Dutch Government Invests €160.5M for 7 Research Projects at Universities

The Dutch government has announced €160.5 million in funding for seven research projects at Dutch universities.

According to Education Minister Robert Dijkgraaf, with such investments the Netherlands remains one of the top scientific leaders in the world, Erudera.com reports.

“With investments like these, we ensure that we remain among the top scientific world leaders in the Netherlands. This not only provides important new insights, but also strengthens the strength of our economy,” Dijkgraaf said. “And it brings innovations that benefit us all. I am proud that we have such scientific talent in our own country. That is not self-evident. Really something to cherish.”

A part of the amount will be allocated to universities immediately, while the remaining will be delivered in the latter half after a five-year evaluation. These funds will support projects which focus on the following areas:

• mechanical stresses in plants
• better understanding of proteins in the human body
• cybersecurity
• therapy to treat blindness
• the chemical basis of mental illness
• crisis response
• chemical storage of electricity

“The seven projects in these areas are among the scientific world leaders or are on their way there,” the government said in a statement released on March 25, 2024.

An independent committee of the Dutch Research Council (NWO), consisting of international scientists, will assess the projects’ eligibility.

The funds are part of the government’s Gravitation Programme, a long-term investment program focused only on research that ranks among the best in the world or has the potential to achieve such a status. Under this program, the government has invested in science for ten years.

Dutch higher education consists of higher vocational education (HBO) and scientific/academic education (WO). There are 13 universities in the Netherlands, including three technology universities.

One of the universities, Wageningen University and Research, which offers bachelor’s programs in agriculture, environment, and healthy food, is financed by the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy.

The government grants funding to universities based on performance indicators, which include the number of first-year students and bachelor’s and master’s graduates.

“Universities may use the government grant for either teaching or research as they see fit. Universities bear the cost of housing and infrastructure themselves,” the Dutch government explains.

The Netherlands remains a popular destination for international students as well, with the country witnessing a constant rise in the past decade. The increase has led to universities taking their own measures to manage the influx of international students and promote Dutch-taught degrees.

The main reasons the Netherlands wants to reduce international student intake are the impact on the quality of education and the need to address student accommodation.

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