Media: Laaggeletterdheid aanpakken: Oefenen.nl en Eindhoven Engine slaan handen ineen
On Tuesday, May 13, Stichting Expertisecentrum Oefenen.nl and Eindhoven Engine signed a cooperation agreement with a joint mission to make clever use of digital technology to reduce the gap between people with limited basic skills and society.
Read the Dutch article in Eindhovens Dagblad.
Oefenen.nl and Eindhoven Engine Digital join forces to use digital technology to bridge the gap in basic skills
On Tuesday, May 13, Stichting Expertisecentrum Oefenen.nl and Eindhoven Engine signed a cooperation agreement with a joint mission to make clever use of digital technology to reduce the gap between people with limited basic skills and society.
Challenges for people with limited skills
Currently, millions of young adults in the Netherlands experience difficulty with language, numeracy and/or digital skills. This results in distressing situations, like not being able to understand letters from the bank or not being able to make an appointment with the doctor because it has to be done digitally. Such situations lead to all sorts of negative personal and social consequences, such as living too long with a medical complaint or incurring unnecessary extra costs due to an increase in bank fees, simply because you don’t want or dare to ask for help. With the rapid emergence of technological developments such as AI, this group threatens to fall even further behind.
Although many people are motivated to learn, they tend to seek accessible and practical ways of doing so outside formal education. It is precisely this non-formal provision that is still underinvested, also when it comes to technological innovation.
This is a great milestone and only the beginning. We aim to expand our collaboration with more partners. The more support, the faster we can extend our reach.
Purpose of the cooperation
Stichting Expertisecentrum Oefenen.nl and Eindhoven Engine want to change that. Together, they will update and enhance the learning platform Oefenen.nl with technologies such as artificial intelligence, gamification and smart onboarding. The goal: to make learning more motivating and accessible, so that everyone can work on their language, numeracy and digital skills at their own pace and level.
Powerful combination of knowledge and reach
The cooperation is based on their complementary expertise. Successful participation in Dutch Design Week 2024 and reaching the semi-finals of an innovation award in November 2024 can both be attributed in part to: over 30 projects involving 57 students from TU/e, Fontys and Avans, two EngD trainees working on applying academic research in society and industry, and 150+ hours of co-creation with experience experts. Eindhoven Engine demonstrates how education, technology and social impact go hand in hand, bringing technological expertise, innovative strength and access to the Brainport network.
The gap in basic skills is growing and that demands action. With the reach of Oefenen.nl and the technological innovation power of Eindhoven Engine, we are building a bridge to the future.
Oefenen.nl offers a learning platform that has a proven reach to the target group. In 2024, more than 65,000 participants actively used the Oefenen.nl programs. The platform was visited over 1.45 million times that year and more than 35,000 certificates were awarded. Oefenen.nl works with 400 organizations throughout the Netherlands, including libraries, municipalities and educational institutions, which use its resources to support people in developing their language, numeracy, financial and digital skills. Together, the organizations aim to ensure that the learning experience of users is radically improved and the impact on society is boosted.
Call to industry and knowledge institutions
To make a real difference, Oefenen.nl and Eindhoven Engine are calling on other parties to get involved. Industry, knowledge institutions and government bodies can contribute through donations, co-development or knowledge sharing.
Only by working together can we ensure that no one is left behind and that everyone can participate fully in our digital society.
Eindhoven Engine present at the Slim Samenleven Dagen 2025
We were proud to showcase Mijke the Matchbot, our latest innovation during the Slim Samenleven Dagen 2025 in Den Bosch last weekend!
Mijke is an AI matchbot that guides individuals to the right help, making support more accessible and personalized. It helps them to stay active, healthy, and connected in an increasingly digital world — exactly the kind of challenge this event aimed to address.
Brabants Dagblad
And yes — we even made it into the Brabants Dagblad! (Though the title “Weinig publiek voor ouder worden met slimmigheidjes” made us chuckle … we had inspiring conversations, made meaningful new connections, and raised awareness around a complex societal challenge: the lack of basic skills.
