Dutch Research Agenda: Connecting Science and Society for Impactful Solutions

NWA-ORC the very idea Wiebe E. Bijker, chair selection committee Webinar 17-09-2020

NWA Dutch Research Agenda NWA-ORC: Fundamental Applied Scientific Societal 2

NWA and NWA-ORC are unique Dutch Research Agenda (NWA): Society asks Science (2014-2016) 11.000 questions -> 140 clusters of questions in 25 NWA Routes 130 M uro annually for this NWA (Regeerakkoord 2017) Research along Routes by Consortia (NWA-ORC): Answers NWA questions Is interdisciplinary Done by consortia: joining capacities, perspectives, approaches Leads to scientific and/or societal breakthroughs 3

New opportunities New social contract between science and society Increased trust by society in science Extra funding for research Science answers society by addressing big questions Long-term, socially embedded, team research Large budgets: 0,5 10 M Long-term research: 6-8 year Broad knowledge chain In productive interaction with societal actors 1. Universities + HBO + TO2 + UMCs + Rijksinstellingen 2. Researchers + knowledge users 4

New responsibilities To give answers to Nederland Knowledge utilisation and science communication Breakthroughs: output outcome impact Impact plan Impact outlook To realize social embeddedness Width of knowledge chain (i.e. including fundamental and applied research) Co-creation and co-design (i.e. collaboration between researchers and knowledge users) 5

Knowledge utilisation Every project should use one of two approaches: Impact Outlook approach Productive interaction Aimed at scientific breakthroughs (because of the nature of the cluster question(s)) Open to opportunities for social impact during the research Expanding opportunities for societal impact during project (few NWA Routes, few projects) Impact Plan approach Productive interaction Aimed at societal and scientific breakthroughs Aimed at societal impact: societal change Knowledge utilisation is integrated in project design (most NWA Routes, most projects) Consortium chooses most appropriate approach Selection committee will assess suitability of chosen approach and may advise to choose the other Different forms in full proposal stage 6

(experience from previous years) Strong points of pre-proposals Clear relationships between NWA question & route > proposal s core question > research question > consortium > methods > knowledge utilisation plan > breakthrough Combination of expertises is necessary and innovative Breadth of knowledge chain fits both the research question and the intended breakthrough Interdisciplinarity and transdisciplinarity are not merely in consortium but also in project design and research approach Productive engagement by social partners / knowledge users in the project design and execution Convincing and original scientific question, plan, intended breakthrough 7

Problem: application pressure (aanvraagdruk) Choose your funding instrument wisely! NWA-ORC offers good opportunities, but: not every project fits the NWA-ORC! Proposals will be assessed for addressing NWA cluster questions and fitting the chosen NWA Route (NWO will organise match-making meetings together with the 25 routes) Proposals will be assessed for their knowledge-chain-wide and interdisciplinary character and for the productive interactions within the consortium Proposals will be assessed for their impact plan or impact outlook In doubt? Please contact NWO for advice. 8

NWA-ORC, the very idea: To stimulate research and innovation aimed at the 25 NWA Routes and 140 question clusters, aiming at scientific and/or societal breakthroughs, by joining strengths in consortia, to do interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary research, involving the entire width of the knowledge chain, including fundamental and applied research and collaborating with societal parties (including companies), resulting in knowledge utilization through a well-argued impact plan/outlook. 9

For questions, contact: Varsha Kapoerchan (co rdinator) nwa-orc2020@nwo.nl, 070-349 44 42 Wiebe E. Bijker: w.bijker@maastrichtuniversity.nl