Section 5 Research – global impact

Sector plans

The Administrative Agreement between the Minister of Education, Culture and Science and the institutions also includes funding to provide relief and breathing room and improve collaboration within the sectors. One of the aims of the sector plan funds is to raise the profile of universities. For EUR, this means that over the past year, within the Medical (Erasmus MC and ESHPM) and SSH (divided between humanities, social sciences and SSH-wide) sector plans, a lot of hard work has gone into implementing the plans that have been set out. The Law sector follows a different timeline for the sector plan funds and the Economics and Management Sciences sector is to present its own sector plan in 2024. Within the Social Sciences (ESSB) plan, four key objectives have been identified that are closely aligned with the new faculty strategy. Within the SSH-wide theme, EUR is the biggest national player. The EUR SSH-wide plan covers the impact of digitalisation on work, well-being and entrepreneurship and offers a total of 36 new assistant professors space on five sub-themes. Within each of these sub-themes, two SSH faculties ESPhil, ESHCC, ESSB

Evaluating Societal Impact - EUR impact definition

Evaluating Societal Impact (ESI) is a strategic initiative focused on facilitating and advising on the development of a governance structure that enables impact activities, as well as on the development of tools and methods to facilitate a more structured approach to impact, including evaluating impact. In terms of governance structure, a number of important steps were taken in 2023. One such step was EUR’s publication of the document Defining our societal impact at EUR. A common framework for our impact strategy. That document gives a broad definition of impact (see box). In doing so, it explicitly talks for the first time about our organisation's three portfolios: education, research and engagement. 

In addition, the document guides impact activities by identifying key themes and setting out the most visible forms of impact (including conceptual and instrumental impact). The document outlines a framework for impact and many faculties use it as a starting point for further steps. For example, several faculties started developing their impact ambition and strategy in 2023, with both top-down and bottom-up conversations about ambitions and strategy. The Evaluating Societal Impact project played a facilitating and advisory role in this process, seeking a working method that best fits the existing situation within a faculty. 

Evaluating Societal Impact also helped initiate the conversation on the position of a Strategic Dean for Impact and Engagement and shape the core task of engagement. With regard to engagement, the first steps have been taken to create a shared understanding of engagement through a portfolio outline. There has also been discussion on the necessary steps in relation to governance, policy, support and infrastructure to enable engagement within the organisation. 

Broad prosperity activities and broad prosperity event

For EUR, broad prosperity is a key concept in the social debate and refers to everything of value to people. The university aims to play a leading role in this discussion by combining its socioeconomic expertise with close collaborations, such as with the municipality of Rotterdam, TU Delft, Erasmus MC and various stakeholders, in a transdisciplinary approach. This collaboration is crucial for promoting societal transitions and creating both economic and public value. 

EUR promoted this collaboration through activities such as the Broad Prosperity Conference, which engaged stakeholders from government, business and knowledge institutions on challenges around inclusive well-being. In addition, EUR was represented at the global Hydrogen Summit including at a session with Frans Timmermans. EUR also organised the Growth Agenda Conference. Our scholars contributed to knowledge meetings, such as Plein1 of the province of South Holland. We continue to believe strongly in broad prosperity as a framework for funding opportunities, as demonstrated by successful region deal awards and the ongoing application for the National Growth Fund.

