Launching smart city activities and projects requires political support. For sustainable approaches, a concrete strategy, and leadership endorsement from the municipal government is crucial. In accordance with the most prevalent definitions of a smart city, postulating that a city must enhance quality …

This thesis set out to research the mental health issues that students currently face and researched both the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. Furthermore, this thesis also set out to research self-regulation theories and how these could be implemented at universities and colleges. Self-regulation …

Iraq is currently one of the most unstable countries in the world. Its political instability can be attributed to different factors, such as internal (armed) conflicts, wars with neighbouring countries, and invasions. Political scientists such as Toby Dodge argue that the state that the British created …

Gender equality is one of the European Union’s (EU) core values. However, no EU Member State (MS) has achieved gender equality. The European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE) is the EU institute responsible for promoting gender equality. The aim of this dissertation was to find out how effective EIGE …

This study, titled Sweetening the Deal, considers policy interventions to reduce sugar consumption. The study addresses the research question: To what extent does public opinion in the Netherlands and in the United Kingdom either correspond or contrast to policy approaches being taken by their governments …

Background: Medically unexplained symptoms (MUS) are highly prevalent and pose a burden both on patients and on health care. In a pilot study psychosomatic therapy delivered by specialised therapists for patients with MUS showed promising results with regard to patient’s acceptability, feasibility and …

Little is known about the effects of different instructional approaches on learner affect in oral interaction in the foreign language classroom. In a randomized experiment with Dutch pre-vocational learners (N = 147), we evaluated the effects of 3 newly developed instructional programs for English as …

The potential of a ‘data-driven life’, together with the realization of Weiser’s vision of ‘the disappearing computer’ have been embraced by many. However, the increasing invisibility, virtuality and complexity of data systems also come with a variety of concerns, such as issues of sensemaking, ownership, …

Social media is a transformative digital technology, collapsing the “six degrees of separation” which have previously characterized many social networks, and breaking down many of the barriers to individuals communicating with each other. Some commentators suggest that this is having profound effects …