research perspective uva

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Research Perspective of the University of Amsterdam

UNIVERSITY OFAMSTERDAM


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Research Perspective of the University of Amsterdam 2

Adopted by the Board on 14 September 2006(revised translation, Dec. 2008)

DisclaimerThis translation is provided for information purposes only. In the event of a difference of interpretation, theoriginal Dutch version of this document (Onderzoeksvisie Universiteit van Amsterdam, 14 september 2006) isbinding.


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Table of contents

Foreword 4

1. The international and national context 5

2. Distinctive features and basic assumptions 8

Assumption 1: The UvA is a top-quality research institution 8Assumption 2: The UvA nurtures its research talent 9

Assumption 3: Research at the UvA is driven by curiosity and has social relevance 9

Typical UvA research 11 Typical interdisciplinary UvA research 16

3. Focus of the research at the UvA 17

Theme 1: Research priority areas 17Theme 2: Interdisciplinary research 17Theme 3: Innovative research 18

4. Quality of the research and the researchers 19

Theme 4: Managing for and stimulating quality 19Theme 5: Education as a breeding ground for research talent 19Theme 6: PhD programmes 20

Theme 7: From PhD student to professor 21

5. How the research is organised 23

Theme 8: The graduate schools 23

Appendix 1: Interfaculty collaboration at the UvA 24


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Foreword

The University of Amsterdam (UvA) aims to be an academic institution internationallyrenowned for the quality of its education and research. This is not a position it takes forgranted; in the ever-changing environment in which the UvA operates, it must be

continually defended. Everyones input is needed: the high quality of the UvAs educationand research is the result of hard work and continual improvement.

The Education Perspective (Onderwijsvisie) was presented in early 2006 to help giveshape and direction to this process over the coming years with respect to the educationoffered at the UvA. The present Research Perspective (Onderzoeksvisie), adopted by theBoard in September 2006, similarly maps out the course the UvA seeks to follow in terms

of research. The UvA intends to maintain and expand its existing top-class research. Oneway to help safeguard the quality of this research is, for example, by attracting promisingyoung talent.

The UvA aims for high-quality research in a wide range of areas and therefore to offerexcellent facilities and support to research activities. In addition to research in the

individual disciplines, interdisciplinary research has long played an important role at theUvA. Within the scope granted by the Board and the deans, experts at the researchinstitutes (onderzoeksinstituten) make substantive choices regarding the research to beconducted. By way of illustration, this Research Perspective includes examples of typicalUvA research.

Rather than describing every aspect of UvA research in detail, this document presents ageneral picture of the UvAs aims for the coming years with regard to research. Thegeneral picture will be incorporated into the Strategic Plan 2007-2010 (Instellingsplan2007-2010).


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1.The international and national context

One of the declared goals of the European Union is to become the most competitive anddynamic knowledge society in the world by the year 2010. Universities will play a vitalpart in realising this ambition. They are, after all, the key sites for the development and

exchange of knowledge. As the European Commission recently noted, universities havetraditionally been and should always continue to be prime actors in developingmodern civilisation though their unique role of combining the creation and diffusion ofknowledge.1

In this context, efforts are being made towards European integration, with the MemberStates collaborating to achieve ever-better results with the existing research resources.

Increasing competition in research from countries outside the European Union highlightsthe urgency of these efforts and has led to the formulation of the Lisbon aims, whichstipulate that Europe is to become the worlds most competitive and dynamic knowledgesociety by 2010.

The framework programmes of the European Union represent an important tool for

achieving this goal. Until now, these programmes have primarily financed theestablishment of network or collaborative structures devoted to specific research themes.This work was intensified in the Sixth Framework Programme, with the creation of aEuropean Research Area (ERA). The Seventh Framework Programme, currently inpreparation, will also provide avenues for the stimulation of fundamental research in a

European collaborative structure, via the Ideas Programme. The European ResearchCouncil (ERC) will oversee the allocation of funds in this programme. The researchbudget at the European level is growing and so becoming increasingly important to theUvA. International contacts and collaborations are prerequisites for scientific research.They are usually initiated and realised at the level of the individual researcher or

research group. The UvA actively encourages the development of international contactsby supporting institutional collaboration, the exchange of researchers and applications forinternational grants.

In an increasingly international society, there is an ever-growing need for transparencybetween institutions of higher education. Not only in the Netherlands but also elsewherein Europe there is a growing demand for a European classification of institutionscomparable to the American Carnegie Classification. This is dealt with in greater detail in

section 2.

Three key concepts play an important role in Dutch national research policy. The active

stimulation of research should lead to more effective cooperation with other knowledgecentres and encourage advanced research. The promotion offocus and mass inresearch entails attention and resources being directed towards carefully demarcatedresearch areas. Know ledge valorisation means that knowledge should be applied in an

economically and socially relevant fashion. These concepts are elaborated on below.

The Netherlands has set itself the goal of becoming one of the three most competitiveeconomies in the European Union by 2010. In the context of European science policy, theDutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science is pursuing an active policy to promotethe quality and excellence of Dutch scientific research. That is why the Ministry viewscompetition among institutions and research groups as essential.2 In an effort tostimulate research, the Minister of Education, Culture and Science wishes to expand

1 Communication from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament: Delivering on theModernisation Agenda for Universities: Education, Research and Innovation, May 2006.2Wetenschapsbudget 2004, focus op excellentie en meer waarde (Science Budget for 2004: Focus onExcellence and Greater Value), Ministry of Education, Culture and Science.


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existing competition mechanisms (excellent research is currently rewarded withadditional indirect funding and funding from the business community) to include asystem of performance premiums for university research.

A first step towards the development of the performance premiums is the introduction ofthe so-called smart mix (starting in 2007). The purpose of the smart mix is to rewardexcellent university achievements and to promote the utilisation of research results. The

Ministries of Economic Affairs and of Education, Culture and Science have jointly madethe sum of 100 million available for this purpose. The smart mix should lead tostructural public and private collaboration in the field of research. A second proposedstep is small-scale stimulation (kleine dynamisering), whereby the Minister of Education,Culture and Science will take 100 million from university budgets and redistribute itaccording to the success of each university in individually acquiring resources throughindirect government funding and contract research.

According to the Ministry of Education, Culture and Education, focus and mass are

essential if Dutch science is to flourish in the European research arena. A concentrationof research must ensure that Dutch research groups retain their top-quality reputationin the European research landscape. To steer this initiative in the right direction, theMinistry has formulated a number of thematic priorities (genomics, nanotechnology and

ICT). The best research groups working in these fields are to be given additional support.Achieving a concentration of research will require better coordination among the variousuniversities, as well as with other research institutions and the business community.

During the past ten to fifteen years, Dutch universities have established a number of

collaborative frameworks, such as the National Research Schools, Technological TopInstitutes (TTIs) and Societal Top Institutes (STIs). Using revenues from natural gas, anumber of projects have been launched under the so-called BISK programme (Decreeon Grants for Investments in Knowledge Infrastructure), in which universities, knowledge

institutions and the business community all participate. These collaborative structureshave helped strengthen and consolidate focus and mass in Dutch research. The UvAparticipates in approximately forty research schools, including three top research schools,

eleven BISK projects, three TTIs and one STI.

Universities need to take advantage of the governments goal to have universitiesdevelop clearer and more distinctive identities and competitive relationships on the one

hand and to expand focus and mass in research on the other. In many cases focus andmass can only be achieved through collaboration, which is in keeping with the well-established university tradition of collaborative research.

