Minister Dijkgraaf of Education, Culture and Science is concluding a new 5-year collaboration agreement for strengthening practice-oriented research at universities of applied sciences via the National Regulating Body for Practice-Oriented Research SIA. Dijkgraaf concludes the agreement, also on behalf of Minister Adriaansens of Economic Affairs, with the Association of Universities of Applied Sciences, the NWO, VNO-NCW, MKB-Nederland, TNO and ROM-Nederland.
Huib de Jong, chairman of the SIA Steering Body, calls this a compliment for the enormous achievements of universities of applied sciences in recent decades. He also indicates:
The further embedding of SIA in NWO will strengthen the individual identity of applied research at universities of applied sciences and stimulate cooperation in scientific research networks.
Further strengthen research
Steering body SIA is pleased with this new covenant. It is a confirmation of the role practice-oriented research plays in the national knowledge and innovation system. This new agreement enables the governing body to further strengthen and even better embed the research of universities of applied sciences over the next five years. In the 'Investing in impact' strategy, the SIA Directorate has set out its ambitions for the coming years.
ROM Netherlands new partner
This new cooperation agreement follows an earlier agreement that the partners concluded in 2013 and which expires at the end of this year. ROM-Netherlands is a new partner in the collaboration. The participation of the regional development companies promotes an even stronger regional anchoring of practice-oriented research. The development companies and universities of applied sciences are already working closely together, which will give this collaboration an extra boost.
