Summary
Fontys ICT has a rich history when it comes to working with partners in the field. In the past, this has led to beautiful and constructive collaborations with the world around us. These were secured with constructs such as Partners in Education and Partners in Innovation. In April 2024, after a careful process, a new partner policy was adopted by the leadership team (LT). This wiki page explains what this entails.

The developments in society, but also the ambition and development of Fontys ICT from educational institution to internationally recognized knowledge institute, require new cooperation with the professional field. For example, there should be more joint research projects with partners, but at the same time there should also be room for innovative start-ups and socially involved organizations.

As Fontys ICT, we ensure continuous innovation of ICT education, research and the field. We do this through learning, experimenting within a safe educational environment. An intensive, planned, reciprocal and sustainable collaboration with the professional field (in the region) provides Fontys ICT students:

• an even better development path during their studies;
• an even better development of their talent through proper exploration of the work field;
• real-time alignment of the content of our education with developments in the work field;
• a (start-up) network for students, lecturers and partners;
• continuous learning together in our development process;
• ensuring together a continuous learning innovativeness of the ICT fields of expertise.

Fontys ICT partnerships are reciprocal and lasting relationships, representative of the reality around us. Our partners are differentiated and diverse. And have an eye and respect for the social impact we make together. We invest in our relationship and look together for how to bring about sustainable digital transformation. Through our vision of partner policy, in which diversity, representativeness and reciprocal involvement are characteristic and supportive, we can arrive at a subdivision into the following partnerships through the strategic motives for cooperation:

• Education Partner
• Innovation Partner
• Lecturer Partner (follows)
• Social Partner (follows)
• Start-up Partner (follows)

The links above further explain what the characteristics of a partner are and in what way Fontys ICT cooperates with them and why.

Figure 1 schematically shows the characteristics for each type of partner (click up to 2 times on the image to enlarge).

Figure 1
Overview characteristics by type of work field partner.

Within Fontys ICT, the Manager Implementation is responsible for the partner policy. She is supported in this by the Innovations Manager and the Research and Field Programme Manager. The Programme Coordinators Research & Innovation fulfill the bridging function between research groups, education and the partners.