The University of Twente (UT) has been awarded €13.6 million in the 2024 NWA ORC funding round to lead two major research consortia focused on some of society’s most urgent challenges: sustainable industrial transformation and transparent, human-oriented artificial intelligence.
With these awards, UT will coordinate two projects: Add-reAM, scaling circular industrial practices with 3D Printing, and DECIDE, focused on AI that “listens” to citizens. “Securing leadership of two NWA consortia is not only a recognition of our interdisciplinary strengths but also of our commitment to responsible technological development,” professor Vinod Subramaniam, President of the Executive Board of UT, said in a press release.
Add-reAM, led by Ian Gibson, professor at the Faculty of Engineering Technology, will develop scalable, field-ready solutions to enable industrial repair and remanufacturing leveraging 3D printing. The project aims to minimize emissions and material waste by integrating advanced design, digital toolchains, and collaboration between academia, industry, and municipalities.
“This project addresses the heart of the circular economy, keeping valuable resources in use for as long as possible,” said professor Gibson. “We’re not just repairing parts; we’re rebuilding a mindset for sustainable production.”
In turn, the DECIDE consortium, led by professor Mieke Boon (Faculty of Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences), will focus on making artificial intelligence systems transparent, explainable, and fair. Based on a broad range of integrated disciplines, including computer science, ethics, psychology, and law, the project rethinks the role of public agency in automated decision-making.
“AI should empower, not obscure,” said professor Boon. “With DECIDE, we’re working directly with citizens to build systems that clarify, not mystify.”
The team will also participate in four additional consortia, contributing to four other projects: JUST ART (climate justice through art), NanoMedNL (nanomedicine innovation), STRONGER2GETHER (youth mental health), and BIO-COMPaSS (biological-age awareness for lifestyle improvement). All are funded through the Dutch Research Agenda’s ORC programme, which fosters partnerships across science, society, and industry.