As stipulated by law, one of the core tasks of universities is to disseminate knowledge tosociety. In recent years this task has come to be more widely known as knowledgevalorisation, i.e. the conversion of knowledge into social and/or economic value.3 The

universities have traditionally performed this task by training academics and publishingscientific research. However, research commissioned by or conducted in collaborationwith the business community, different levels of government and other social agenciesalso demonstrates the contribution universities make to society. With the increasing

realisation that knowledge is an important engine driving Dutch society, there is agrowing interest in knowledge valorisation.

The UvA, too, is increasingly aware of its importance, but on the understanding that itshould not be pursued at the expense of the institutions other core tasks. The focus on

knowledge valorisation should form an integral part of its research activities. The UvAhas its own holding company (UvA Holding Ltd.) that serves as an umbrella for, amongother things, spin-offs, i.e. commercial activities generated by UvA research. The UvAs

3Onderzoek van Waarde (a position paper outlining the activities being developed by Dutch universities toensure the optimal utilisation of knowledge and research results), VSNU, December 2005.


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Knowledge Transfer Office (formerly Liaison Office), Science Park Amsterdam and theAMC Medical Business Park were all founded to help promote collaboration with thebusiness community and institutions and the exchange of knowledge, and so to make an

active contribution to the knowledge society. This illustrates the importance the UvAattaches to regional cooperation, something underscored by its participation in theKnowledge Network Amsterdam(KennisKring Amsterdam), designed to bring togetherknowledge institutions and business enterprises in the region.

The Ministry of Education, Culture and Science provides the basic financing of universityresearch via direct funding (eerste geldstroom). The Netherlands Organisation forScientific Research (NWO) distributes research resources on the basis of quality selection

via indirect funding (tweede geldstroom). In the past both direct and indirect fundingwere largely channelled into fundamental research. The business community and socialagencies were traditionally responsible for financing the more application-oriented

research. In recent years the emphasis in direct and indirect funding has shifted fromfundamental research to more strategic research, the themes for which are determined

by the Ministries of Education, Culture and Science and of Economic Affairs, the NWO,the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW) and the InnovationPlatform (established by the Dutch government in 2003 to promote innovation andencourage initiative in the Netherlands). This is borne in mind and appropriate links are

sought when the UvA chooses its own research priority areas. Faculties or universitiescan no longer use resources that have been earmarked in (or otherwise skimmed off)direct or indirect funding as they see fit. This puts university research policy underpressure. The pressure is increased by the growing emphasis on matching obligationswhen seeking external research financing: universities match indirect funding in

particular through direct funding, whereby the direct funding can then no longer be usedto support independent research.

There has also been a shift away from single-discipline research. Traditionally, much

research has been conducted along disciplinary lines. This is reflected in theorganisational structures of the universities, the Association of Universities in theNetherlands (VSNU) and the NWO. However, developments in the sciences and society

have led to new areas of research that often require the expertise, knowledge andmethods of multiple disciplines. Both those commissioning the research and the

researchers themselves are taking advantage of this, as is reflected in one of the threelines of action noted in the NWOs Research Strategy for 2007-2010, in which the

importance of collaboration and an interdisciplinary approach is stressed. Discipline-based organisational structures and evaluation mechanisms, however, still often form anobstacle to interdisciplinary research.

Given the comprehensive nature and high quality of its research, the UvA is in anexcellent position to promote disciplinary and interdisciplinary research, and the UvA isfocusing on both approaches (see section 3, Themes 1 and 2).


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2. Distinctive features and basic assumptions

Assumption 1: The UvA is a top-quality research institution

The UvA is an internationally renowned research university offering a broad range ofbachelors, masters and PhD study programmes. Research and teaching are closelylinked, which is why most faculty members both teach and conduct research. Incomparison with other universities in the Netherlands, the range of research conducted

at the UvA is impressive, to say the least. The UvA plays a leading role in Europe andaround the world in a number of research fields, and aims to nurture and expand thistop-level research. It recently joined the League of European Research Universities

(LERU), whose members include the world-class universities of Oxford, Zurich,Heidelberg and Cambridge. Membership in this organisation confirms the quality andrange of research conducted at the UvA. The LERU makes every effort to enable theresearch universities of Europe to join forces and preserve and reinforce their leading

positions in fundamental research and higher education.

The LERU defines research universities as academic institutions that excel in researchand higher education in a wide range of fields, that enable students to take part in PhDprogrammes and that offer study programmes closely linked to research. According tothe frequently cited Carnegie Classification, a research university must comply with anumber of criteria regarding expenditures for Research and Development, the number of

post-doctoral appointments and the conferral of doctorates. Based on both the LERU andCarnegie definitions, the UvA more than meets the requirements for the researchuniversity category. The interdependency between education and research is reflected inthe fact that of the UvAs 150 masters programmes, approximately 20 are so-calledresearch masters programmes (onderzoeksmasteropleidingen ) and 15 are two-yearscience masters programmes (bet-masteropleidingen ) with a research component. Aswas noted earlier, academic staff not only teach but also conduct research. In addition,new study programmes must be linked to research.

Every year the UvA has a total of some 360 PhD students, of whom about 310 areawarded their doctorate. Approximately 200 of these doctorates are granted in the fieldsof scientific and medical research and 100 in the fields of the humanities and socialsciences. The PhD research covers most of the academic spectrum.

The UvA regularly evaluates its research and, based on these results, adapts its researchpolicy at the institute, faculty and/or university level. Every six years an independent,

external international committee of peers evaluates the research according to a protocolformulated by the UvA in 2003. The evaluation is conducted at the level of the researchinstitutes and preferably in collaboration with other universities. Every three years theresearch is internally evaluated in a so-called mid-term review . The assessment scale

in the protocol is from 1 (unsatisfactory) to 5 (excellent). In the 20 research evaluationsconducted in recent years, none of the UvA programmes scored less than a 3 for quality.

In nine cases, a favourable score of between 4 and 5 was given. The quality of UvAresearch can therefore generally be qualified as high with exceptional peaks. Thepositive assessment is reflected not only in these research evaluations, but also in thelarge number of external grants awarded to UvA researchers in recent years. Funds aregenerally only granted by an external financing agency on the basis of a strict peer-

reviewed selection. The fact that the UvA usually receives a relatively high percentage(more than 11%) of the grants for young researchers from the NWOs InnovationalResearch Incentives Scheme (Vernieuwingsimpulssubsidies) can be seen as aconfirmation of the quality of UvA research. It is also notable that eight of the forty-four


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Spinoza Prize winners were from the UvA. The UvA seeks to preserve and reinforce thishigh quality of research.

Assumption 2: The UvA nurtures its research talent

A university must have talented and motivated researchers if it is to maintain and

develop its leading position as a research institution. This is not something that can beachieved simply by providing more funds or attracting excellent staff. Young talent mustalso be offered the right opportunities and prospects. The UvA therefore invests in botheducating its own young talent and attracting promising young researchers from

elsewhere.

Students are first introduced to research at the bachelors level. After obtaining their

bachelors degree, the best students are given the opportunity to do a research masters,which will help prepare them for an eventual doctorate. To facilitate a smooth transition

between a research masters and a PhD programme, all the research masters and PhDprogrammes of each faculty are taught in the research institutes. This, combined withexcellent supervision and an exciting and challenging research environment, enables PhDstudents to complete their programme in three or four years. The quality of the PhD

programmes, the responsibility for which lies with the research institutes/graduateschools, is safeguarded by the quality assurance cycle for research.

