Rick Heikoop has a 20+ years record of achievement and demonstrated success in initiating, managing, and leading (international) collaborations and partnerships in a triple helix setup. He is a senior lecturer in Water Management at Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences (RUAS), and coordinator of the research program Urban Cool Island at EMI Centre of Expertise Social Innovation. Rick holds a Master’s degree in Management of the European Metropolitan Region of Erasmus University Rotterdam and a Master’s degree in Urban and Regional Planning at University of the Philippines. He holds a bachelor’s degree in International Land and Water Management from Larenstein International Agricultural college in the Netherlands. He is currently working on his PhD research and has co-authorized several publications and book chapters.Rick Heikoop is initiator and co-founder of Climate Café. Climate Café is a dynamic community of several international organizations working in a climate cafe setting to educate and create innovative applied solutions for actual problems. The community includes senior consultants, designers, developers, policy experts, community organizers, environmental scientists, journalists, activists, and many more. ClimateCafé seeks to educate and inspire tech and non-tech people alike . He was involved in the development of the bachelor courses Water Management (2007) and Real Estate Management (2005) at RUAS which are both successfully accredited. Water management, urban development, and the overlap between the two are his passion. Rick has lived in Indonesia and the Philippines and as both a lecturer and international affairs officer at Rotterdam University, he has set up an extensive international network of Higher Education Institutes and initiated many projects.

Rick was involved in the set-up of the course (Urban) Water Management in 2007 at Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences. Parts of the Rotterdam are is located up to 6 meters below sea level in a country of which 25% of the total country is below sea level and 50% is prone to flooding. Due to climate changes such as rising sea levels, extreme draughts and heavier rain falls, as well as social changes, such as the rise of mega delta cities with closely concentrated economic interests and high population density, Water Management in the twenty first century needs a new kind of professional, with new knowledge and skills. We need Water Managers who can answer the question “Howto make Delta cities Climate proof?”. About 9 million Dutch inhabitants live below sea level and most of the economic value in the Netherlands is earned below sea level.Polders and dike rings are essential to protect the country against flooding. The course (Urban) Water Management is about teaching students how to live in a delta city and how to manage urban water. In this bachelor course students learn everything about Delta technology (water quality, water quantity, water safety, ecology, hydrology, hydraulics and modeling), but also about Delta design (water engineering, spatial organisation and urban planning) and Delta management (environment management, policy and laws, economy, risk management, asset management).Rick works as a lecturer, but is also project manager and is manager international linkages. In this position he was able to work together with a number of partners in flood prone and sinking cities, such as Jakarta, Semarang and Manila. Rick loves to initiate new projects and work with international partners and share international best practices.

I am connected to the lectorate Transurban. Main task: researcher in a project for a housing corporation, partner in a project in which Dutch Watermanagement students will participate in the worldexpo 2010 in Shanghai.

Steunpunt Wonen (now Urbannerdam) is Rotterdam based consultancy firm, specialised in issues related to housing, redevelopment of neighbourhoods, and participation of residents in a multicultural setting. With 30 consultants we were actively involved in a range of projects in the greater Rotterdam area. Steunt Wonen was hired by local government units, housing corporations, and resident organisations for different projects. As a project leader I was responsible for the implementation of the project. I was an intermediary between the parties. I gave strategic advise in negotiating processes between tenants an homeowners in order to create workable conditions between the tenants and the homeowners. I organised trainings for resident organisations in the field of Dutch housing laws

As a consultant I was responsible for initiating projects that contribute to the development and social cohesion in the Northern Rotterdam area. Together with local government units and local partners I developed a joint vision and concrete solutions for problems in the area. I was responsible and actively involved of the relocation of the residents of two apartment blocks (about 60 families) which were relocated. With each household I discussed possible relocation opportunities and negotiated the financial compensation.

The mission of Forge is to enhance the position of the urban poor in Cebu City, the second largest city in the Philippines. I was involved in the monitoring of the implementation of the Urban Development and Housing Act (UDHA) in which the rights of the slum residents are laid down. I was also involved in projects in access to land and access to fresh drinking water. I was also involved in consultation meetings for the formulation of the Cebu City Masterplan and the formulation of the National Urban Development and Housing Framework.