News - April 18, 2016

Amsterdam is ‘... West Wageningen’

Text:
Albert Sikkema

Prime Minister Mark Rutte sets great store by Wageningen UR’s global reputation. He couldn’t have made that clearer at the opening of the Innovation Expo in Amsterdam on 14 April.

In tackling major problems such as rising sea levels and the world food problem, the Netherlands needs to act as one big collaborative city, said the Prime Minister in his speech. ‘When Amsterdam goes on a trade mission and sees opportunities for the food and agriculture sector, mayor Van der Laan invites the rector of Wageningen University along. So it’s all very well to say: Wageningen is not Amsterdam. But on a global scale of course, Amsterdam is just West Wageningen.’