After the best researchers have obtained their PhD, the UvA aims to give them theopportunity to pursue their academic career at the UvA through a post-doctoral position

or lectureship, preferably after a period of conducting research at a foreign university.Researchers who have received a grant from the NWOs Innovational Research IncentivesScheme are also more than welcome at the UvA. The UvAs human resources policyfocuses on giving these talented young people the opportunity to invest in their personal

development and to advance towards a position as senior lecturer or professor. The UvAaims for diversity in its academic staff. For more than a decade, it has had a special Fundfor Stimulating the Employment of Women in the Ranks of Higher Education(Fonds terStimulering van de toename van vrouwen in de hogere wetenschappelijke rangen). Italso encourages students from ethnic minorities to pursue a PhD within the framework of

the NWOs Mosaic (Mozaek) Programme.

Hiring talent from outside the UvA is an important way of reinforcing the quality of theUvAs academic staff. The UvA has learned from experience that a friendly andchallenging research environment and an excellent infrastructure are prerequisites forrecruiting and retaining talented young researchers. To help young researchers develop

into leaders in their respective fields, the UvA knows it must invest in their talents andworking environment.

Assumption 3: Research at the UvA is driven by curiosity and has socialrelevance

Perhaps more than anywhere else, a university is the place for independent andunorthodox research. A university should be a breeding ground for knowledge andinsights that can also be employed in university education. This type of research is madepossible by the government through direct funding (eerste geldstroom). The NWO makesa substantial contribution to fundamental research through indirect funding (tweedegeldstroom), and it will continue in the future to enable excellent researchers from

junior to highly qualified senior researchers to pursue and give shape to their academiccareers.4

4Wetenschap gewaardeerd! NWO strategie 2007-2010 (Science Valued: NWO Research Strategy for 2007-2010), Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research, 2006.


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Every year, the UvA spends about 100 million on research via direct funding. It receivesan additional 23 million via indirect funding and about 49 million from commercial

partners. This demonstrates the importance the UvA attaches to both independentresearch, financed by direct funding, and social relevance, financed by indirect fundingand funds obtained through contract research (derde geldstroom).

The picture presented in section 1 (the international and national context) clearly revealsthat between fundamental research and applied research a third category has emerged:strategic research. Strategic research focuses on questions that are not directlyapplication-oriented but which contribute towards a knowledge base relevant to future

development or innovation goals. One might speak of a research spectrum spanning fromfundamental through strategic to applied research, with UvA research covering the entirerange.

The UvA defines social relevance in broad terms. Socially relevant research contributes

either in the short or long term to Dutch society for example, to education,advancement and cultural development by supporting national policy issues orstrengthening the countrys knowledge base. Section 1 touches upon the importance ofcollaborating with the business community and social agencies in the Amsterdam region.

As a result, in its research choices the UvA will try to embed its work in the region. TheUvA also attaches great importance to external accountability with regard to how itsdirect funding is spent. Consequently, it will make every effort to be transparent whenpresenting the results of research financed through these channels.


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Typical UvA ResearchAffective Processes

Emotions can be described as extremely short pathways between a need and a tendencyto exhibit certain behaviour without too much reasoning along the way. The research intoaffective processes centres on the interaction between cognitive and emotionalprocesses, which exert intensive influences on each other. Experimental manipulation of

these processes provides insight into how they are linked. The research focuses on theemergence, regulation and consequences of emotions in and for evaluative and decision-making processes and human behaviour. Affective disorders and phobias are alsoexamined. In addition, relations between mood disorders, well-being and health

constitute an important line of research. Multidisciplinary research is conducted into theregulation and deregulation of sleep and the impact of sleeping disorders on people.Another area of interest is the role of emotions in inter-group processes and phenomena

such as ethnic stereotyping. Five of the six research groups at the PsychologyDepartment conduct research into affective processes. This emphasis is unique in the

Netherlands and is one of the ways psychology research conducted at the UvAdistinguishes itself both nationally and internationally.The research is supervised by Joop van der Pligt.

Conflict and NegotiationConflicts occur everywhere throughout society. Researchers at the Amsterdam Centre forConflict Studies (ACS) study the dynamics of conflicts, alternative ways to settle themand the link between the media and conflicts. There are four specific research themes.

Urban Conflicts demonstrates how tensions are generated in urban regions under theinfluence of globalisation and how they can be dealt with as constructively as possible.Religion and Conflict focuses on the relationship between religion, culture and conflict,and the role of religion in the debate on integration. Researchers study how differentreligions can co-exist in one culture. Authority and Conflict examines civil initiatives andthe governance strategies of governments that try to effect solutions via collaborationrather than authority. Armed Conflicts and the Promotion of Enduring Peace concentrateson the obfuscation of the concept of war. This obfuscation is caused by non-state

conflicts such as civil wars and the war on terror. Special attention is paid to the role oflocal actors and circumstances (such as the clan structure in Afghanistan, Iraq and

Somalia) and the possibilities for creating pre-conditions for enduring peace. This lasttheme also includes studies on international military or humanitarian interventions.

The research is supervised by Maarten Hajer.

e-BioScience ApproachNew molecular (omics) technologies have led to experiments in the biological and

medical fields of research that have generated enormous amounts of data. At the sametime, there have been major developments in bioinformatic methodologies, e-Scienceand the ICT infrastructure. It is, however, no easy task for the life sciences to effectively

apply and implement these developments in their research. The e-Bioscience Approachprovides a multidisciplinary method for the medical and biomedical research questionswith an emphasis on (omics) experiment design, data pre-processingintegrationinterpretation and knowledge representation. The Faculty of Science contributes

intensively towards the development of a solid e-BioScience environment. Specificaspects of UvA e-BioScience which life scientists can make use of include large data-fileprocessing, data integration and knowledge representation, dynamic process modellingand simulation, complex systems methods, domain visualisation and interaction such asin the e-BioLab currently under development.

The research is supervised by Bob Hertzberger.

Systems BiologyHow does life work? Researchers in systems biology or integrative biology use predictive

models to gain greater insight into the organisation of living systems and the interaction


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between their components. These systems can vary in scale from molecules, genes, cells,tissue, organisms or populations to entire ecosystems. Smart combinations ofexperiments and quantitative models yield new insights that lead to applications in public

health and the food industry. This kind of approach to living systems requires state-of-the-art expertise in a number of fields, which is why biologists at the Faculty of Sciencecollaborate intensively with physicists, mathematicians and computer technicians. This isalso why the Netherlands Institute for Systems Biology (NISB) was recently founded in

conjunction with the VU University Amsterdam, the Centre for Mathematics andInformatics (CWI) and the FOM Institute for Atomic and Molecular Physics.

The research is supervised by Klaas Hellingwerf and Roel van Driel.

Astroparticle PhysicsFinding the origin of high-energetic radiation in the universe is the Holy Grail in the fieldof astroparticle physics, a science on the interface of astronomy and physics. This

radiation may in part be caused by the presence of huge quantities of dark matter anddark energy in the universe. The astroparticle experiments are supplemented by data

from particle accelerators (in which extremely high levels of energy are used to forceelementary particles to collide). Accelerators such as the Large Hadron Collider push theborders of our knowledge on elementary particles and help us explore the unknownmaterial of the universe. These developments can be expected to markedly enhance our

picture of the universe and its fundamental laws, allowing us to unravel cosmologicaldevelopments ever since the Big Bang and calculate the quantity of dark material anddark energy in the universe. At the same time, this information opens a new perspectiveon other sources, i.e. dynamic high-energetic systems in the cosmos. Telescopes such asLOFAR (Low Frequency Array) reveal the fundamental properties of these sources. There

is collaboration in the field of astrophysics with theoretical physics, astronomy and highenergy physics institutes.

The research is supervised by Frank Linde, Stan Bentvelsen, Ralph Wijers and RobbertDijkgraaf.