We’re grateful for the exposure and proud to be part of the movement toward smarter, more inclusive living — for everyone, at every age.
- More about Mijke the Matchbot and/or Inclusive Society
Eindhoven Engine News – March 2025
In this edition of Eindhoven Engine News: Innovation accelerator Eindhoven Engine enters new phase, Transforming basic skills support with AI and more!
What else is happening at Eindhoven Engine?
New video: DynaPopeX
In the DynaPopeX project, TNO and Zicht op Data focus on reducing poor air quality. By combining data, location, and human movement patterns in Eindhoven, they develop tangible measures to minimize people’s exposure to harmful particulate matter and limit potential health risks. This is crucial for the municipality of Eindhoven to understand the most significant impacts of air quality and improve the health of its residents.
New interns
Eindhoven Engine welcomed a vibrant group of new interns in 2025. Get to know them from left to right. Additionally, four bachelor students from TU/e have started. Over the coming months, they will focus on the climate-adaptive region, working one day a week.
We wish them good luck! We hope the interns gain valuable experience and bring fresh insights to the various programs at Eindhoven Engine. Everyone can make impact on society!
- Cathelijne Brantjes | Human & Technology, 4th year, Avans University of Applied Sciences | Inclusive Society
Research on making blended care more understandable at general practitioners’ offices for people aged 18-40 with reduced digital skills.
- Hilde Schram | Strategic Communication, HBO Master, Fontys University of Applied Science | Communication
Eindhoven Engine focuses on the complex challenges our society faces. Addressing these challenges requires a specific approach. Hilde is researching how this approach can be tackled through strategic communication.
- Levi Deerenberg | Business Innovation, 4th year, Avans University of Applied Sciences | Livable Region
Develop a concept that reduces energy consumption at the residential towers Luna & Aurora on the TU/e-campus by actively influencing the behavior of the residents.
- Ivory Johan | Business Innovation, 4th year, Avans University of Applied Sciences | Livable Region
Develop an innovative concept to increase the engagement and participation of students and staff on the TU/e campus around sustainability, by connecting them with sustainable innovations in an inspiring way.
- David Rozenberg | HBO-ICT (Software) , 4th year, Fontys University of Applied Science | Inclusive Society
Preparing the MetMij chatbot for deployment and real-world use. MetMij easily directs people with low basic skills to appropriate support agencies.
- Santiago Triginer | Industrial Engineering, 3rd year, Eindhoven University of Technology | Livable Region
Identifying challenges and solutions for solar panel reuse, and exploring how AI can enhance recycling processes.
- Mare Gijsbers | Business Innovation, 4th year, Avans University of Applied science | Inclusive Society
Develop a methodology to effectively and accessibly introduce the ‘Met Mij’ app to users with low literacy, enabling them to quickly and easily receive support to participate fully in society.
- Rosalie Hendriks | Business Innovation, 4th year, Avans University of Applied Sciences | Inclusive Society
Develop a new concept for people with low basic skills between the ages of 18 and 40 in the Eindhoven region, in such a way that these people can independently ensure the security of their financial situation.
Building a Healthier Future
My Journey at Eindhoven Engine
Hello, my name is Golnoosh Sabahifard, and I am currently pursuing my EngD traineeship at Eindhoven Engine. My focus is on the Livable Region program, where I am committed to enhancing the public well-being of residents.
At Eindhoven Engine, our mission is to create a sustainable and livable Brainport region where everyone can live healthily and safely. Our goals include reducing health disparities in neighbourhoods by 20% and adding three healthy living years for every person.
Understanding public well-being
Public well-being is influenced by eight factors: loneliness, stress, fewer years of good perceived health, lack of green spaces, noise pollution, population density, and distance to basic facilities. My research focuses on evaluating the effectiveness of current assessment tools and developing a dynamic model that visually illustrates how these factors interact to affect urban health.