Erasmus Initiatives

Smarter Choices for Better Health

The Erasmus Initiative Smarter Choices for Better Health (SCBH) continued to invest in ensuring coherence within the programme and strengthening the connection with others. In October, SCBH held its annual conference for over eighty EUR researchers working on SCBH topics. They enthusiastically presented ongoing research, including updates on the five projects that had received a seed grant from SCBH. SCBH is using this new tool to expand the circle of researchers involved and encourage interdisciplinary collaboration. A number of SCBH representatives in The Hague also took part in the Impact Forum organised annually by the deans of Economics & Business Administration. There, the deans presented their new impact strategy, in which the future of health care is one of the central pillars, to prominent representatives from political circles and the business sector. SCBH also contributed a number of presentations and workshops to the Broad Prosperity conference, which was organised jointly with DoIP and VCC in the centre of Rotterdam and attracted a variety of representatives of practice-based interests. SCBH also strengthened links with other initiatives, such as the Convergence Pandemic & Disaster Preparedness Centre (PDPC). There is a clear complementarity between the focus areas of PDPC and SCBH, for example with regard to prevention and the role of social inequality in the impact of measures in the context of a pandemic or other disaster. The shared awareness of this led to a common call. Finally, SCBH, together with DoIP and VCC, established contacts with representatives of the Vlaardingen-West programme on the science-based addressing of challenges in that district.

Societal Impact of AI (AiPact)

The societal impact and co-creation of the Erasmus Initiative Societal Impact of AI (AiPact) became more visible thanks in part to the appointment of Moniek Buijzen as Erasmus professor. Transdisciplinary collaboration with scholars from different Schools and the Convergence partners has increased. AiPact members are also active in several Convergence initiatives, such as the Feminist Generative AI Lab, the Flagship Consultation Room 2030, Labour-saving technological innovations for Nurses, the Nursing Platforms Research (Trust Fund, ESHPM and ESSB), Centre for Bold Cities (LDE) and within national initiatives and dialogue tables on AI. As of the end of 2022, AiPact was well within the 50% (€ 1.9 million) financial target for external acquisition: thanks to grants such as ERC, NWO, SEISMEC, Convergence, Trust Fund and ALGOSOC, EUR even reached 560% of that target amount at € 10.6 million. 

The focus on AiPact's themes has been increased through the development of various initiatives. One example is the launch of the AImaginaries project, which aims to demystify AI. This took place in the form of workshops for parties such as Microsoft, the municipality of Rotterdam and primary schools. At the end of 2023, the AICON LAB opened its doors together with innovation centre VONK of the municipality of Rotterdam. Here, artists, scholars and city residents engage in a dialogue about the actual and desired role of AI in society. The Social AI Research Seminars (ESSB/ESE) have helped to further strengthen connections with TU Delft, Leiden and UvA. International contacts are being expanded through participation in the EU-funded project SEISMEC and international research visits. 

The Spore Fund supported EUR scholars in AI-related innovative research and networking activities. For example, it contributed to the Neural Networking Event (ESHCC), Workshop on Digital Markets (RSM) and international research visits (ESHPM and RSM). 

AiPact is also involved in several curricula, such as the elective course in AI: The Present and Future of Work (ESSB) and the minors in AI and Societal Impact (ESHCC) and Positive Behaviour Change in the Digital Age (ESSB). 

Staffing changed during the reporting year. Iris Wallenburg (Q1/Q2) and Claartje ter Hoeven temporarily took over from Moniek Buijzen as Academic Lead for A.I. in the third quarter. Several new PhD students and postdocs also joined, many of whom are linked to ALGOSOC.

Dynamics of Inclusive Prosperity

The Erasmus Initiative Dynamics of Inclusive Prosperity (DoIP) made a mark in 2023 and along several strategic dimensions such as fostering academic talent. Assistant professor Lieselot Bisschop delivered her inaugural address as professor on 13 June, focusing on the balance between public and private interests from a criminological perspective. How do you limit the adverse consequences of undesirable and often unlawful behaviour by a few? Her research includes a large project on drug crime in the port of Rotterdam. For this, she and other members of an ESL team received the EUR research prize in September. 

Maria Punzi won the FAME-Athena Award in November for her relentless fight against menstrual poverty, which was inspired by her doctoral research. Both projects have clear social relevance, which is in keeping with Erasmus Initiatives' ambitions. Another example of this within DoIP is the efforts of Alessandra Arcuri (ESL) and others to enable a degassing ban on inland vessels. This degassing poses a threat to the health of workers on these vessels. A ban is set to be introduced in 2024. Marta Szymanowska (RSM) worked with colleagues to set up a 12-week course for refugee students from Ukraine, focusing on business fundamentals. 

