The Exchange

In this issue
Housing for seniors:
food for thought
s u m m e r / a u t u m n 2 0 0 7
The Exchange
Bigger, higher, faster:
mega events in China
Bijschrift
Retail banking:
changes ahead
Nanotechnology:
hype or revolution?

A word from the Managing Directors
Lia Rosenbrand and Elaine Springford
We extend a warm welcome to three
new Members: 3TU (the federation of
the technological universities of Delft,
Eindhoven and Twente), KLM Cargo and
Rabobank. Not only have they decided to
become a Member of APEP, all three have
immediately turned their membership to
use and asked us to arrange tailor-made
programs for them.
The first six months of 2007 were filled
with programs of a tremendous thematical
variety: from education to senior living and
healthcare, from nanotechnology to city
planning and infrastructure, from retail
banking to the role of business in society.
The latter was the subject of a dinner
lecture by Antony Burgmans, hosted by
(APEP Member organization) Proudfoot
Consulting.
A program on Housing and Healthcare for
the Elderly, last April in the US, was led
by Menzis chairman and former Dutch
Minister for Urban Policy and Integration
of Ethnic Minorities, Roger van Boxtel. We
organized the trip in cooperation with the
Bank Nederlandse Gemeenten and Twynstra
Gudde, both APEP Members. On the
following pages, Mr. Van Boxtel looks back
at what he found to be an inspiring trip.
In that same month of April, a group of
representatives of the Senate, the Ministry
of Health, Welfare and Sports, the Rathenau
Institute, the Food and Consumer Product
Safety Authority and the National Institute
for Public Health and the Environment
(RIVM), traveled to the US for a closer look
at the use of nanotechnology in food and
pharmaceuticals. Participant Rogier Bos,
head of the Centre for Biological Medicines
and Medical Technology of RIVM, shares
his observations on pages 10-11.
On pages 8-9, Rabobank Arnhem director
René Jansen explains how a study visit to
fellow bank managers in London has helped
him and his colleagues in their efforts to
prepare for changes in the Dutch retail
banking sector.
China was the destination in June of a
delegation led by Bouwend Nederland vicepresident
and APEP board member Ton
Nelissen. In a program that looked at city
planning and infrastructure, the main focus
was on preparations for the 2008 Beijing
Olympics and the 2010 Shanghai World
Expo. Arjan Hoefnagels, project manager
Area Development and Environment for
the Port of Rotterdam, writes about this
fascinating program on pages 5 to 7.
Shortly after the visit to China, we were
extremely pleased to be able to welcome to
the Netherlands the latest recipient of an
APEP Scholarship, Xia Junhua, a young
Chinese woman who works for our Chinese
partner organization CPAFFC (the Chinese
People’s Association for Friendship with
Foreign Countries). During her intensive
two-week program, which included a visit to
Brussels, Junhua was given an in-depth look
at Dutch and EU politics and economics.
In Brussels, she met with representatives of
the Association of European Journalists, the
European Economic and Social Committee
and the Council of the European Union,
and attended a keynote speech by Hans-
Gert Pöttering, president of the European
Parliament. In the Netherlands, her
agenda included ING Bank, the Province
of Groningen, the ministries of General
Affairs and the Interior, public-sector bank
BNG, the Association of Netherlands
Municipalities, and the Friendship
Association Netherlands-China.
The second half of this year will be at least
as interesting, with programs planned in
the Netherlands, the UK, Germany, Italy,
Canada, the United States and Brussels.
Most of these programs are tailor-made
programs for our (current and new) Member
organizations. We are happy that more and
more APEP Members are putting their
membership to use by benefiting from our
signature tailor-made services, and we gladly
invite our Members to let us know what their
plans, ideas and wishes are for next year!
Welcome to our
new Members:
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New impulses and much food for thought
Roger van Boxtel is chairman of the Board of the Menzis health insurance
company. He was delegation leader during the study trip ‘Housing for seniors:
care or service?’ that was organized by APEP upon an initiative of its Member
organization Bank Nederlandse Gemeenten.
Roger van Boxtel with 102-year old Blossom Williams at the Sterling Glen senior housing complex in Philadelphia.
