The text on this page was automatically translated and hence may differ from the original. No rights can be derived from this translation.
In the Vision on Applied Research, the cabinet has committed to evaluating the organizations for applied research (TO2) every four years on the quality and impact of research, as well as on the vitality of the institutions. Over the past months, the five TO2 institutes (Deltares, MARIN, NLR, TNO, and WR) have been evaluated for the years 2020-2023. The overarching evaluation committee and the five institute evaluation committees were supported by Dialogic, Technopolis, and SEO Economic Research.
The evaluations show, among other things, that overall the quality and impact of the work of the institutions is good to very good, and in some areas ranks among the world's best in their respective fields. The evaluation committee notes that with this knowledge and expertise, the TO2 institutes make a significant contribution to society and the innovative strength and competitive position of our business community. Furthermore, it is confirmed that the TO2 institutes play an important and indispensable role in the Dutch knowledge ecosystem. The vitality of the TO2 institutes is generally considered good, but it is noted that this is under pressure due to financial challenges. The evaluation committee concludes that the government's contribution to the institutions has been effective and efficient.
In addition to recommendations to each of the institutions, the reports also contain recommendations to the government. The evaluation committee addresses several topics that are important for the continued functioning of the institutions, such as the financing of research facilities, for which a structural solution is currently lacking. Another issue is the financial pressure on the TO2 institutes in general (e.g. due to rising costs and inflation), which may jeopardise the execution of their duties. The committee jointly recommends that the government and the TO2 institutes reflect on how the goals and tasks of the institutions can be even better aligned with future developments.
The evaluation was presented to the Second Chamber on 20th May. Read the relevant Chamber letter and research reports here.