This course was important not only in terms of the transfer of knowledge, but also helped to boost the refugee students' confidence in their future. Members of DoIP also secured several major grants. Lieselot Bisschop, Professor of Criminology, along with colleagues at ESL and mathematicians at TU Delft (TUD), received a € 3 million grant to use statistical support for the innovative analysis of probabilities of criminal behaviour. Academic Director Martin de Jong, together with civil engineers at TUD, secured funding for a European consortium of 20 partners that will investigate the inclusion of smart urban transport. 

Finally, DoIP endeavoured to promote dialogue between science and practice through events such as various conferences. One conference looked at broad prosperity in the centre of Rotterdam and was attended by both scholars and practitioners. Social interest in the topic was confirmed at this conference.

Vital Cities & Citizens VCC

The Erasmus Initiative Vital Cities & Citizens (VCC) organised a number of activities to encourage interdisciplinary collaboration with positive societal impact. With the Open Door Call, VCC launched seven projects that extended the interdisciplinary reach at EUR of the faculties of ESSB, ISS and ESHCC to include EsL, ESE, EMC, ESHPM, RSM and IHS, in addition to the existing three constituent faculties of ESSB, ISS and ESHCC. There are now 22 projects, each with a project page on the EUR website: www.eur.nl/en > research > research  programme > vcc projects page. 

The WijkWijsRotterdam programme was launched in 2023. This was done in collaboration with the Convergence programme Resilient Delta Initiative, Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences and several neighbourhood cooperatives in Rotterdam. The programme consists of nine pilots rooted in the approach and philosophy of reciprocal research. This means that research is designed and carried out in close consultation and collaboration with citizens and resident groups. The programme has been submitted to NWO Open Science, in relation to citizen science and engagement. For example, a youth hub has been set up for the Reyeroord pilot project. This hub did not go unnoticed, as evidenced by a documentary and grand opening: the premiere of the documentary. 

VCC's involvement in the curriculum has been extended to the Inclusive Energy Transition honours programme with the key question: how do we ensure that as many people as possible will be involved in a shift to sustainable energy generation? A total of four faculties are involved: ESL, ESP, ESE and ESSB. Several external parties are also involved: ENECO, the municipalities of Leidschendam and Barendrecht, Greenchoice, NCOD, TNO and the province of South Holland.

Convergence general report

After a successful exploratory phase that proved the power and importance of transdisciplinary cooperation, it is time for the next step. Significant steps were taken in 2023 towards deeper collaboration and ‘fusion’. It has been explored in dialogue with representatives of the five programmes and from different levels of the institutions how this cooperation should be given further shape and content. This process identified challenges and opportunities. Factors considered included the strategy for transformational research and education, data sharing, public affairs and funding, and operational preconditions.

Research

In 2023, work has steadily been progressing on studies such as the Resilient Delta (RD) DigiPACT project. The outcome was improved mathematical models, open-source code and software that will allow autonomous vessels to navigate in the port in a more environmentally friendly way. Health & Technology (H&T) launched ten Flagship programmes, as well as a call for projects to improve sustainability in health care. This resulted in three Sustainable Health Programmes to be launched in 2024. The H&T consortium Theranostics conducted experiments that led to the filing of two patents. The Pandemic Disaster & Preparedness Centre (PDPC) initiated five Frontrunner projects. A range of disciplines are working to develop expertise for better preparation for pandemics, disasters and additional societal problems. Thirteen project proposals that can help to meet the ambitions of Healthy Start (HS) in the near future have been awarded the Healthy Starters Fund. They include Sprint projects for podcasts, impact toolkits, theatre productions, co-creation labs and virtual reality. The new round will commence in January 2024. 