From April 9th to 14th, a group of managers
and professionals from the world of housing,
care and welfare for the elderly participated
in a study trip to Washington and
Philadelphia. Like the Netherlands, the US
is struggling with the challenges presented
by an aging population. By 2020, one-sixth
of the population will be 65 or older, a third
of which will have housing needs and onefifth
service needs that may not be addressed
adequately by current government initiatives
(source: Seniors Housing Commission report
2002). The aging of America will have
profound effects on the economy and society.
Our visit took place amid shocked responses
to journalist Christopher Buckley’s justpublished
novel Boomsday. Horrified by the
prospect of having to foot the baby boom
generation’s ballooning Social Security bill,
Buckley’s protagonist proposes to incentivize
suicide for Americans approaching the age of
70. An absurd idea, of course, but perhaps
one that aptly symbolizes the magnitude
of the problems to be tackled in an aging
society.
Another issue in the US is the vast number
of uninsured people: no less than 40
million (15%). The health care system is
fundamentally different from that of the
Netherlands. It lacks universal care, and
instead offers two programs: Medicare for
seniors, and Medicaid for the poor. Outside
of these two programs, Americans have the
option of purchasing private insurance or
care from their own means. We had a firsthand
glance of the gap between rich and
poor that is so characteristic of the US at
some of the institutions we visited. In the
general nursing homes, facilities are bare and
minimal. We also saw assisted-living facilities
for veterans and active-living projects that
provide the elderly with every luxury and
allow them to live out their lives in secluded
locations walled off from the outside world.
People with less money are decidedly worse
off in the US, although projects financed
by trust funds offer some relief to the most
needy elderly.
We visited a respectable number of
institutions in a short space of time. A
few meetings stood out. One memorable
encounter took place at the Armed Forces
Retirement Home in Washington, which
houses 1100 veterans. True soldiers, proud
people. In one of the dining halls, we spoke
with a group of women who, as it turned
out, had lost their homes in Hurricane
Katrina, and who had in fact been hoping
that we were a delegation from New Orleans.
We were amazed at how far from home they
had been sheltered and how long they were
kept waiting. Another meeting that left an
impression was with a wonderful woman
named Blossom in the Sterling Glen senior
apartment complex. Blossom was a hundred
and two. As I offered to get her some
coffee, she asked in response “Aren’t there
any cocktails?” When told there weren’t,
she replied, “Then I don’t want anything.”
Finally, the visit to the Center for Aging
Services Technologies was of particular
interest to me. The Center works on new
technologies that help people live at home
longer, a very important development that
we should also be devoting major efforts
towards in the Netherlands.
During the trip, as well as afterwards, the
delegation members actively exchanged best
practices with each other. We had frequent
discussions about how to keep care in the
Netherlands accessible and affordable. On
this issue in particular, the trip definitely
proved inspiring. In the US, care is seen as >
Delegation member Pim Vermeulen (BNG) with a
resident of the Armed Forces Retirement Home.
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Participants at Senator Hillary Clinton’s office during a meeting with one of her staffers.
an industry that as a major employer allows
many people to earn a living and that, like
other industries, wants to make a profit. It is
also transparent: what services cost is clear.
People with a higher income appear to have
more choices, but having said that: across
the board the quality and accessibility of care
in the US do not appear to be better than
in the Netherlands. On the contrary, the
AARP’s comparative study places care in the
Netherlands among the best in the world.
The delegation members agree that we must
retain that quality, and that we can take pride
in the solidarity that underlies our health care
system. This, too, we need to preserve. At
the same time, it is an inescapable fact that
people will have to start bearing more of their
own costs. We should also try to increase our
focus on self-management and the use of new
technologies, so that people can keep living
at home as long as possible. As they say in
America – home is where the health is.
It is clear that the aging of the population
poses major challenges for the US and the
Netherlands alike. This trip has provided
new impulses and much food for thought.
I conclude with a tip of the hat to the
organizer, Lia Rosenbrand of the Atlantic
& Pacific Exchange Program, who has put
together a truly fantastic study trip.
Interior of a home at seniors community The Reserve at Gwynedd.
(With thanks to Hugo van den Beld.)
