ABSTRACT

Rotterdam is the second largest city in The Netherlands with a population of 600,000 inhabitants. Within The Netherlands Rotterdam is the only big city where the average age of the population is getting younger: the percentage of young people is increasing while the share of elderly is decreasing. This chapter explores the knowledge economy strategies of Rotterdam. It analyses the foundations of the knowledge economy for Rotterdam. They include the knowledge base, the economic base, the quality of life, the accessibility, the urban diversity, the urban scale, and the social equity in the city. The chapter discusses Rotterdam's knowledge economy activities. It explains how well the city (and the actors in it) manage to: attract and retain talented people; create new knowledge; apply new knowledge and make new combinations; and develop new growth clusters. The chapter includes conclusions and unfolds perspectives for Rotterdam's position in the emerging knowledge economy.