Victor Bekkers

Prof. Victor Bekkers is a Professor of Public Administration at Erasmus University Rotterdam, holding the chair in Public Policy Processes. He serves as Dean of the Erasmus School of Social and Behavioural Sciences (2022–2025) and was the founding dean of the Erasmus Graduate School of Social Sciences and the Humanities. He studied Political Science and Public Administration at Nijmegen University (1987, cum laude). His research focuses on the integration of information and communication technologies, social media, and big data into public policy processes, emphasizing social innovation and governance challenges. He coordinates the EU-funded LIPSE program and directs the Comparative Public Services Innovation (CPSI) research group.

Education: Political Science and Public Administration (Nijmegen University, 1987, cum laude).

Research Interests: ICT in governance, policy processes, public sector innovation, co-creation, and the impact of digital technologies on public services. His work explores how emerging technologies reshape policy design, implementation, and citizen engagement. Recent studies address big data applications in public policy, the role of social media in policy processes, and the challenges of policy transfer across jurisdictions.

Key Awards: Bleddyn Davies Prize (2021) for contributions to public policy research. His articles span topics like urban governance, environmental policy, and digital transformation in public administration. He advocates for evidence-based policymaking and participatory governance models.

Grants and Teams: Coordinates LIPSE (EU 7th Framework) and leads CPSI. His work emphasizes collaborative innovation, with studies on co-creation outcomes and barriers to big data adoption in municipalities. He has advised on resilience strategies for the Rotterdam region, combining academic and practical insights.

Labs/Teams: Active in CPSI and LIPSE, focusing on comparative studies across EU countries. His research groups analyze innovation dynamics, governance frameworks, and the societal impacts of technological change in public sectors.