Organizations that participated in the study trip Housing for Seniors:
Care or Service? to Washington, DC and Philadelphia:
• Twynstra Gudde – consultancy and
interim management
• BNG – public sector bank
• Aedes – association of housing corporations
• Housing corporations: Mitros; Portaal;
Trudo; Vitalis; Woonzorg Nederland;
Ymere
• Care providers: Laak & Eemhoven;
Laurens; Philadelphia Care; Carint
Reggeland
• Menzis – health insurer
• WSW – social housing guarantee fund
• Government: Ministry of Housing,
Spatial Planning and the Environment;
Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport;
Health Care Inspectorate; Central
Housing Fund
Hosts/discussion partners
in the USA:
• Senior living communities: Armed
Forces Retirement Home; Mill
Run; The Reserve at Gwynedd; The
Washington Home
• Senior living services providers:
Brookdale Senior Living; Del Webb;
Emeritus Assisted Living; Five Star
Senior Living; Sunrise Senior Living
• Interest groups: American Association
of Homes and Services for the Aging
(AAHSA); American Association of
Retired Persons (AARP); Assisted
Living Federation of America (ALFA);
International Association of Homes and
Services for the Aging (IAHSA)
• Research centers: Center for Aging
Services Technologies (CAST); Institute
for the Future of Aging Services (IFAS)
• Independence Blue Cross – health
insurer
• Government: U.S. Department of
Health and Human Services; U.S.
Senate Special Committee on Aging
• Royal Netherlands Embassy
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with short decision lines and no real
opposition, is clearly that the country has
an enormous ability to take decisive action
– something that is almost indispensable
if you want to get something done in a
short period of time in cities of gigantic
proportions such as Beijing. By the way:
the Chinese, too, are subject to obligations
such as Environmental Impact reports
and numerous permit applications. The
difference with the Netherlands, however, is
that compliance with the rules is extremely
poor due to widespread corruption. This is
one of the main reasons for the country’s
gigantic environmental troubles.
Top real estate executive Cor van Zadelhoff with a welcoming committee at BOCOG.
The next day we flew to Shanghai, 1100
kilometres to the south and with 20 million
people even bigger than Beijing. The city
center has a rather western look, with much
highrise (in the Pudong business district
skyscrapers of 400 to 500 metres high are
being erected). In planning new motorways,
Shanghai has opted for a different solution
than Beijing by building a new road of 2x3
lanes above the existing highway. Traffic on
the elevated road races past the adjoining
buildings at close distance.
activity. Measures are also taken to battle
the city’s severe air pollution. To reduce
smog levels during the Games drastic action
is taken, including a full construction ban
that is to take effect six months before the
start of the Games (which has the added
advantage of making it possible to evict
all cranes from the city in one swoop),
compulsory vacations outside the city for
sizeable sections of the population and
large-scale limitations on car traffic. By
simultaneously promoting more permanent
measures, such as the usage of other fuels
than charcoal for heating homes, the
authorities hope that also after the Olympics
the city will benefit from cleaner air.
Although it had been agreed that we would
visit the sites where the Olympic stadiums
are being constructed, BOCOG now told
us that no time was left for such a visit. We
were permitted to take a look in a beautiful
exhibition room in the proximity of the
construction sites where magnificent models
of the stadiums and of the entire Olympic
area were on display. The ‘bird’s nest’,
the national stadium under construction,
we could unfortunately only see from a
distance, from behind a large fence. Thus
the Chinese keep close control over what
is seen by the outside world, making it
impossible for visitors to get a clear picture
of, for example, labour conditions on the
construction sites.
Tuesday’s agenda featured visits to the
Beijing Urban Planning Bureau, the Jiangsu
Jiangdu construction and engineering
company, and the Beijing Planning
Exhibition Hall which houses a giant
model of all of Beijing. It was explained
how the city manages a population of
16 million with some three million cars.
Every day, 1500 new cars join the roads;
620 bus routes and 200 kilometres of
subway lines help to keep the city moving.
