On December 11th Leiden Bio Science Park participated in the International Talent in South Holland Conference, an inspiring event that marked the launch of a new regional collaboration ‘Work in South Holland’ between the international centers of The Hague, Rotterdam, Delft and Leiden, together with the Economic Board Zuid-Holland and Provincie Zuid-Holland.
The event brought together employers, policymakers, universities and talent partners from across South Holland to discuss how the region can better attract, support and retain international talent. Through interactive breakout sessions, participants explored topics such as upcoming changes to the highly skilled migrant permit, improving the stay rate of international students, and unlocking the potential of internationals already living in the Netherlands.
During the plenary session, three key regional ecosystems and collaborations presented their vision on the importance of international talent for South Holland’s economic strength:
- Security Delta (HSD) highlighted the rapid growth of the (cyber)security sector and the increasing demand for highly specialized talent. With a significant share of vacancies already open to English-speaking professionals and future growth expected, international talent is essential to maintaining innovation, resilience and securit. The session was presented by Mark Ruijsendaal (HSD).
- Leiden Bio Science Park showcased the Life Sciences & Health ecosystem as a global hub built on talent and knowledge, where international expertise is crucial across the full pharmaceutical and biotech value chain. With a diverse workforce representing dozens of nationalities and strong links between research, education and industry, international professionals play a key role in driving innovation, scaling companies and sustaining long-term growth. Thijs Remijn (Leiden Bio Science Park) represented the ecosystem.
- Beethoven Zuid-Holland explained how the programme is connecting education, industry and government to address talent shortages in the high-tech sector semiconductor industry. By reframing the narrative on international talent and aligning regional investments, Beethoven’s regional program aims to strengthen South Holland’s position in a highly competitive global technology landscape. The presentation was given by Joost van der Veen (Beethoven Zuid-Holland).
The importance of international talent to the economic growth of not only of our sector but the whole of the Netherlands was further emphasized by Peter Wennink during his presentation of his report ‘De route naar toekomstige welvaart’ on December 12th. We look back on a valuable afternoon of knowledge exchange and collaboration and are pleased to contribute to strengthening South Holland’s position as a leading region for international talent.
