Wageningen University & Research: From Throne Speech to Tech Speech “Techrede”
The Technology Drivers launched Techrede 2022. The Technology Drivers are a group of ambitious, socially engaged students from the 4 Technical Universities in Delft, Eindhoven, Twente and Wageningen; an initiative of the 4TU.Federation. State Secretary of Infrastructure and Water Management, Vivianne Heijnen, watched the Techrede and praised the usefulness and necessity of the involvement of the Voice of the Future in the debate around societal challenges and driving technological innovation. The Drivers are committed to the same themes as the cabinet, but above all they want to build momentum.
View the tech speech
Last week was the week of the Throne Speech, containing the government’s plans for the coming year. Meaningful plans that can make a difference. At the same time, the feeling prevails that the plans are still too high-minded and focused more on the longer term than the short term. And it is precisely in that short term that many opportunities lie.
State Secretary Vivianne Heijnen after viewing the Techrede: “Great to see that the new generation is working on smart solutions to make the world a better place. The Technology Drivers show that you can make an impact by helping that whole chain of people who also all have to participate. Good to get everyone involved, not just producers and enterprises, but also consumers.How do you ensure that you convey information about the environmental impact of products to consumers in an accessible way? That’s where the materials passport can be of help!”
With an eye on the short term and the how-to of accelerating transitions, a group of ambitious, socially engaged students from the 4 Technical Universities in Delft, Eindhoven, Twente and Wageningen have been working on projects to achieve societal impact.
In the Techrede, the Technology Drivers talk about the actions that have already been taken over the past year and call for concrete actions that politicians can start immediately.
What can you expect from the Techrede?
The Techrede is an approximately 20-minute video covering the following topics:
To complete the plastic cycle, we need to go back to a much more limited number of plastics on the market. Consumers play a key role in bringing about this movement: with transparent information, people are more likely to choose packaging that is easy to recycle.
With six concrete recommendations, the Voice of the Future makes its voice heard on the role of hydrogen in the energy transition. A lot of political movement and courage is needed to accelerate the transition with innovation.
Prevention in healthcare, including through technological innovation, should be rewarded. With Zorgverzekeraars Nederland, the Technology Drivers worked on steps towards a future-proof healthcare system.
How do we ensure that citizens understand where our food comes from, what it takes to produce it and how to optimise sustainability in our agricultural sector? Education is the answer: by having co-developed an education module, we inform the young generation. More knowledge and better choices leads to a healthy social debate.