We learned that the realization of large
infrastructure projects, from the planning
stages to the actual construction, takes
just a couple of years. That one phase in
such projects involves “resettlement of the
people” was mentioned in passing, as if
there were nothing unusual about evicting
thousands of people from their houses to
make space for government projects. One
advantage of China’s system of government,
On Thursday we visited the Expo 2010
offices. Almost in the heart of the city an
area of six square kilometres on the banks of
the Huangpu river is being prepared for the
Expo. Here, too, tens of thousands of people
and over 200 businesses have to make space
for the construction. It is expected that
some 70 million people will visit the Expo,
with peeks of up to 800,000 per day. The
biggest challenge is transportation to and
from the Expo. Two new subway lines are
under construction and an extension of the
Maglev high-speed railway will connect the
Expo with the national airport. The two
river banks housing the Expo area will be
connected by a new tunnel. At the end of
our visit, we were impressed by what we had
heard and seen – the organizers seem to be
doing a truly great job. Which is no luxury,
considering that the Expo will open in less
than three years time while the work has
only just started.
The afternoon program takes us to Siemens,
one of the World Expo’s main sponsors
and the builders of the high-speed train
that on the last day will take us to the
airport in just seven minutes, at a speed
of 431 kilometres per hour. Impressive
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constructions of a different kind are the new
deep-sea container terminal of Yangshan,
which we visited on the Friday, and the 32-
kilometre long bridge by which it can be
reached. Ten kilometres of quay-wall have
already been built (comparable in size to the
entire Maasvlakte-2 extension project in the
Port of Rotterdam), with expansion in the
coming years still possible up to a total of
approximately 30 kilometres. The terminal
has been constructed by, put simply, filling
stretches of sea between the islands of an
archipelago with sand while building a
quay-wall in front of it. A major advantage
of building this far off the coast is that the
terminal is not hindered by large quantities
of sludge at the mouth of the Yangtze river,
resulting in considerable cost savings as
extensive dredging is rendered superfluous.
Additional visits to the Shanghai stock
exchange and the Bank of Communications
wrapped up this highly useful trip to China.
After a week spent as a member of an
interesting and diverse group, I return with
a good impression of how China deals with
this type of mega events and the problems
that come with them.
Participants Jos Reijers (Li.Re Holding), Arjan Hoefnagels (Port of Rotterdam) and Nico de Vries (BAM Group)
enjoying a Chinese lunch.
Proudfoot-APEP Theme Dinner
Continuing a successful tradition that began in the mid-1990s,
Proudfoot Consulting and APEP on June 28 jointly hosted
a dinner for leading business executives. Guest speaker at
this event in De Oude Raadzaal in The Hague was departing
Unilever Chairman Antony Burgmans (photo).
Mr. Burgmans (photo), who was recently appointed as a member
of the Executive Committee of the World Business Council for
Sustainable Development, addressed the distinguished guests on
The role of Business in Society.
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Learning from
Rabobank managers acquaint
by: René Jansen, Director, Rabobank Arnhem
The banking sector in the Netherlands is finding
itself in a rapidly changing environment. The
retail banking market in particular is seeing the
appearance of new players, such as supermarkets
offering simple financial products. With their
extensive retail experience they know better than
anyone how to seduce the customers in their
shops into buying.
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peers across the Channel
themselves with retail banking in the UK
As electronic banking is becoming
widespread, the number of visitors to bank
offices has decreased drastically. Banks
are looking for other ways of establishing
contact with existing and prospective
customers.
Rabobank, as the countrly’s largest retail
bank, does not only want to prepare
itself for these and other developments,
it is constantly looking for innovative
approaches to anticipate trends and further
increase its market share. In order to
deepen our knowledge of international
developments in retail banking, a group of
local Rabobank managers decided recently
to visit fellow branch managers of banks
in London. The expectation was that we
would be able to learn much from our
British peers.
The Atlantic & Pacific Exchange Program
was asked to organize the trip. The
result was outstanding. In just two days,
we were received by over half a dozen
discussion partners who in very candid
ways introduced us to their respective
approaches to retail banking. APEP had
put together a tightly-knit agenda for us.
From our hotel in Kensington we were
driven around in a comfortable bus to the
various companies and institutions.
The program offered a mixture of visits to
traditional actors – HSBC, Barclays Bank –
and new players – Sainsbury’s, John Lewis.
To acquaint ourselves with the broader
developments in the UK’s financial sector,
a visit had been scheduled to the British
Bankers’ Association. Also included was a
visit to the Bluewater Shopping Centre – a
must for anyone interested in retail. And,
of course, we dropped by our colleagues of
Rabobank International’s London branch.
