Karim van Knippenberg
Karim van Knippenberg holds a BSc in Landscape Architecture and Spatial Planning (Wageningen University, 2015). During this study he developed a particular interest in issues on heritage and local developments. Therefore, Karim decided to undertake a MSc in Spatial Planning (Wageningen University, 2018) as well as a MA Heritage Studies (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam). This multidisciplinary background offered him the ability to provide an integrated approach towards heritage, hereby linking re-use of heritage assets to socioeconomic aspects of heritage, such as its potential role in creating community cohesion. This closely relates to the topic of his PhD-project, which he started in June 2018. This project, called Open Heritage, focusses on abandoned or underused cultural heritage, and on the potential redevelopment of this heritage for creating community cohesion, social integration, innovative bottom-up economic activities, and employment.
Promotors: prof. Luuk Boelens (UGent) and Beitske Boonstra (EUR).