New centres and labs also opened in 2023. AIDD opened the AI Port Center, the Energy Systems Intelligence Center, the Convergence Center for FinTech and the Center for Responsible AI in Healthcare. These centres bring together research and innovative partnership for the use of AI technology. H&T Flagships are involved in setting up new labs, such as the Biomechanical Imaging Lab opening soon at Erasmus MC, a shared facility use case Innovation Lab and an Organ-on-Chip facility scheduled for the end of the first quarter of 2024. 

The PDPC Academy published a white paper that provides comprehensive advice on pandemics and reports on the need for tailored interventions for disadvantaged groups and the lessons learned from COVID-19. Resilient Delta (RD) collaborated with partners to release a podcast series featuring stories from the Delta. RD also published reports on the impact of inequality in resilience in the Delta region and container congestion in the Port of Rotterdam. Two research reports on the future of hydrogen, produced with the support of RD, were presented at the World Hydrogen Summit. HS collaborated on a report on youth participation in local policy. H&T researchers have published in more than 20 peer-reviewed journals, including the Lancet and Nature. 

Grants/subsidies

A € 25 million NWO grant to ROBUST enabled AIDD to set up three new labs and an AI clinic for SMEs. A consortium of renewable energy researchers, including RD, received a € 1 million grant from the ICLEI Action Fund 2.0. Several projects involving PDPC also received grants, such as the DURABLE project, which received € 25 million from the EU4Health programme. The Netherlands Organisation for Health Research and Development (ZonMW) issued grants of € 2.5 million and € 1.6 million for research on pandemic preparedness. The Dutch Research Council (NWO) provided three grants, including € 15.2 million to link and analyse large amounts of data in a safe and ethical way, as well as a grant for flood protection research. Consortia in which H&T programmes participate also received grants, such as an EU Horizon grant of almost € 9 million for co-design of AI-driven technology for Intensive Care, and NWA-ORC grants of € 5 million for research on sex differences in autism and of € 6 million for research on circular hospitals. 

Community building

To strengthen the Convergence community and connect with stakeholders from science, health care, government, business and society, the formation of new partnerships and the organisation of events continued in 2023. For example, RD set up the SPRING research consortium with local partners to address disparities in health and well-being in Rotterdam. 

RD joined Smart Delta Drechtsteden and the Waterwegregio to improve quality of life and the living and working environment in those municipalities. RD has also launched a mobile forest project with the aim of creatively and innovatively engaging citizens in greening and climate-proofing cities. The HS Ambition Day, the H&T community event and H&T onboarding and talent pool event for new PhD students and Postdocs, PDPC's Moonshots of the Pandemic & Disaster Preparedness Research Conference and RD's Generation Delta Conference brought together internal and external stakeholders to reinforce shared ambitions.

South Holland & Impact cooperative arrangements

The strategic collaboration between the municipality of Rotterdam and EUR in the form of Knowledge Development Centres has been reconfirmed by a partnership agreement up to and including 2026. 

In the context of the collaboration agreements, the 11th Rotterdam Thesis Award was presented by Mayor Aboutaleb during the opening of the academic year in 2023. The award went to Enoch Tabak for his thesis on Boxes, boom and benefits? – identifying effects of XXL distribution centres on regional economies in the Netherlands. The thesis shows that the supposed economic boost from these large-scale distribution centres, such as job growth, is failing to materialise. 

Culture&Campus

Several working groups devoted themselves to developing the preconditions for the realisation of the Culture&Campus Doklaan as main venue. The main focus here was on developing a master plan in combination with carrying out a feasibility study. In addition, a rider (appendix) was signed to the covenant between the municipality of Rotterdam, EUR, Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences/Willem de Koning Academy and Codarts. The signing reaffirmed the objectives within the covenant. 