Among the traditional banks, HSBC stands
out with a number of very innovative
activities. It is successful at customer
segmentation and, subsequently, at
approaching selected customer groups with
propositions that are perceived as ‘relevant’
by the customers. Impressive is how this
policy is reflected in the way the interiors
of the banks’ offices are laid out. HSBC
seems to have succeeded in increasing the
profitability of retail banking. Customers
are showing a willingness to pay – fees, not
penalties – for services and products that
meet real needs. This is something that we
at Rabobank can learn from.
Noteworthy is that payment traffic in the
UK is much less developed than in the
Netherlands. Cash is still used widely,
whereas in the Netherlands cash has almost
disappeared from the banking system.
In the ‘new players’ category we had
wanted to pay a visit to the successful
Tesco retail chain. Unfortunately, this
was not possible. In retrospect, the
alternative that was offered to us, a visit
to Sainsbury’s Bank, appears at least as
attractive. Sainsbury’s has experienced a
difficult period, the lessons from which
were discussed in a frank and open manner
by the bank’s management – and it was
precisely this that turned our visit to the
company into a great learning opportunity,
revealing to us the do’s and don’ts of retail
banking via the supermarket.
The visit to the British Bankers’
Association provided a good overview of
the history of British banks and of the
banks’ expectations for the future.
“Bluewater... the most exciting retail and
leisure destination in Europe”, I read at
the Bluewater Shopping Centre’s web site
prior to our visit. There isn’t a word of
exaggeration in that slogan! The centre
boasts no fewer than 324 retail and
catering units, 155,000 square meters of
lettable floor space, 13,000 parking lots
and 27,000,000 visitors a year. In line
with the trip’s perfect organization, the
visit to Bluewater was timed to offer a
welcome break in our intensive series of
meetings.
All participants have written down their
impressions in reports that will be shared
with the marketing and distribution
managers at Rabobank headquarters. All
in all, it has been a very educational trip
that has met our expectations. There is no
doubt that the British, and in particular
the British supermarkets that sell financial
services, are ahead of developments in the
Netherlands. At the same time, we felt
that on certain aspects the retail arms of
traditional British banks can also learn from
us. A good reason for APEP to organize a
recipocral visit!?
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Nanotechn
by: Rogier Bos, Head of the Centre for Biological Medicines
Exterior....
... and interior...
... of the Keck Center of the National Academy of Sciences
Last April, while the Netherlands
enjoyed the early arrival of summer,
representatives of various Dutch
organizations – including the Senate,
the Ministry of Health, Welfare and
Sport, InHolland University, the
Rathenau Institute, the Food and
Consumer Product Safety Authority,
and the National Institute for
Public Health and the Environment
(RIVM) – embarked on a study trip
to the United States that focused
on the use of nanotechnology in
food and pharmaceuticals. My
personal objective for the trip was
to find an answer to the question:
is nanotechnology a hype, or a
revolution? My conclusion: it is a bit
of both; mostly, it is something in
between.
The well-organized trip took the delegation
to a large number of US government
organizations (federal departments and
agencies) and knowledge institutions
(universities, NGOs) in and around the
capital, Washington DC. To name a few: the
Woodrow Wilson institute, the Food and
Drug Administration, the Environmental
Protection Agency, the University of
Maryland, the National Academy of
Sciences, the US Department of Agriculture.
The delegation exchanged information with
these organizations on policy and regulations,
opportunities and threats, trends and
developments in the field of nanotechnology.
In general, the views of our discussion
partners largely converged. Many emphasized
the importance of international cooperation,
with the OECD seen as a suitable platform.
Both in the US and in Europe much debate
is taking place about the exact definition
of ‘nanotechnology’ or ‘nano particles’. It
was pointed out during our meetings that
many products or applications – especially
IT applications and medical products
– that are now given a ‘nano’ label are,
in fact, not much more than refined
derivatives of existing knowledge (if the
‘nano’-claim is at all appropriate). There is
an enormous diversity of nanotechnology
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Atlantic & Pacific Exchange Program 10

ology: hype or revolution?
and Medical Technology, RIVM
applications in industrial processes, from
information technology, water cleaning and
energy generation and storage to food and
household products, packaging, cosmetics,
and medical products.
