Bart van Hoof

Bart van Hoof is an Associate Professor at the Faculty of Management, Universidad de los Andes, Colombia. He is a Dutch national with over 25 years of experience in Colombia, combining academic rigor with practical management and policy advisory roles in sustainability. His work bridges academia, industry, and government, with a focus on driving systemic change toward environmental sustainability.

• Erasmus Universiteit Rotterdam – Doctoral Degree (2013)
• University of Los Andes, Colombia – Master in Industrial Engineering (1999)
• Hogeschool Eindhoven – Bachelor's Degree in Engineering (1994)

His research centers on transdisciplinary approaches to environmental sustainability, particularly through the lens of the circular economy, industrial ecology, cleaner production, and sustainability strategy. He investigates how organizations and public institutions can transition toward sustainable models, focusing on policy development, supply chain transformation, and institutional innovation. His work often involves co-creation with stakeholders across sectors and geographies.

Van Hoof’s recent publications show a strong thematic focus on circular economy implementation in Latin America and the Caribbean, particularly in agri-food systems, water management, leather industry, and policy frameworks. He emphasizes scalability, transdisciplinary collaboration, and practical tools for organizational change, often using case studies from Colombia and regional programs like RedES-CAR.

He has served as a visiting professor in Peru, Mexico, Chile, the Netherlands, the United States, and Kenya, contributing to global discourse on sustainable development. Additionally, he advises environmental ministries in Colombia, Peru, and Uruguay, and leads numerous applied research and consultancy projects funded by ONUDI, Ecopetrol, BANCOLDEX, and international NGOs.

Van Hoof teaches a wide range of courses including Circular Economy Management, Industrial Ecology, Sustainability, and Consultandes programs at both undergraduate and graduate levels. He is also involved in leadership training for sustainability transformation and has contributed to capacity-building initiatives in agro-industrial sectors and eco-industrial parks.