Following the award of the New European Bauhaus Horizon Europe Grant in 2022, preparations have been underway for its implementation at Culture&Campus Putselaan. A programme team has been set up for this purpose and has made progress on several sets of tasks, with changes made within the team where necessary. At the end of 2023, the lease and sublease agreement was signed for the impressive school building on Putselaan, with EUR as the main tenant. 

University of the Arts Rotterdam: Codarts, WdKA, HR and EUR

During the reporting year, a merger memorandum was prepared by the programme team, consisting of a delegation from the four institutions led by a programme director. 

The board representation of the institutions decided that a full-steam ahead approach will be adopted to making Codarts and Willem de Koning Academie (WdKA) autonomous within a single university of the arts. The timeline and form in which this autonomisation is taking place is changing from the earlier assumptions in the merger memorandum. A plan will be elaborated and the merger will be realised in 2024. 

European perspective, UNIC4ER

UNIC4ER is a UNIC research programme that focuses on engaged research. This offers an interdisciplinary approach and method for systematic knowledge production – not only for society, but also with and in society. UNIC4ER does this through a seed fund, providing support to researchers who want to start an engaged research project. 

UNIC4ER 12 supported EUR researchers through the seed fund mechanism. Senior researchers from five different faculties received a total of € 60,000 to support the start of their research. The project was funded by Horizon 2020: the European Union research and innovation grant.

The open and responsible practice of science is important. This involves sharing and where possible reusing data, software, publications and other forms of scientific information at the earliest feasible stage. Openness also means involving the general public at an early stage. The focus on open and responsible science is growing. 

The movement towards a more open and accountable approach to science is crucial in the global knowledge landscape. It is a call for a participatory research practice in which data, software, publications and other forms of scientific information are shared and reused as early as possible. 

The Open & Responsible Science (ORS) programme provides a guide to integrate ORS's core values of quality, efficiency, impact and reliability with EUR's mission and research goals. Two awareness campaigns were organised on the basis of the ORS programme, specifically aimed at using and integrating qualitative research and ORS (300 attendees). These campaigns raise awareness among researchers about the steps they can take and how to act in line with ORS values. 

The efforts became visible in an initial audit of Citizen Science within the organisation. A social media pilot aimed at increasing social engagement is underway. The close collaboration with Recognition and Rewards is reflected in the annual ORS Awards (€ 2,500 each), which reward achievements in Open Research, Open Education and Societal Engagement. 

The 2023 ORS Awards, chaired by Dr Abby Onencan (ESL), were presented in three categories.

• In the Open Research category, the MycetOS project (EMC) was rewarded for its efforts to investigate a medicinal product already registered for other conditions as a possible treatment for mycetoma. This project is helping to improve the lives of people who are often overlooked by the pharmaceutical industry.
• In the Societal Engagement category, CollectieveKracht (RSM) received the ORS Award for the innovative platform's contribution to making citizen collectives more resilient by providing them with reliable, evidence-based knowledge.
• The award in the Open Education category went to the interdisciplinary course of the Erasmus MC minor From Science to Society. This course focuses on training a future-proof generation of scholars, based on the philosophy of Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI). Among other things, participants in this minor learn how to involve various societal stakeholders, such as policymakers and industry representatives, in their studies.
• Erasmus Research Services (ERS) collaborated with Imming Impact on the third edition of the Open Science Festival, a national gathering focused on knowledge sharing and peer learning. The event was a huge success: more than 400 researchers, scholars, lecturers, support staff and policy makers from all universities, medical centres and research institutes discussed Open Science practices during one of the 25 community-led workshops and the plenary session.
• At the Open Science Festival, Rector Annelien Bredenoord launched the Massive Online Open Course on Open Science (OS MOOC) for academic and support staff, called A starter's guide to OpenScience. The MOOC was developed by ERIM in collaboration with ERS and funded by a grant from the Strengthen Professional Services programme (SUPS).
• ERS put EUR's commitment to open and responsible research into practice with the coordination of the Open Science Community Rotterdam (OSCR): a bottom-up community for researchers and support staff. ERS facilitates communication and educational activities for nearly a hundred community members from different schools and career levels. 