Nano particles are not new: the human
environment has long since been exposed
to nano particles, of biological and
organic origin (natural nano particles),
from industrial sources (incidental), and
more recently from specific production
processes (engineered). It is mostly the latter
category that gets a lot of attention, and
for good reason – direct contact between
engineered nano particles and human
beings in particular needs careful scrutiny.
Often in public discourse, when the word
nanotechnology is used it would in fact
be more appropriate and more precise to
speak of (the application and the risks of)
engineered nano particles. The general
picture that emerged from our discussions in
the US is that while sufficient attention (and
money) is devoted to product and technology
development, more room is needed for
risk research and risk assessment and for
risk communication. A well-informed
government and public will be more capable
of forming a just and balanced opinion
on whether or not nanotechnological
developments are desirable.
As a final and personal observation, a few
words about the cultural differences between
the US and the EU. The US appears more
innovation driven; new technologies are
more easily accepted and absorped – virtues
that have made the country big in the
past 250 years, that are so characteristic
of the ‘American Way’. The EU is more
apprehensive, putting precautionary
principles first and adopting a much
more risk-adverse approach towards new
technologies. These distinctions are reflected
to a large extent in the attitudes of authorities
and public on opposite sides of the ocean.
Returning to my original question:
nanotechnology is a bit of a hype, and a
bit of a revolution as well. Some great new
developments are taking place, but there is
also a tendency among manufacturers, the
general public and even among regulators to
hype certain aspects of wider developments.
In part out of self-interest (sales), in part
due to ignorance. With regard to the latter,
the remedy is known: more research must
be done, and more information must be
disseminated.
What did others think?
Veronica van Nederveen (senior
policymaker, Ministry of Health), who found
the study trip “inspiring, very informative
and excellently organized by APEP”:
“The new technological
opportunities carry toxicological risks. It is
necessary to communicate with the public
about these risks. Not doing so will hinder
progress. Public awareness must be raised: at
present, some 80 percent of Americans do
not know what ‘nano’ means, let alone what
the toxicological risks are. America’s claim
culture makes producers vulnerable.
It is important for the next
generations that information about the use of
nanotechnology is gathered now. However,
nano particles are so small and therefore so
hard to identify, that this can only be done
with the help of scientific research. A broadly
shared complaint among our discussion
partners was that far too little money is
available for this purpose. The US cancer
institute managed to attract some attention
for nano applications, and as a result, it now
has some more money available for research
and information campaigns. Scientists will
have to involve more parties in their research
activities, not least politicians and consumers.
Lacking so far, however, are overview and
vision with regard to nanotechnology and its
applications.
On several occasions the OECD
was praised for its efforts to achieve better
overview. Contacts with Europe are highly
valued; the Americans would prefer close
cooperation. There is consensus among our
discussion partners that existing regulation
suffices, at least for now – especially as
long as there is no clear definition of what
constitutes a nano particle.”
Dirk van Aken, scientific risk assessment
officer of the Food and Consumer Product
Safety Agency (VWA), was struck by
the omnipresent willingness on the part
of the group’s American hosts to share
information, as well as to listen to the
views and hear about the developments in
the Netherlands and the EU. “Prevailing
in the US are a positive attitude towards
innovation, confidence in the private sector
and regulatory restraint – at least as long as
there are no incidents that cause major public
concern. The overall motto is ‘responsible
development’, which would be equally fitting
to the approach recommended by the Health
Council and adopted by the government in
the Netherlands. (...)
Thoughts about the need for a
broad social discussion were rather diverse
– some organizations are not wasting any
energy on the subject, others consider it
important and have good ideas in this
direction.”
Also Wim de Jong (senior scientist, RIVM)
found the openness of the American
discussion partners remarkable. “All in all,
it was a very good study trip that has given
the participants insight into the way the
American authorities currently think about
nanotechnology. One clear conclusion is that
Europe is not lagging behind the US in this
field.”
11 11 The Exchange Atlantic & Pacific Exchange Program

APEP Agenda
Update: August 2007
This agenda features only a selection of APEP programs. APEP continuously develops
new programs: tailor-made study trips (exclusively for APEP Members) as well as
thematic programs (on an invitation basis). Interested in what else is being planned?
Questions about our activities? We welcome your suggestions and inquiries! Please find
our contact details below.