European Law and International Copyright LawThe advent of the information society poses new questions pertaining to legislation and

regulation, e.g. with respect to digital rights, copyright law, open content, databank lawand European harmonisation. Information law covers a number of legal areas such as

intellectual property, basic communication rights (i.e. the rights to privacy and freedomof speech), the regulation of government information and commercial information, and

the market structuring of information networks, in particular telecommunications and themedia. Information law is not linked to one information technology; it extends the lines,from the old (analogous) media through to electronic media such as broadcasting and theInternet. Researchers at the Institute for Information Law are internationally recognised

and are able to successfully acquire indirect and contract funding.The research is supervised by Bernt Hugenholtz.

Multi-level ResponsibilityThe once straightforward relations among states and between the state and theindividual have become far more obscure in recent years. Developments in internationallaw have resulted in overlapping forms of responsibility and liability. This research

programme clarifies this diffuse picture via international research and Europeancooperation in the framework of a Network of Excellence (FP6). The central focus is onthe distribution of cases among courts, the mutual relationship between political andlegal responsibility and liability, and the unity and fragmentation of international law.

The research is supervised by Andr Nollkaemper.

European Contract LawEuropean private law exercises a great deal of influence on national legal systems, andthe two are becoming increasingly interwoven. Many seemingly national rules originate

from sources in European law. What is more, many European legal rules take direct


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precedence over national law. The influence of European private law goes beyond merelegal or economic dimensions; it also affects ideological, cultural and social aspects. Inthe European Contract Law research programme, questions are posed about the

coherence and political and social justice of European private law. The group is known asthe Centre for the Study of European Contract Law. A significant amount of Europeanfunding has been raised for the research programme.

The research is supervised by Martijn Hesselink.

Immunology and I nfectious DiseasesThe latest genetic and cellular technology makes it possible to discover new viruses.Detailed descriptions of the properties of viruses that cause certain infections allow us to

use existing medication more effectively. The discovery of new viruses is also relevant tothe development of new medication for treating viral infections. One of the top researchgroups in the field of immunology and infectious diseases, Retrovirus and RNA ViralInfections, is headed by Ben Berkhout. Berkhouts group is not only focused ondiscovering new viruses; it also works on combating HIV.

The I m m u n o lo g y a n d I n f e ct i o u s D i se as es programme is supervised by Tom van dePoll and Hanneke Schuitemaker.

Cardiovascular, Cardiogenetic and Vascular Research

Heart failure means the heart is not working properly as a pump, resulting in eitherinsufficient blood being supplied to the tissues to meet the bodys needs or the arteriesbecoming blocked. The top research group Clinical Aspects of Heart Failure is supervisedby Arthur Wilde. This large research group plays a prominent international role in theresearch into heart failure caused by heart rhythm disorders. They focus on the genetic

background of various disorders classified as cardiac arrhythmia, devoting specificattention to electro-rhythm disorders and the electrophysiological processes in the heart.The leading research group Molecular and Structural Aspects of Heart Failure supervisedby Antoon Moorman examines molecular process at the cellular level in the development

of the heart. Both Wilde and Moormans research groups work in close conjunction.The Card io vascu lar , Card iog enet ic and Vascu lar Research programme is supervisedby Antoon Moorman and John Kastelein.

Metabolic Diseases

Diseases affecting the metabolism are congenital and caused by gene mutations that areresponsible for a shortage of a certain enzyme. Well-known metabolic diseases include

phenylketonuria (PKU), Pompes disease and Tay-Sachs disease. Although the diagnosticpossibilities have greatly increased in recent years, treatment results for many metabolicdiseases are nonetheless inadequate. Both clinical and fundamental metabolic diseaseresearch are at the forefront at the UvAs Academic Medical Center (AMC). The

Lysosomal Pathology and Nitrogen Metabolism top research group is supervised by HansAerts. The AMC has been selected as the national research and treatment centre forlysosomal glycolipid metabolic diseases and so has an active coordinating role in

international studies on diagnostic tools and new therapies for these diseases. Inresearch on the treatment of diabetes type 2, designing specific glycosphingolipidsynthesis inhibitors has proven to be a viable concept and will also be applicable to othermetabolic diseases.

The Metabolic Diseases programme is supervised by Hans Aerts and Frits Wijburg.

Biofilm and Oral InfectionsTooth decay and parodontal and endodontal infections are the most common diseases ofthe oral cavity. Scientists in the field of biofilm and oral infections focus on the

development, prevention and treatment of these disorders. They investigate the role ofspecific bacteria in dental plaque and the role of host factors such as geneticallydetermined differences in immunological resistance. As part of prevention, environmentalfactors such as oral hygiene and the use of fluoride are also investigated. Treatment

options are explored in various ways, e.g. by developing and prescribing peptide


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analogues of histatines (antimicrobial substances from the saliva) and influencing theinteraction among micro-organisms.

The research conducted at the Academic Centre for Dentistry Amsterdam (ACTA) issupervised by Bob ten Cate, Ubele van der Velden and Arie van Nieuw Amerongen.

Bioengineering and Reconstruction of Bone and Tooth TissueThis research at the Faculty of Dentistry focuses on the application and recovery of bone,

muscle tissue and paradontium. The paradontium, the tissue surrounding the teeth, playsa role in fastening the teeth to the jaw. Researchers study various aspects, including theregeneration of the bone and paradontium after operations or as a result of breakage andthe restoration of a defective function. At the fundamental level, researchers examine the

influence of mechanical stress and growth factors on bone cells and the normal andabnormal development of the mastication system.

The research is supervised by Vincent Everts, Chiel Naeije and Theo van Eijden.

Cultural Analysis

Culture can be defined as an all-embracing concept for the entire range of symbolic andmaterial expressions in words, gestures, images and sounds that people use to identifythemselves and distinguish themselves from others. Researchers in this field focus on thesystematic interpretation of contemporary culture and historical subjects. They analyse

cultural phenomena and their conceptual foundations. The emphasis here is on thetextual, visual and historical details as well as the implied normativity in the ways thatidentity, difference and distinction play a role in various media. The research comprisesfive programmes: Evaluating Institutions and Practices, Transnationalism andMulticulturalism, Structure and Story, Technology and the New Mediatisation andArgumentation in Discourse.The research is supervised by Mieke Bal, Frans van Eemeren, Thomas Elsaesser, Josvan Dijck and Patricia Pisters.

Culture and HistoryEurope has a rich culture. The Institute for Culture and History (ICH) focuses on thestudy of European culture from a historical perspective. Text and objects are studied not

only individually but also in the context of the historical structures and processes withinwhich they were created and functioned. Conversely, these structures are used to explain

the specific representation of the texts and objects. The research at the ICH covers awide range of subjects and approaches. The main fields are archaeology, history,

literature and art. The research on cultural dynamics, heritage and canonisationconstitutes the core of the Institutes work. One strong and highly multidisciplinarycluster is the Amsterdam Centre for the Study of the Golden Age (Henk van Nierop).Heritage Studies is becoming increasingly important in relation to the preservation ofmonuments and historic buildings, archaeology and related fields. Smaller groups thatare rapidly developing include Holocaust and Genocide Studies, Hermetic Philosophy andEuropean Studies.

Logic, Language and ComputationThe contemporary world of technology is driven by flows of information. It is a challengefor todays researchers to gain deeper insight into them and to reinforce existing

applications. Researchers at the Institute for Logic, Language and Computation (ILLC),an inter-faculty research institute, study the coding, transference and analysis ofinformation. The emphasis is on natural and formal languages, but other informationcarriers such as images and music are studied as well. The research is stronglyinternational and interdisciplinary and intertwines insights from various disciplines in the

fields of information and information processing, such as logic, mathematics, computerscience, linguistics, cognition science, artificial intelligence and philosophy.

The research is supervised by Martin Stokhof, Jeroen Groenendijk, Frank Veltman andMichiel van Lambalgen.


