Remote work and cross-border accessibility in the Zwolle–Twente–Münsterland region
Remote work is transforming mobility needs in knowledge regions such as Twente, where universities and high-tech firms attract workers and students from both the Netherlands and neighbouring German districts (e.g. Münster, Borken, Coesfeld, Steinfurt, Grafschaft Bentheim). As the regional strategy shifts due to remote work, “from mobility to accessibility,” it becomes crucial to understand how physical and remote accessibility interact for different population segments (by age, gender, socio-economic group) and settlement types1. This MSc topic focuses on the Zwolle–Twente–Münsterland cross-border region, where there are explicit ambitions to strengthen cross-border education, mobility, economic development and healthcare, and where remote work may either reinforce or undermine these goals.
The research will focus on building an integrated physical–remote accessibility model. The student will first compile relevant indicators of physical accessibility (e.g., travel times by different urban transport modes, street networks, etc.) and “remote accessibility” (e.g., broadband capacity, availability of remote work, access to cross-border digital services) for selected municipalities in the corridor. Using GIS-based accessibility analysis, basic statistics, and scenario development, the thesis will (i) map current patterns of physical and remote accessibility for key groups (e.g. students, cross-border workers, care-dependent populations), (ii) explore how different remote working scenarios change accessibility inequalities within and across the border, and (iii) identify policy levers (e.g. public transport service changes, digital infrastructure, coworking hubs) that could support cross-border development.
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