September 29 -
October 2
October 3 - 6
October 9 - 12
November 3 - 9
November 4 - 9
November 11 - 15
November 21 - 23
November 28 -
December 1
IPO Rural Area program in the UK
This study visit, organized for interprovincial platform IPO (an APEP
Member), will focus on the protection and maintenance of nature and
landscapes in the United Kingdom: what action is taken, how is it funded,
and what role do governments and other stakeholders play?
Twynstra Gudde Public Policy program in Berlin
Program in the German capital aimed at exchanging knowledge with and
learning from public policy practitioners involved in urban regeneration,
integration and education. Organized at the request of Twynstra Gudde
(APEP Member) for a group of ambitious and talented public policy advisors.
IPO Spatial Planning delegation to Italy
Travelling to urban areas in northern Italy that are confronting many of
the same challenges that are faced by Dutch cities and regions, executive
councillors and advisors of the Dutch provinces will look at the approaches
taken by decentral authorities in the Veneto region on issues of urban
planning, housing and integration.
Inside Washington 2007
Mid- to senior-level managers from the private and the public sector are
offered an inside look at ‘how Washington works’: how do the various
branches of government function and interact, how are decisions made,
what is the influence of lobbyists and media in the US capital?
NHG Master Class UK
Following successful Master Classes in Scandinavia and the USA in previous
years, this NHG Master Class will familiarize participants with the mortgage
and housing markets in the United Kingdom. Arranged for our Member
organization Homeownership Guarantee Fund (NHG).
Climate Change & Energy Innovation –
US delegation to the Netherlands
Arranged at the request of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (APEP Member)
and involving several other ministries, this program will introduce some of
the Netherlands’ most innovative climate change related technologies to a
delegation of experts and opinion makers from the USA.
Municipal Finance Delegation to Brussels
Organized for public-sector bank BNG (APEP Member) and senior finance
managers of large municipalities, this program will give participants an
understanding of EU institutions and decision-making, lobbying opportunities
and current developments related to local government finance.
New Media delegation to London
A delegation of the Government Information Service will look at how the
recent restructuring and harmonization of the UK government’s digital
communications infrastructure has turned out, in order to learn from its
successes and mistakes.
Coming up...
25th Anniversary APEP
In June 2008,
APEP will
celebrate its 25th
anniversary. A
quarter century
will then have
passed since we
took our first
participant to
the US for an
Pioneer participant Rein Jan intensive threeweek
program,
Hoekstra at APEP’s 20th
anniversary dinner in 2003. in June of 1983.
That participant
was a young,
up-and-coming government executive by the
name of Rein Jan Hoekstra who is now,
25 years on, a member of the Raad van State
(Netherlands Council of State). A quarter
century in which countless influential
and talented people have been given the
opportunity to exchange knowledge, views
and ideas across the Atlantic and Pacific
oceans, across national borders, across
sectoral, cultural and hierarchical divides.
We will not let this anniversary go
unnoticed. In addition to a celebration event,
we also plan to organize one or more special
trips, including one centered around the
question “what will the US look like
25 years from now?” Topics such as the
future of transatlantic relations and the
position of the US in the world economy
in 25 years time will be addressed by
futurologists, think-tank fellows, pollsters
who have researched Americans’ expectations
of the future, and college students (what do
they expect the US to look like when their
generation takes the reigns?), among others.
Of course, 2008 will also bring us another
Presidential Election Week (for APEP
Members only). Hopefully, this time
participants can leave the US actually
knowing who has been elected President...
We will keep you informed about our
Anniversary and other programs in The
Exchange and on our web site, www.apep.nl.
www.apep.nl
Rotterdam
Washington, DC
Eendrachtsweg 21, 3012 LB Rotterdam, The Netherlands
tel.: +31 (0)10 - 411 45 88, fax: +31 (0)10 - 413 25 43, e-mail: exchange@apep.nl
1250 24th Street, NW, Suite 350, Washington, DC 20037-1124, USA
tel.: +1 - 202 - 466 05 29, fax: +1 - 202 - 466 30 79, e-mail: mail@apepusa.org
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The Exchange is a publication of the Atlantic & Pacific Exchange Program Editor Robin Doeswijk, APEP Rotterdam
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