EngD in Designing Human-System Interaction

The high-tech industry is a vital part of the Dutch economy and a driving force behind innovations that contribute to solving major societal challenges. In 2021, the sector generated €80.2 billion in gross added value and employed 784,000 FTEs, representing 10% of national employment. It is expected that by 2040, the Dutch high-tech industry will generate 50% of its turnover from value chains that do not yet exist (Van Kappen et al., 2023).

Brabant occupies a central position within the Dutch and broader European semiconductor ecosystem, with a network of leading companies, research institutions, and innovation hubs spanning the entire value chain – from process technology and equipment to design and packaging.

As outlined in the ‘Uitvoeringsagenda Economie, Kennis en Talentontwikkeling 2024–2027’, the Province of North Brabant is working towards an internationally competitive, circular, and prosperous economy. This includes reducing strategic dependencies, closing local material loops, and using raw materials more sustainably and efficiently. The semiconductor sector, which relies heavily on high-quality and scarce materials, has been explicitly identified as a priority in this agenda through the Circular Semiconductor Innovation Coalition. The Circular Business Program Semicon (CBPS) has been launched as a strategic multi-year partnership to accelerate circularity in the semiconductor value chain.

Bringing this ambition into practice requires collaboration across the ecosystem. CBPS connects ecosystem initiators (Brainport Industries, ImpactX and BOM), knowledge partners (Eindhoven Engine, Fontys, TU/e and TNO), and companies across the semiconductor supply chain (including ASML, VDL ETG, Prodrive Technologies, Neways, KMWE, ERIKS, HQ Pack, Meilink and Aalberts Advanced Mechatronics) to jointly identify opportunities, align circular ambitions, and translate them into scalable approaches for industry adoption.