Brief review of NWO's activities in 2009

NWO's primary task is to promote the quality and innovation of scientific research. In addition, NWO also stimulates knowledge transfer and knowledge utilisation.

Developments in 2009

In 2009, NWO specifically focused on intensive cooperation with its partners in science and society at both a national and international level.

NWO:

  • is using an incentive fund to encourage researchers to publish in open access journals to maximise the accessibility of research results
  • is investing an additional 50 million euro in the Open Competition so that 200 extra researchers can pursue their creative ideas
  • is supporting 200 researchers in the economic crisis via the Knowledge Workers Regulation in collaboration with NL Agency
  • is helping to realise various sector plans such as those for physics and chemistry
  • is, in collaboration with KNAW and VSNU, sending concrete measures to the Dutch Parliament to support the parliament’s ambition of enabling the Netherlands to be one of the top 5 science nations in the world
  • is chair of the Joint Programming process in which EU Member States pool their national research efforts in specific research themes

Results in 2009

In 2009, most of the activities from the strategy for 2007-2010 (Science Valued) were flourishing. The strategy has 3 lines of action: Opportunities for researchers, Consolidating strengths, and Science for society.

Line of action 1 - Opportunities for researchers

Opportunities for researchers is aimed at retaining and increasing young talent and promoting excellent, groundbreaking research.

In 2009, NWO processed 3283 grant applications within this line of action and 809 of these were awarded funding.

The most important grants are:

  • NWO Spinoza Prize (www.nwo.nl/spinoza) for the best Dutch researchers (3 prizes, total 7.5 million euro)
  • Innovational Research Incentives Scheme (www.nwo.nl/vi) incentive for young researchers: Veni (809 proposals, 144 funded), experienced researchers: Vidi (509 proposals, 89 funded): and advanced researchers; Vici (220 preproposals, 94 proposals, 31 funded)
  • Rubicon (www.nwo.nl/rubicon) foreign experience for young researchers (388 proposals, 96 funded)
  • Extra incentives for women via Aspasia, Meervoud, Athena and FOm/v (www.nwo.nl/vrouwen)
  • Mosaic (www.nwo.nl/mozaiek) PhD grants for graduates from ethnic minorities (43 proposals, 20 funded)
  • Open Competition (www.nwo.nl/vrijecompetitie) for proposals without any prior conditions (1167 proposals, 275 funded)
  • Investment Subsidy NWO Medium (www.nwo.nl/investeringen) for equipment and databases between the 110,000 and 900,00 euro (95 proposals 28 funded)

Line of action 2 - Consolidating strengths

Consolidating strengths is aimed at concentrating human and material resources. The emphasis is on thematic research, large infrastructure and international collaboration.

In 2009, NWO processed 379 grant applications within this line of action and 294 of these were awarded funding.

Several highlights from this line of action are:

  • Start of Nikhef’s LHC experiments and the new infrared laser of FOM Rijnhuizen • SRON's lead project HIFI is launched with the Herschel observatory
  • Start of 5 ESFRI projects, total funding 63 million euro, for the large European infrastructure
  • The collaboration with China and India starts to take form
  • NWO participates in 2 Article-169 instruments, 1 European Technology Platform and 17 ERANETs
  • NWO supports 16 of the 24 EUROCORES and cofinances 50 of the 71 Research Networking projects

Line of action 3 - Science for society

Under the heading ‘Science for Society’ NWO brings together scientists and knowledge users. The aim of this is to create a better matching between societal needs and groundbreaking research. We realise this by means of societally-inspired programming, temporary taskforces, and communication and knowledge dissemination.

In 2009, NWO processed 743 grant applications within this line of action and 326 of these were awarded funding.

Several highlights from this line of action in 2009 are:

  • the number of thematic programmes increased from 32 to 61 and the expenditure from 12 million to 30 million (524 proposals, 232 funded)
  • the National Initiative Brain & Cognition was started and the temporary taskforce ACTS entered the second phase
  • the temporary taskforce NGI presented a broad vision of the life sciences sector and ICTRegie compiled a long-term agenda of action points
  • the report Impact Assessment Humanities was published about the possibilities for measuring the social impact of humanities research
  • NWO discussed possibilities for collaboration with the top of Philips and NXP
  • 31 university researchers received a Valorisation Grant to commercialise their knowledge
  • NWO collaborated in the multimedia project ‘De reis van de Beagle’ (The Voyage of the Beagle) and on the visit to Antarctica by Prince Willem Alexander and Princess Máxima
last modified on 29 August 2011