The importance of interactive and dynamic analysis
The built environment significantly impacts public well-being, influencing both mental and physical health. Traditional urban assessment tools often lack interactive and dynamic analysis, making it difficult to estimate the long-term impacts of various elements.
My traineeship aims to change this. I am using Vensim, a visual modeling tool, to provide a data-driven, visual method that helps stakeholders understand how small changes in urban planning can lead to significant health benefits. This approach is crucial for evidence-based urban planning, enabling policymakers to make informed decisions to create healthier, more sustainable cities.
Ultimately, this work will lay the foundation for future research on building healthy and sustainable urban environments.
Media: Technologie in de volwasseneneducatie (2)
Inclusive technology in educational pathways for adults
In an interview (in Dutch) with Lotte Geertsen (Program manager Inclusive Society) and Walter Baets (Wicked Problems officer), about technology in adult education, they explain that a different way of thinking is needed to innovate. Met Mij from Eindhoven Engine, is designed for people with lack of basic skills, is a perfect example.
𝑇ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑖𝑠 𝑝𝑎𝑟𝑡 𝑡𝑤𝑜 𝑜𝑓 𝑎 𝑡𝑤𝑜-𝑝𝑎𝑟𝑡 𝑖𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑣𝑖𝑒𝑤. 𝑅𝑒𝑎𝑑 𝑝𝑎𝑟𝑡 𝑜𝑛𝑒 ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒.
[Article is in Dutch]
Eindhoven Engine News – December 2024
In this edition of Eindhoven Engine News: Innovation accelerator Eindhoven Engine enters new phase, Transforming basic skills support with AI and more!
What else is happening at Eindhoven Engine?
Transforming basic skills support with ai
For over two years, the Inclusive Society focus area at Eindhoven Engine has been tackling the complex issue of lack of basic skills. Driven by the belief that everyone deserves to participate fully in society, we have deeply explored this challenge to find ways to bridge the gap between individuals with low literacy skills and the broader community.
Jéssica Goss, EngD Doctorate in Designing Human-Systems Interaction, joined Eindhoven Engine two years ago to research effective methods to support this group. Her work has been instrumental in shaping our approach.
Met Mij
Met Mij aims to connect individuals with basic literacy needs to the social services available in the Eindhoven region. Despite the presence of over 200 organizations, 8 out of 10 people initially find themselves in the wrong place, leading to feelings of shame and insecurity. By addressing this mismatch and the stigma faced by individuals aged 16 to 40—the hardest group to reach—we are creating an ecosystem where help is both accessible and effective. Our goal is to understand each person’s unique needs, connect them with the right local support, and build their confidence and independence by ensuring they receive the correct assistance on the first try.
A human-centric design approach & AI
We use a human-centric design approach combined with advanced AI technology to provide personalized and stigma-free assistance. Through “Mijke,” our WhatsApp matchbot, users can access services by simply typing or speaking a message. This method ensures ease of use and meets the target group where they are—online. By collaborating with local organizations, we continuously refine Mijke based on real-world feedback, creating a seamless connection between technology and human needs.
Working together with CSU
Most recently, Met Mij participated in CSU’s Innovation Award 2024 and advanced to the semi-finals. Although it did not win, CSU, a professional cleaning company in The Netherlands, recognized the potential of the solution and initiated further collaboration with Eindhoven Engine to test and refine Mijke with their employees. The ongoing tests made by the team have received positive feedback, offering essential insights to improve the tool and ensure it creates a meaningful impact for those it aims to support.
Building a more inclusive Eindhoven
Join us in making Met Mij a reality!
Whether you want to test the tool, contribute your technological expertise, or support us with funding, your involvement is invaluable. Together, we can create a future where everyone has access to the support they need, exactly when they need it. Let’s build a more inclusive Eindhoven and expand this vision to other cities and countries.
Inclusive society
In the Netherlands, 2.5 million people struggle with reading, writing, arithmetic and/or digital skills. These people are confronted with immense challenges on a daily basis, which seriously hinders their participation in society. Eindhoven Engine emphasizes the urgency of this problem and the need for action.