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The Language BlueprintLinguistics focuses on the systematic aspects underlying spoken and signed languagesand language use, one of the higher cognitive functions the human brain is capable of.

Linguistics is part of the basis for the abstract modelling of human cognitive processes.The Amsterdam Center for Language and Communication (ACLC) unites researchersstudying these aspects of linguistics. It covers a wide range of topics and employsdiverse theoretical, observational and experimental research methods. The linguistic

research conducted at the ACLC examines variation and the system behind variation asformulated in The Language Blueprint. Natural languages exhibit great variation in all theaspects of their structure, in how they convey meaning and in how they are used. Thehuman language faculty is highly flexible. Despite this diversity, languages exhibit a

striking degree of similarity, now encoded in what are known as language universals.These define the language blueprint, the basic layout of any system of humancommunication. The ACLC applies a novel and integrated strategy to significantly

enhance our understanding of the nature of this blueprint. Universals are studied fromany number of descriptive and theoretical perspectives. The research focuses on four

areas: Language Description and Typology, Linguistic Modelling, Language Variation andChange and Language Acquisition and Processing. The focus for the next few years is onTypology and Multilingualism.The research is supervised by Anne Baker, Paul Boersma, Kees Hengeveld, Jan Hulstijn

and Fred Weerman.

Finance Group

Corporate Finance & Financial Systems is an internationally renowned research groupthat focuses on financing, in particular on financial markets, risk management, corporate

finance and bank intermediation theory. The group has strong ties to institutions in theUnited States, where many of the staff have conducted research or lectured. In recentyears, conferences have been organised in conjunction with Wharton School of theUniversity of Pennsylvania, the London Business School, the University of Michigan and

Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, among others. The research grouprecently welcomed the visiting professor Florencio Lopez-de-Silanes and there are strongties with Stijn Claessens of the World Bank.

The research is supervised by Enrico Perotti.

Center for Research in Experimental Economics and P olitical Decision-MakingAs a science, economics is known for its hypothetical models and abstract game theory.

But it is also an experimental science that uses laboratory tests to observe humanbehaviour and test theoretical representations. It has been demonstrated in thelaboratory that observed behaviour deviates from theoretical predictions. That is whyalternative theories are developed that can more accurately predict observed behaviour

and so serve as an important supplement to the classic economic models. The Center forResearch in Experimental Economics and Political Decision-Making (CREED) is aninternationally prominent research institute in the field of experimental economics and

(political) decision-making. The Centre is playing a leading role in the development of thenew research field of Behavioural Economics (with strong links to psychology andbiology) and heads various related networks such as ENABLE, the European Network forthe Advancement of Behavioural Economics. Researchers at CREED focus on the

economics of political decision-making, limited rationality and institutions, andexperimental economics. At the CREED laboratory, political economic processes arecreated that make it possible to implement adequate monitoring and precise measuring.Researchers at CREED include Theo Offerman (Behavioural Game Theory), JoepSonnemans (Behavioural Economics), Arthur Schram (Experimental Economics) and

Frans van Winden (Political Economics). There are also strong ties with Jacob Goeree(Caltech).

The research is supervised by Frans van Winden.


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Typical interdisciplinary UvA researchCognitive Science Center Amsterdam

How does the human mind acquire, preserve, use and express knowledge and how arethese abilities transmitted by the brain? These and other questions are what scientistsaddress in the field of the cognitive sciences. A key research area is the functioning ofthe brain in relation to behaviour. The function and dysfunction of the nervous system,

particularly the brain, is also increasingly a topic of interest. The UvA has an excellentand comprehensive curriculum in the field of the cognitive sciences which cuts acrossdisciplinary lines into psychology, logic, psycholinguistics and biology. The research ismainly conducted at the Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences, which coordinates

the Cognitive Science Center Amsterdam (CSCA). The Faculty of Science and the Facultyof Humanities are closely connected to the research, and researchers in the fields oflanguage and neurobiology are also linked to Cognitive Sciences. Every year the CSCA

organises lectures and a summer school. A prominent guest professor is also appointedevery year to the Nico Frijda Chair.

The CSCA is coordinated by Maurits van der Molen.

Amsterdam Institute for Labour StudiesLabour issues are often complex. Political, economic and cultural internationalisation

means markets are no longer embedded in national states. Instead, states and institutesare embedded in international markets. This is why it is now time to re-examine thesolutions and insights from the industrial and national era, and new institutions andtheories are called for. Increasing international competitive pressure and the latestdevelopments in the fields of communication and information should also be taken into

consideration. Furthermore, answers are needed with reference to the growing inequalityand risks associated with international migration, differences in knowledge andeducation, ageing, changing behaviour in the labour market and altered family relations.The Amsterdam Institute for Labour Studies (AIAS) combines the expertise of

economists, sociologists, psychologists and legal and medical experts employed in thelabour field.

The research programme focuses on three sub-areas: the development of institutions inrelation to the labour markets, labour relations and organisations, and social policy;

inequality in the labour markets, particularly the role of institutions in them; and finally,internationalisation in the labour markets and labour relations (employees, company

management, social security and social dialogue). Every year the AIAS organises aconference, and is involved in organising international conferences for networks such asthe European Economic Association (EEA) and the European Low-Wage EmploymentResearch Network (LoWER). In addition, every two weeks the AIAS holds lunch seminars

with lectures by its own scientists and international guests.The research is supervised by Jelle Visser.

Amsterdam Center for Law & EconomicsThere has recently been a growing need to apply economic insights to legislation andregulation and indeed to integrate legal principles and developments into economicdecision-making. Legal experts tend to focus on the letter of the law, whereas

economists concentrate on the interpretation of the law. The Amsterdam Center for Law& Economics (ACLE) serves as a bridge between legal experts and economists and wasset up as a joint initiative of the Economics and Law Faculties. ACLE research focuses onthree areas: Competition & Regulation, Corporate Governance & Law and Foundations ofLaw & Economics. Partly as a result of the appointment of the top researchersGiuseppeDari Mattiacci (Foundations of Law & Economics), Maarten Pieter Schinkel(Competition) and Joseph McCahery (Corporate Law & Governance), the ACLE has rapidlyestablished an excellent reputation.

The research is supervised by Arnoud Boot.


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3. Focus of the research at the UvA

Theme 1: Research pr iority areas

While the selection of research priority areas is based in part on academic interest, it is

also determined by the themes formulated by the external funding agencies, such as the

ministries, the NWO and the European Union (see section 1). The selection of researchpriority areas can also be influenced by a universitys own research traditions. The UvAstrives wherever possible to allow research to be driven by the researchers curiosity,

without losing sight of the social context (assumption 3). Each faculty has its ownresearch priority areas. The Board and the deans make agreements about these priorityareas every four years and set them out in the covenants. The Board ensures that the

proper conditions exist for excellent research to be conducted.

The selection of research priority areas is inspired mainly by the researchers interests. Atthe same time, links are sought to the themes put forward by the external fundingagencies, such as the NWO, the KNAW, the Dutch ministries and the European Union.

Theme 2: Interdisciplinary research

Given the broad range of its research, the UvA is in an excellent position to stimulateinterdisciplinary research (see the examples on page 16 and in Appendix 1).Interdisciplinary research involves intensive collaboration between various disciplines,with the goal of exploring scientific questions jointly. In recent years the Board has

enabled the faculties to stimulate interdisciplinary research. Collaborative frameworksreceive a start-up subsidy over a period of years to allow them to successfully launchtheir research, after which the research must become a structural component of theresearch programme of the participating faculties. This set-up has led to a number ofsuccessful collaborative frameworks, such as the Cognitive Science Center Amsterdam,

the Amsterdam Institute for Labour Studies, the Institute for Migration and EthnicStudies and the Centre for the Golden Age.

