Heerlen Partners
The Project
The Project
Think Forward. Act Together. Education in Heerlen.
Heerlen is a city in motion. A city that dares to experiment, that embraces talent, and welcomes bold ideas. At Heerlen Partners, the city marketing organization, we work with businesses, cultural institutions, and residents to shape how Heerlen is experienced and perceived. Locally, regionally, and internationally.
Right now, we are developing a new city brand that reflects Heerlen’s DNA: pioneering, creative, and future-focused.
We would like the PREMIUM team to explore how we can develop an integrated strategy and approach to position Heerlen as a comprehensive education city. The key challenge is to act as a central coordinating partner, bringing together all educational institutions – from university to applied sciences, vocational and secondary education – in a consistent and unified way. This should be aligned with the new city brand currently being developed, ensuring that the positioning reflects the DNA of Heerlen. The aim is to create a coherent narrative that strengthens Heerlen’s profile and appeal as an education hub.
The challenge:
- how can we unite all educational institutions—from university to applied sciences, vocational, and secondary education—into one strong, inspiring narrative
- How can education become a driving force in Heerlen’s identity and appeal?
The outcomes of this project are highly relevant for both our organization and the wider region. Heerlen’s future vitality depends on its ability to attract, retain, and connect students and educational institutions. By developing a shared strategy to position Heerlen as an education city, we strengthen collaboration across schools and universities, increase visibility, and contribute to a more vibrant and innovative urban environment. For society, this fosters talent development, inclusiveness, and long-term economic and cultural growth. For our organization, it ensures that the new city brand is rooted in education as a key pillar of Heerlen’s identity and future.
We plan to translate the outcomes of the project into concrete campaigns during key moments for student recruitment and introduction periods. By aligning these campaigns with the integrated education city strategy and the new city brand, we can maximize impact and ensure that Heerlen is consistently positioned as an attractive place to study and live. This will help us reach potential students at the right time, with the right message, and strengthen the city’s profile as a vibrant and inclusive education hub
As a student, you will collaborate with our team and partners, gaining real-world experience in branding, strategy, and campaign development. Your ideas can directly influence recruitment campaigns and intake periods, making a tangible impact on the way Heerlen attracts and connects students.
This is your chance to help shape the education city of tomorrow—in the most exciting urban laboratory of the South of the Netherlands!
Design-oriented
The Client
The Client
Heerlen Partners is the city marketing organization of the city of Heerlen.
The organization is structured as a public-private partnership, with a Supervisory Board and a managing director. This ensures that Heerlen Partners operates independently in its execution, while remaining firmly connected to both the municipality and private partners.
You can also see Heerlen Partners as the brand director or the city’s marketing and communications agency. This means that Heerlen Partners is responsible for the city brand, the visual identity, and the tone of voice of Heerlen as a brand. While the municipality communicates from its administrative role and legal responsibilities, Heerlen Partners communicates from the perspective of the shared city brand: the identity and image that make Heerlen distinctive and appealing to diverse target groups.
Heerlen Partners cannot fulfill this role alone. As the name suggests, we do this together with partners. These partners include entrepreneurs, knowledge institutions, cultural and social organizations, companies, event organizers, and the residents themselves. Together, we shape the way Heerlen is presented and experienced—locally, regionally, and (inter)nationally.
Co-Creator Client
I simply believe in co creation and this is the way that students will learn the most.