Dr. Ben Kokkeler (1958) is an associate principal consultant with over 40 years of experience as a senior strategic advisor, senior researcher, and senior manager in the fields of higher education, safety and security, culture, and healthcare. He holds a PhD in science & technology studies (University of Twente) and a senior expert on cybersecurity and resilience.

At Avans University of Applied Sciences, he was a Professor of Applied Sciences in Digitalization and Public Safety from 2016 until his retirement in May 2025, and CEO, subsequent Board member of the Centre for Safety and Security in Digital Society (Stichting Centrum voor Veiligheid en Digitialisering).

He is the coordinator of the national advisory committee comprising the chairmen of three universities of applied sciences (Avans, Haagse Hogeschool, Saxion) and three national safety institutes (Defence Academy, Police Academy, National Institute of Public Safety) for the Association of Universities of Applied Sciences (VH), member of the KIA Safety Core Team, advisor to the VH on collaboration with the Ministry of Defence, member of the KIA Digitalisation Advisory Council, co-chair of the HCA Cybersecurity taskforce initiated by the Ministry of Economic Affairs, and he co-chaired the updating of the NWO Cybersecurity Research Agenda in 2024-2025. He is also a board member of the UAS platform PRIO (data and AI), responsible for cybersecurity and resilience research policy.

He consults with Executive Board members and CEO’s on strategy and organizational development, and regularly participates in research and education reviews. He has been a member of DAIR (the Dutch Association for Institutional Research) and EAIR (the international IR community) since their inception.

Ben studied at the University of Twente (UT), the University of Amsterdam (BA Political Science, 1980), and Radboud University Nijmegen, where he completed his Master’s degree in Urban and Regional Planning (1983). In 2014, he received his PhD from the University of Twente’s Science & Technology Policy Studies department on the topic of governance and organization of emergent research organizations.