hague. Serving as a meeting place and an strengthening of the profile of The Hague as international city, New World Campus may be able to stimulate innovation and sustainability on a global scale.