The UvA will continue to stimulate interdisciplinary research not as an end in itself but

because of its enhanced value for science. The UvA is convinced that new insights aredeveloped mainly at the interface between various academic disciplines. There alsoseems to be a growing need for an interdisciplinary approach to help solve the specific

problems confronting society. Moreover, interdisciplinary collaboration is often anindispensable part of efforts to launch large-scale subsidised projects, such as when

submitting requests within the framework programmes of the European Commission.

As noted in section 1, a particular challenge of interfaculty, interdisciplinary research isthat it is often not viewed as part of the core task of the participating faculties and

researchers. University researchers' careers are shaped by academic status, which inturn is mainly determined by publications in their own discipline in predominantly single-discipline journals. Once the Board of the UvA has ended its initial financial support, ithas proven difficult to secure the lasting financial commitment from the faculty that is

required in order to embed the research. The funding of interdisciplinary research,particularly where it transcends faculties, requires attention. The joint appointment ofacademic staff (from lecturers to professors) by more than one faculty can contribute tothe emergence of lasting collaborative initiatives that enhance overall value. Targetedsupport will also be directed to interdisciplinary research that fits into the research

programmes of the faculty or faculties involved. In consultation with the faculties, theBoard will create frameworks for stimulating interdisciplinary research. Experience showsthat in order to maximise the possibility of success of interdisciplinary and interfacultyresearch, it is important to appoint a renowned researcher as the project leader.


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The UvA will continue to support interfaculty, interdisciplinary research. Jointappointments of academic staff (from lecturers to professors) by more than one faculty

will contribute to the creation of viable and lasting collaborative projects which in turnwill enhance the value of the research programmes of the individual faculties.

Theme 3: Innovative research

The UvA research agenda is increasingly influenced by external parties. For example, the

revenue generated by contract research has been increasing over the past few years.There is also a trend for university funding to be skimmed off for use by other financingagencies, such as the KNAW or the NWO (for example, for the top research schools andwithin the context of small-scale stimulation (kleine dynamisering)). Moreoever, variousexternal parties such as the NWO, the Dutch Ministries and the European Union areasking the universities to make a comparable financial contribution (matching). Asubstantial part of the direct funding intended for fundamental research is therefore usedfor other purposes and can no longer be freely spent (see section 1). The UvA spends

approximately 8 million a year in direct matching contributions. About 2 million of thisgoes to indirect matching (housing, infrastructure and so forth).

The UvAs aim is to allow the researchers curiosity to inspire the choice of research

priority areas wherever possible. In many cases, this curiosity-driven research fits intothe directly financed lines of research already in existence at the UvA (assumption 4).

Despite the decline in resources available through direct funding, the UvA will continue todo everything it can to support innovative and high-risk research that has the potential ofdeveloping into a new research priority area. In the new allocation model, the facultieswill, in principle, have scope for this within their own budgets. In consultation with the

faculties, the Board will establish frameworks for funding innovative research. The UvAwill seek to amend or expand the direct funding arrangements so that this money willagain be fully available to support curiosity-driven research. In addition, the UvA seeks to

expand its influence on external parties with respect to developments in new fields ofresearch in order to play a role in determining their research agendas. The Board willpromote leadership and stimulate first-class UvA researchers to play a role in policy-making agencies (such as the programmatic boards of the NWO).

The UvA will continue to do everything it can to support innovative and high-riskresearch. The Board and the deans will make agreements about stimulating this type of

research.


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4. Quality of the research and the researchers

Theme 4: Managing for and stimulating qua lity

In 2003 the national system of assessing research per discipline under the auspices of

the VSNU was abandoned. Since then, the quality of research has been evaluated in

accordance with the Standard Evaluation Protocol (SEP) drawn up by the KNAW, theNWO and the VSNU. Responsibility for the research assessment is now in the hands ofthe three individual agencies, each of which can make its own decision about whether the

research should be evaluated per discipline and/or in a national context.

Since 2004 UvA research has been evaluated per institute in accordance with the UvA

Research Evaluation Protocol (UvA Protocol Onderzoeksevaluaties), which is in line withthe national Standard Evaluation Protocol. To preserve national comparability, the UvAseeks to organise the research assessments within a national framework whereverpossible. The evaluation results are used in determining UvA research policy. Inaccordance with the Standard Evaluation Protocol, the research is assessed once everysix years by an international external committee of experts. The assessment criteria are:

quality, productivity, relevance and viability. The external committee uses the results of

the mid-term review of all UvA research (conducted every three years), of the annualreports of the research institutes and of an on-site visit. With the approval of the dean,

the research institute amends its research policy, based on the results of the mid-termand external reviews. The goal is to preserve and reinforce the quality of UvA research.Research that scores less than a 3 for quality according to the Standard EvaluationProtocol should be discontinued.

The most important factors in preserving and consolidating the quality of research at theUvA are the retention of talent and excellence, the embedding the research in designatedpriority areas and maintaining the broad scope of the UvA research programme. Because

certain research is important to the UvA if this scope is to be maintained, some groupswhose achievements are less impressive may receive more support than others. Tofurther stimulate the quality of research (assumption 1), the UvA will reward research

groups that perform well. This will be done, for example, by allocating extra fundingand/or personnel, such as an additional position for a PhD student, more research time,support staff or research assistants, or a travel budget for attending conferences. Sincethe financial scope is limited, this funding will have to be made available by reducing

support to other, less successful, research projects. Managing large-scale researchprojects with external funding (for example, within the framework programmes of theEuropean Commission) is often a complex matter. The UVAs Knowledge Transfer Office(formerly the Liaison Office) can play an advisory and supportive role in managing these

projects.

The UvA safeguards the quality of its research through the UvA Research EvaluationProtocol and supports, wherever possible, external evaluations carried out in a nationalcontext. Based on the assessment results, the research policy is amended at theinstitute, faculty and/or university level. The retention of talent and excellence is the

basic assumption in this regard. To stimulate the quality of research, the UvA will rewardresearch groups whose achievements are impressive. The financial scope to do so will be

sought by reducing support to other, less successful, research projects.

Theme 5: Education as a breeding ground for research talent

Excellent researchers are a prerequisite for outstanding research. Many of these arerecruited from outside the UvA, nationally and internationally, but naturally the UvA alsodraws from its own pool of students and graduates. By introducing students to research


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at an early stage, it is possible to recognise and invest in talent (assumption 2). Byacquainting bachelors students with the idea of doing a research masters degree, theUvA brings them into contact with research via explicitly research-oriented study

programmes and academic student counselling. At a later stage in the bachelorsprogramme, students can assist in conducting research.

In the natural sciences, it is not uncommon for students doing a two-year masters

programme to be involved in a research project. In recent years, two-year researchmasters programmes have also been developed (and accredited) in the humanities andthe social and medical sciences. These research masters programmes prepare studentsfor a possible career in research by giving them the opportunity to take part in ongoing

faculty research programmes that are supervised by first-class researchers and lecturers.After completing a research masters programme, promising students can be admitted toa PhD programme.

To introduce as many students as possible to research options, in principle the UvA gives,

every bachelors student the opportunity to do a research masters. The UvA has alreadydeveloped such programmes for a wide range of disciplines and is making every effort toexpand the range. A research masters programme in Law, for example, will bedeveloped.

The UvA seeks to introduce as many bachelors and masters students as possible toresearch. As a result, research masters programmes will be developed for every

discipline.

Theme 6: PhD programmes

At the PhD stage, research talent is given the opportunity to develop further (assumption

2). The UvA has PhD programmes in all disciplines. The UvA employs approximately1,360 PhD students, for example as research assistants, and every year about 310 obtaintheir doctorate, two-thirds of which are in the natural science and medical sectors. Less

than half the students who are granted their PhD continue their careers as a member ofthe academic staff.

