Evaluation of NWO Talent Programme

Dialogic is conducting an evaluation of the Talent Programme of the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO), including Rubicon, for the period of 2017 to 2024. This evaluation is commissioned by NWO and takes place from November 2025 to May 2026. The NWO Talent Programme provides scientists affiliated with Dutch institutions the opportunity to compete for funding to establish their own research line. The programme aims to offer scientific talent an attractive career perspective and provide a boost to scientific research in the Netherlands. A personal grant through the Talent Programme can help retain researchers for Dutch science, giving them space for unbounded and groundbreaking research. The grant is relevant for both scientists and society as the results of the stimulated research have an impact on the economy and society, and independent research is increasingly gaining strategic value. The evaluation aims to assess whether the programme has achieved its set goals (effectiveness) and whether it is being implemented efficiently (efficiency). Additionally, NWO aims to: 1. Gain insight into the evolution of the Talent Programme during the evaluation period, including internal and external developments that have influenced this evolution and the role of the Talent Programme in the subsidy landscape. 2. Determine whether Talent Programme grants contribute to stimulating adventurous, talented, groundbreaking researchers in their careers and retaining these researchers for Dutch science. 3. Assess the scientific impact of the Talent Programme by evaluating the extent to which new research lines, research groups, and collaborations are established to renew scientific research. For this research, Dialogic utilises a combination of research methods, including desk research, interviews, surveys with assessors and applicants, focus groups with assessors and applicants, and a synthesis workshop with NWO.