A recently published report by the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science (OCW) on the evaluation of the sector plans shows that collaboration between universities is an important driver of innovations and technological progress with societal impact. The sector plans serve as a means to better align research and education and to jointly address societal challenges. With more than 130 public-private collaboration projects and 13 strategic programmes each year, Holland High Tech contributes to this ecosystem. The effectiveness of this approach is also evident in the broader innovation ecosystem, of which universities are a part: fostering collaboration between government, research centres and companies (for example through PPS projects) ensures that new knowledge is translated more quickly into concrete applications that strengthen the Dutch economy and society.
Collaboration between universities on specific research and education topics is bearing fruit, according to two evaluations that Minister Bruins is sending to the House of Representatives today. Through this collaboration, shaped in sector plans per scientific field, government funding for research and education is spent more efficiently and more permanent positions for staff have been created. In addition to generating new fundamental knowledge, the sector plans have also produced socially relevant solutions, such as a PFAS filter for water, AI applications for healthcare and a programme for more science teachers.
Minister Bruins:
The way in which universities collaborate and jointly address societal challenges benefits everyone, both in science and in society. With the sector plans, we give universities the opportunity to specialise and thus achieve better and more targeted results. Preserving the sector plans was a conscious choice at the beginning of this cabinet period. I expect that the sector plan resources will continue to produce many valuable innovations in the future.
PFAS filter and AI applications in healthcare
By joining forces and dividing tasks, universities can bring more focus to their teaching and research. This focus delivers important scientific innovations to society. One example is the development of an effective PFAS filter at Wageningen University & Research. Sector plan researchers developed a reusable and scalable filter that can easily remove PFAS from water. At the University of Amsterdam, a research group has been set up to explore responsible AI solutions for challenges in healthcare data analysis. In addition to scientific advances, the sector plans also bring educational solutions to society, such as the beta4all bridging programme. This programme has led to more academically trained science teachers graduating, helping to address a major shortage.
More research and teaching positions
The sector plans were created to encourage universities to coordinate, profile themselves and join forces in research and education. The evaluation reports of the Social & Humanities (SSH) and Science & Technology (S&T) sector plans show that this approach has also been successful for the universities themselves. New research and teaching positions have been created under the sector plans. National cooperation and coordination within and between disciplines and between universities has clearly improved.
We also see an influx of new talent and greater emphasis on diversity in the appointment of scientists. For example, half of the new positions in Science and Technology have been filled by women.
Future
With the Outline Agreement in 2024, the sector plans were at risk of being discontinued. Minister Bruins chose to retain the sector plans, thereby safeguarding 1,200 permanent academic positions, although other difficult choices had to be made due to cutbacks in higher education and science. Based on the positive evaluation of the two sector plan committees, Minister Bruins has decided to continue funding the sector plans (2018–2024) for Science & Technology (S&T) and Social & Humanities (SSH). This amounts to over €100 million per year. Given the success of the existing sector plans, it is now being explored whether this instrument could also work for other scientific disciplines.
The full article, including Minister Bruins’ letter to Parliament, can be read on the website of the Dutch government:
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