The UvA offers an attractive, international research environment for PhD students, inwhich they can develop their research talent and are given excellent trainingopportunities (assumption 1). Being successful at the PhD level requires good counselling

on the part of both the promotor and the supervisor(s). The quality of the PhDprogramme is safeguarded by the internal and external research assessments carried outin accordance with the Standard Evaluation Protocol, the annual assessments made by

the promotor and the PhD student, and the UvA PhD Student Regulations(Promotiereglement).

In view of its goal to make an important contribution to the development of a Dutch and

European knowledge-based society in the coming years, the UvA aims to have more PhDstudents obtain their doctorates. Simply recruiting more PhD students is not an option as

the necessary financial resources are not available. The solution will therefore mostly liein ensuring that a higher proportion of PhD students obtain their degree, and preferably

in less time than is currently the case. It now often takes PhD students more than fouryears to complete their degree, while (too) many never achieve this goal. The UvA seeksto improve performance rates and to increase the annual percentage of PhD students

who obtain their PhD by 15% within four years. This means that, starting in 2010, about370 PhD degrees should be awarded annually (assuming the number of PhD studentsremains stable).


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In addition, the UvA aims to have 60% of its PhD students obtain their degrees withinfive years. To achieve this, coaching will be needed for both the PhD students and theirpromotors. This can take the form of a structured training programme and a streamlined

series of progress reports involving external experts in an advisory role. An assessmentof the promotors capacities as a counsellor will also be part of the process. Counsellingcan be improved by appointing a team for every PhD student, consisting of the promotorand at least one supervisor, who can be approached by the PhD student on a daily basis

if necessary. At the beginning of the PhD programme, a training and supervision planshould be drawn up to serve as the basis for the mandatory annual assessments. A yearafter the programme has started, an assessment should be made as to whether the PhDstudent will be able to complete the PhD thesis within the set time. The UvAs basic

assumption is that the PhD student who receives a positive evaluation at that juncturewill complete the PhD programme successfully and on time. This policy to change thePhD programme mindset has already been implemented in a number of faculties.

The founding of graduate schools, which house the masters, research masters and PhD

programmes, will also play an important role in improving PhD performance rates. PhDprogrammes can be shorter if the masters, research masters and PhD programmes arewell linked, though in such a way that this does not form an obstacle to inter-city andinternational student mobility. Since a PhD degree is an important step not only towards

a career in research but also towards other positions in society, more attention should bedevoted to this aspect during the course of the study programme. The UvA is makingevery effort to broaden the qualifications of PhD students, for example by involving themin the management of the research groups.

To ensure that there is an adequate pool of research talent but also to make acontribution to the development of the knowledge society at the Dutch and European

level, the UvA seeks to train more PhD students. This can be achieved through betterperformance rates and shorter PhD programmes. The graduate schools, which house themasters, research masters and PhD programmes, together with a new mindset on thepart of the promotors and the PhD students can help facilitate this.

Theme 7: From PhD student to professor

The UvA makes every effort to be an attractive employer for the best researchersrecruited from the national and international pool (assumption 3). It provides anexcellent international research environment in which it is easy to conduct research, and

offers good facilities with respect to fieldwork, courses, ICT and administrative support.

In recent decades there has been a decrease in the opportunities for up-and-coming

talent to advance to an academic post within the UvA. This has to do with the agedistribution of the academic staff. A personnel policy based on the principle of permanentstaff positions has probably exacerbated this effect. In addition to the limited number ofresearch positions available, the growing number of those seeking positions also plays a

role: there has been an enormous increase in the number of PhD graduates since theintroduction of the two-tier structure (Tweefasenstructuur).

To improve career advancement opportunities, the UvA should place greater emphasis on

quality appreciation in its human resources policy, so that well-trained graduates can getthose jobs for which they have developed special talents. To promote the principle ofcareer advancement, additional capacity in the workforce would be desirable. While this

will be achieved mainly through attrition, it may also be created by finding alternativeemployment for underperforming researchers.

Talent can also be stimulated at various stages of the academic career. The UvA will

devote more attention to this in the years to come, for example by offering assistance in


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writing requests for NWO Innovational Research Incentives Scheme grants (Veni, Vidiand Vici) and in nominating candidates for the KNAWs Young Academy or KNAWprofessorships.

The UvA is an attractive employer for both Dutch and international researchers. Toimprove the ca reer advancem en t o p p o r t u n i t i e s for research talent, the careerprinciple will play an important role in its human resources policy. The necessary capacity

in the workforce will become available in the coming years both through attrition andthrough career alternatives for researchers whose development is stagnating.


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5. How the research is organised

Universities are traditionally the organisational framework within which research isconducted. There have long been institutional and personal links between universities,while other national and international frameworks have been established more recently.

In the Netherlands these frameworks include the top research schools, the Technological

Top Institutes (TTIs) and Societal Top Institutes (STIs), and the BISK (Decree on Grantsfor Investments in Knowledge Infrastructure) partnerships. Research frameworks havebeen introduced at a European level as well, such as the Networks of Excellence (NoEs).

The universities, however, continue to be and wish to remain the prime institutionsresponsible for the funding spent on research and for safeguarding the quality ofresearch. In the past decade, the way study programmes and research at the UvA were

organised has been revised in keeping with the University Government (Modernisation)Act (Wet Modernisering Universitair Bestuursorganisatie, MUB). In an effort to clearlystipulate the responsibilities for research and education, all research is now conducted atthe research institutes (onderzoeksinstituten) and all study programmes are organised bythe education institutes (onderwijsinstituten). The deans have primary responsibility forthe contents of the research conducted at the UvA. The Board formulates the general

guidelines for the UvAs research policy.

The recently formulated desire to keep pace with international developments in bothresearch and education particularly in the Anglo-Saxon world has led the UvA to found

graduate schools.

Theme 8: The graduate schools

In 2004, most UvA faculties cautiously began to make plans for founding their owngraduate schools. This was often done with a view to raising the international visibility ofthe UvA with respect to its masters and PhD programmes and to attracting more

students, including those from abroad. The creation of graduate schools was acceleratedin 2005 when these schools were given responsibility for safeguarding the quality of the

PhD programmes (assumption 2). Both the (preparatory) research masters programmesand the PhD programmes now fall under the graduate schools. A more streamlined

curriculum has thus been created which is expected to improve the performance ratesand reduce the duration of the PhD programmes.

In the coming years, all the masters, research masters and PhD programmes will fallunder the graduate schools. The structure of the graduate schools will be closely linked

to existing structures and responsibilities, as well as to specific organisational structureswithin the faculties. The graduate schools will not constitute an extra management levelwithin the university organisation. Instead, they will be working frameworks between theexisting organisational units (the research institutes, education institutes and

departments). The responsibility for the masters, research masters and PhDprogrammes will remain in the hands of the research and education institutes. It is thetask of the graduate schools to provide an optimal link between the masters, researchmasters and PhD programmes. Accordingly, over time, the UvA will transfer all the

masters, research masters and PhD programmes to the graduate schools.


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Appendix 1: Interfaculty collaboration at the UvA

Faculty of Social and Behavioural SciencesCognitive Sciences (supervisor: Van der Molen)Collaboration with the Faculty of Science and the Academic Medical Center (AMC),

Amsterdam.

