UNIVERSITIES LAUNCH RETAIL INNOVATION PLATFORM

Due to developments in technological, sustainable, social-cultural and demographic trends, many retailers are facing significant challenges. Among many universities of applied sciences, retail innovation is an important research topic. That’s why eight of them, in collaboration with TKI CLICKNL, the national Retail Innovation Agenda, and practical partners are launching the Retail Innovation Platform. This was announced during DRIVE 2017 in Eindhoven.

The initiators have the ambition to realize the knowledge function of the Retail Agenda with practice-oriented research. The emphasis will be on partnership and knowledge sharing between lectorates, branch organizations and the retail sector. In doing so, they hope to make an impactful contribution to the necessary innovation of the retail sector. Jesse Weltevreden, lector Digital Commerce at the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences: “Practice-oriented research into retail innovation by universities of applied sciences can offer retailers important insights that can help them to innovate. Research at these schools often has a local or regional focus, and is not well known (inter)nationally, as of yet. With this platform we want to combine and unlock our knowledge and expertise to the benefit of the sector.”

Within the platform, research is done into, among others, vitality of shopping areas, instore technology, e-commerce, and sustainability. Furthermore, researchers from the universities organize conventions to foster knowledge exchange. Paul Rutten, lector Creative Business, Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences: “Through this platform we want to realize a sustainable partnership in the field of practice-oriented research into retail innovation between knowledge institutes and the work field, that transcends the duration of the subsidy.”

The initiators
The initiators of the platform are the Universities of Applied Sciences from Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague, Avans, Fontys, Saxion, the NHTV Breda, TMO Fashion Business School and the Technical University Eindhoven. The platform is also supported by practical partners such as Shopping Tomorrow, Thuiswinkel.org, INretail, Platform for the New Shopping Street and the E-commerce foundation.