Are you seeking a guest lecturer with practical strategy experience in the public and private sector? Looking for real-world case studies for your honours program, master’s course, or executive education? Or are you aiming to integrate scenario planning, foresight, or strategic risk management into your curriculum?
Our acadamic roots
At De Ruijter Strategy (DRS), we’ve been collaborating with universities since 1989 — both in The Netherlands and internationally. Our roots lie in academia. DRS was founded as a spin-off at the University of Twente. Founder Paul de Ruijter graduated with a thesis on scenario-based strategy and organisational learning, inspired by the planning practices of Shell.
Our relationship with academia has remained strong ever since. Many of our colleagues connected with DRS during their studies, often through thesis projects. For example, Renate Kenter graduated with her master’s thesis on scenario thinking in international relations at the University of Amsterdam (UvA) in 1998. More recently, Aryzo Arrindel graduated from Delft University of Technology. His master’s thesis discussed scenario planning in commercial real estate portfolio strategy. These projects have strengthened the expertise of our colleagues and enriched our approach. They have brought in fresh perspectives from cutting-edge academic research into our client work.
Our tradition of bridging academia and practice ensures that our methods remain grounded in rigorous research while being tested and refined in real-world strategic challenges.
We regularly teach in academic programs about leadership, scenario planning and strategic foresight, based on our methodology Navigate the future. By bringing real-world cases into the classroom, we prepare students to build resilience and leverage opportunities in rapidly changing and complex environments. Additionally, we offer and co-design online learning modules.
Our international educational partners
We have collaborated with a wide variety of educational institutions from across the world, including:
- Business School Lausanne – We teach the course Trend Analysis and Scenario Planning as part of the executive MBA.
- Nyenrode Business Universiteit – Our team contributes to numerous modules, masterclasses and executive programs each year since 1993. These include: HR Business Partner, Executive Insurance Program, Executive pension program (EPP), Innovation Management & product Development and more. We offer both open and custom courses.
- SIOO Interuniversity Institute – We contribute to long-standing programs like Executive Change Management and Local Leadership.
- University of Twente – We contribute to executive education and events like the Risk & Resillience Festival. Moreover, we have supervised several graduation projects.
- University of Amsterdam (UvA) – For over a decade we have been teaching scenario planning. At the Amsterdam Business school we teach the module Strategy- and Scenarioanalysis (SSA) as part of the executive master in Strategic Risk Management. Additionally, we have supervised several thesis projects.
- Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VU) – We regularly support courses and seminars on foresight, strategy, and governance as guest lecturers. Moreover, we offer internships for students who would like to explore their career opportunities as strategy expert or work on a graduation project.
- Rotterdam School of Management (Erasmus University) – What began with our contribution to courses such as Internet and Business, has grown into a longstanding academic partnership. More recently, we co-developed the course Sustainable Finance, integrating real options theory with forward-looking strategic tools. Additionally, we serve as thesis supervisors for the post-master Internal Auditing & Advisory program.
- Delft University of Technology – We have delivered guest lectures for executive programs in telecommunications, aerospace, technology, and energy systems. In 2024, we supported a PhD project through action research, facilitating a multi-stakeholder workshop on the future of air and rail, fostering dialogue and shared vision.
Find a guest lecturer strategy at DRS
In conclusion, DRS strives to bridge the gap between boardroom strategy and the lecture hall. Thus, whether you’re designing tomorrow’s curriculum or looking to enrich your students’ learning experience with real-world insights, we’d be delighted to explore how we can support your program.
Want to learn more about how DRS can help you bridge the gap between theory and practice? Please contact us!