Conflict and Negotiation(supervisor: Hajer)From the Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences: Labour and OrganisationalPsychology (De Dreu), Regional Planning (Salet), Dynamics of Science (MCharek),

Governance (Hajer); from the Faculty of Law: Multi-level Responsibility (Nollkaemper);from the Faculty of Economics and Business: Experimental Economics.There is also cooperation within the Institute for Migration and Ethnic Studies (Rath) with

the Faculty of Law and the Faculty of Humanities and within the Amsterdam Institute forLabour Studies (Visser) with the Faculty of Law, the Faculty of Economics and Businessand the Academic Medical Center (AMC), Amsterdam.

Faculty of Science

e-Bioscience (supervisor: Herzberger)There is collaboration here between the Institute for Informatics, the Institute for

Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics and the Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences.Systems Biology (supervisors: Hellingwerf, Van Driel). There is collaboration herebetween the Faculty of Science (Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences) BISKprogramme (Decree on Grants for Investments in Knowledge Infrastructure), theInstitute for Atomic and Molecular Physics and the Center for Mathematics andInformatics.

Astroparticle Physics (supervisors: Linde/Bentvelsen, Wijers, Dijkgraaf)The string theory group (Institute for Theoretical Physics), the high energy physics group(Institute for High Energy Physics) and the astronomy group (Anton PannekoekAstronomy Institute) work together in the field of particles physics. The possibility of

long-term collaboration (ten to twenty years) between these three groups is beingdiscussed.

Faculty of LawEuropean Law and International Copyright Law (supervisor: Hugenholtz)The potential collaboration partner here is the Faculty of Economics and Business (legaleconomists (Dari-Mattiacci) at the Amsterdam Center for Law and

Economics).Multi-level Responsibility (supervisor: Nollkaemper)The potential collaboration partner within the UvA for this programme is the Faculty ofEconomics and Business (legal economists (Giuseppe Dari-Mattiacci) at the Amsterdam

Center for Law and Economics) and the Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences(Conflict and Negotiation: Hajer).

European Contract Law (supervisor: Hesselink)The Centre for the Study of European Contract Law works in close cooperation at the UvAwith the legal economists of the Faculty of Economics and Business (Boot). The potentialcollaboration partner is the Faculty of Humanities (Amsterdam School for Cultural

Analysis).

Faculty of Medicine / Academic Medical Center (AMC), Amsterdam

Immunology and Infectious Diseases (supervisors: Van der Poll and Schuitemaker)There is close cooperation with Sanquin Research Amsterdam as well as with the Facultyof Economics and Business in the field of AIDS research.Cardiovascular, Cardiogenetic and Vascular Research (supervisors: Moorman andKastelein)There is indirect collaboration with the Faculty of Science via de Medical BiochemistryDepartment at the Academic Medical Center (AMC), Amsterdam.


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Metabolic Diseases (supervisors: Aerts and Wijburg)The Faculty works in close cooperation with the Faculty of Science (SwammerdamInstitute for Life Sciences) in the field of Proteomics.

Gastric, Liver and Intestinal Diseases (supervisors: Oude Elferink and Fockens)There is collaboration with Sanquin Research Amsterdam.

Neurological and Psychiatric Disorders (supervisors: Van Gool and Baas)There is collaboration in the field of cognitive sciences. There is also close cooperation

with the Faculty of Science for the functional MRI.Oncology (supervisors: Caron, Medema)There is close cooperation with the Netherlands Cancer Institute - Antoni vanLeeuwenhoek Hospital and the Micro-array Unit of the Faculty of Science (Swammerdam

Institute for Life Sciences).Public Health (supervisors: Stronks, Bossuyt)There is cooperation with the Cultural Anthropology Section of the Faculty of Social and

Behavioural Sciences.

The development of joint biobanks on the basis of the ICT infrastructure of Surfnet 6 andBig GRID is important in the collaboration with other University Medical Centres. Arequest is now being processed in this round of Fund for Economic StructuralReinforcement financing.

Further collaboration with the Academic Medical Center (AMC), Amsterdam within theUvA in the near future:An expansion of the existing cooperation w ith the Faculty of Science in the fields ofgenomics and proteomics with an emphasis on bio-informatics. Van Kampen has been

appointed at the Academic Medical Center (AMC), Amsterdam as well as recently at theFaculty of Science.Possible collaboration in the fields of metabolomics and drug design and development.The Academic Medical Center (AMC), Amsterdam and the Faculty of Science are to

reinforce the cooperation as regards the Virtual e-Bioscience Institute, Systems Biologyand Neurosciences and Cognition.With the Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences: The collaboration in the field

of cognitive science is to be reinforced (linked to neurodegenerative diseases such asAlzheimers).

With the Faculty of Law : Possible cooperation in the field of property rights as regardsbiobanks.

With the Faculty of Economics and Bus iness: Financing and access to care (in thecourse of AIDS research in Africa, they appeared to be more important factors thanmedication and reliability in taking it); Rinke de Wit has been jointly appointed.

Faculty of Dentistry / Academic Centre for Dentistry (ACTA), AmsterdamThe Academic Centre for Dentistry (ACTA), Amsterdam has extensive collaboration withthe Academic Medical Center (AMC), Amsterdam (Electron Microscopy, Cell Biology and

Histology, Clinical Chemistry, Infectious Diseases, Experimental Hepatology, SocialMedicine and Psychiatry Departments), the Faculty of Science (Swammerdam Institutefor Life Sciences) and the Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences (Psychology,Methodology and Clinical Psychology Departments).

Faculty of HumanitiesWith the Faculty of Science: The interfaculty research school, the Institute for Logic,Language and Computation (secretary: Faculty of Science).With the Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences: Cooperation on the part of

linguists and logicians from the Faculty of Humanities with colleagues from the Faculty ofSocial and Behavioural Sciences in the field of Cognitive Science. Collaboration hasrecently been launched in the field of social cohesion / changing citizenship in theframework of the SmartMix / NWO programme Cultural Dynamics.


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With the Faculty of Law and the Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences:Future cooperation in the fields of European Studies, Conflict Studies and Argumentation.

Faculty of Economics and BusinessCenter for Research in Experimental Economics and Political Decision-Making (CREED)There is ample interfaculty research collaboration with geologists (e.g. Sabelis, Egas,Pennartz), and there has long been cooperation with psychologists (Van der Pligt, De

Dreu, Fischer, Lamme) and with the Institute for Logic, Language and Computation (VanBenthem).

Amsterdam Center for Law and Economics (ACLE)The Amsterdam Center for Law and Economics is closely linked to institutes at both ofthe faculties, i.e. with the Amsterdam Institute for Private Law, the Amsterdam Centerfor International Law and the Institute for Information Law at the Faculty of Law and with

the IO, Finance and Accounting, and the faculty-related social initiatives EconomicsNetwork for Competition and Regulation, the Amsterdam Center for Corporate Finances

and the Amsterdam Courses in Economics and Business at the Faculty of Economics andBusiness. The researchers include Van Cayseele (economics), Cseres (law), Driehuis(economics), Hesselink (law), De Kluiver (law), Du Perron (law), Smits (law), Theeuwes(economics), Vogelaar (law), Van de Ven (economics), Wallage (economics) and Winter

(law).

Other collaborationsWijnberg and Leenders (Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences/CommunicationScience): Cultural Industries (economics of movie awards).

Tijdens and Van der Werfhorst (Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences): in the KP6programme Equalsoc.Ferrer-i-Carbonell and the Amsterdam Institute for Labour Studies: The AmsterdamInstitute for Labour Studies is an interdisciplinary collaboration framework for law,

medicine, economics, psychology and sociology.Schinkel and Vogelaar, Cseres (Faculty of Law): Competition Law and Economics(Amsterdam Center for Law and Economics, see above).

Klein and Spreij (Faculty of Science): Algebraic properties of statistical information.Anderson, De Dreu et al. (Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences / Psychology):

Organisation and Behaviour.

research perspective uva

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