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In the Netherlands, a substantial part of the applied research is carried out by the Applied Research Organisations (TO2): TNO, WR, Deltares, NLR, and MARIN. The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy (EZK) evaluates these institutions once every four years. In 2020, EZK commissioned, for the second time, the evaluation of all TO2, covering the period from 2016 to 2019.
The evaluation committee, chaired by Prof. Dr. Ir. Wim van Saarloos, conducted the evaluation based on provided quantitative information, self-assessments, and a site visit. This committee consisted of an overarching evaluation committee and five sub-evaluation committees, one for each TO2. Dialogic, along with Technopolis and SEO, supported the evaluation committees in carrying out their task. The research resulted in five institutional reports (one per TO2) and a synthesis report on the entire TO2 research portfolio titled 'Excellent Applied Research for Societal Missions'.
The reports indicate that overall, the quality and impact of the institutions' work is good to very good, with some aspects ranking amongst the world's top in their respective fields. The TO2 institutions successfully utilise this knowledge and expertise for the benefit of society and the business sector. The vitality of TO2 has significantly increased compared to the previous evaluation. Through increased government investment, the refinement of their strategies, and strengthening their staff composition, almost all TO2 have managed to enhance their knowledge base and refocus their research towards addressing the significant societal demand for advanced targeted knowledge and its practical application. The commission regards the financing of research infrastructure, currently lacking a structural solution, as one of the main issues. Another challenge is the accessibility of the TO2 institutions for small and medium-sized enterprises. The TO2 evaluation committee makes various recommendations to resolve these (and other) challenges.
On April 29, the results of the evaluation research on the organisations for applied research (TO2) were sent to the First and Second Chamber.
