Official kick-off event launches second MOBILISE intake - July 3

On Thursday, 3 July 2025, the international mobility phase of the MOBILISE: Circular Talent Program for Climate-Smart Agriculture was officially launched at the Aeres Campus in Dronten. The event celebrated the start of the traineeship period for 34 students from Tunisia and Egypt, who will spend the next three months working with 18 Dutch horticulture companies across five provinces.

The kick-off brought together a wide range of participants, including the Tunisian Embassy, some representatives of Dutch host companies, the Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, project partners from MSM and Aeres, and international guests from ICMPD and DGHOME of the European Commission who joined online.

The program opened with a welcome address by Daan Westrik, Project Coordinator at Aeres University and master of ceremonies. Dr. Ir. Huub L.M. Mudde, Project Director at MSM, followed with inspiring remarks, reflecting on the lessons learned from last year’s pilot phase and encouraging the trainees to embrace this unique opportunity for both professional and personal growth.

Mrs. Haifa Ben Alaya, Counsellor at the Tunisian Embassy, highlighted the importance of Tunisian-Dutch collaboration and encouraged the trainees to make the most of this opportunity, expressing her hopes for the program's future success. Online contributions from Ms. Barbara Benuskova (European Commission) and Ms. Maybritt Hennig (ICMPD) underlined the value of Talent Partnerships and the European funding mechanisms enabling the program. Mr. Stefano Locatelli, Project Manager, then provided an update on the program’s achievements and upcoming steps.

The keynote by Mirjam Boekestijn, CEO of Dutch Greenhouse Delta, shed light on the opportunities and challenges in the Dutch greenhouse horticulture sector and showcased the remarkable innovations driving the transition towards climate-smart agriculture.

Finally, representatives of the Tunisian and Egyptian trainees shared their aspirations and excitement for the months ahead, before Dr. Mudde closed the session. The event concluded with informal networking and an international dinner, setting the stage for a productive and inspiring traineeship period.

Good luck to the new trainees for an exciting and productive traineeship period ahead!