The district water board 'Waterschap De Dommel' became a ‘Friend of the Academy’. Martin Bouwman, the man behind the water board’s theme ‘Mooi water’ (the beauty of water), explains what has brought the academy and his organisation closer: “As a water board we enjoy working with parties who can shed new light on our activities. After all, if you keep doing as you were doing before, you will simply get what you were already getting! And we don’t think that is enough. We expect the academy students to be able to help us take the next steps.” How big these steps are, will become apparent in the spring of 2011 when students in ‘Man and Leisure’ start their research project for De Dommel.