In 2023, EUR put its commitment to open and responsible research into practice with three initiatives:

• Erasmus Research Services (ERS) collaborated with Imming Impact on the third edition of the Open Science Festival, a national gathering focused on knowledge sharing and peer learning. The event was a huge success: more than 400 researchers, scholars, lecturers, support staff and policy makers from all universities, medical centres and research institutes discussed Open Science practices during one of the 25 community-led workshops and the plenary session.
• At the Open Science Festival, Rector Annelien Bredenoord launched the Massive Online Open Course on Open Science (OS MOOC) for academic and support staff, called A starter's guide to OpenScience. The MOOC was developed by ERIM in collaboration with ERS and funded by a grant from the Strengthen Professional Services programme (SUPS).
• ERS put EUR's commitment to open and responsible research into practice with the coordination of the Open Science Community Rotterdam (OSCR): a bottom-up community for researchers and support staff. ERS facilitates communication and educational activities for nearly a hundred community members from different schools and career levels.

All scientific research carried out for public institutions, including universities with a research remit, is reviewed by an external committee once every six years. During the review, the committee assesses the research unit (faculty or department) in accordance with the Strategic Evaluation Protocol (SEP) on three main criteria: research quality, social relevance and vitality. A number of sub-criteria are also used, covering topics such as research culture, including scientific integrity, as well as diversity and inclusion, the HR talent policy, PhD policy and open and responsible science.

The assessment of the Erasmus School of Law was completed in 2023. The faculty provided an administrative response to the report. A final discussion was also held between the Rector Magnificus and the faculty board. The report and administrative response have been published: www.eur.en/research > research services > research quality & integrity > research assessments. 

The psychology research programme (within the Department of Psychology, Education & Child Studies, DPECS), part of the Erasmus School of Social and Behavioural Sciences, was also assessed. The committee praised the originality and quality of the research and rated its social relevance as excellent. In 2024, the results, recommendations and administrative response will be discussed with the Rector Magnificus and the Psychology management and ESSB faculty. The report and administrative response will then be posted on the website. 

The International Institute for Social Sciences (ISS) in The Hague carried out a research assessment in accordance with SEP. Originally designed as a midterm review, the assessment became a full external assessment for several reasons. The results will be discussed with the Rector Magnificus and the ISS board in 2024.

The policy on research integrity aims to prevent violations of the research integrity code as much as possible. It is important that EUR researchers are regularly confronted with the theme of research integrity. One of the tools to achieve this is EUR's Dilemma Game App, which prompts researchers, lecturers and students to reflect on a dilemma related to research integrity. This tool is being overhauled and professionalised. A great deal of preparatory work has taken place for this purpose in 2023. The EUR Portfolio Board has now awarded € 20,000 for the overhaul. The aim is to improve the app and make it more widely available by offering dilemmas on forms of integrity other than exclusively research. Drafting groups have now been set up to draft the various dilemmas. A governance structure has also been set up to ensure the quality of the dilemmas presented. 

Deans exchanged views on academic freedom in general during an afternoon offsite retreat, specifically addressing the funding of chairs and the need for transparency.

In 2023, 406 doctorates were conferred: the highest number in the past six years (the average for the years 2018–2021 is 350). Just over 70% of the total number of doctorates conferred were within Erasmus MC. Of the total number of PhD students, 57% were women, which was almost the same as the male/female distribution in 2022. There were a total of 17 doctorate conferrals (4% of the total) in which the PhD student was awarded the cum laude distinction. Men are relatively more likely to qualify for cum laude than women. This is in line with the situation in past years and at national level. The issue of inequality of opportunity in cum laude doctorate conferrals was discussed by the Doctorate Board. The measures needed to eliminate this inequality are being explored. Three candidates obtained their doctorate in 2023 within the PhD student experiment. No candidates dropped out. The total number of active PhD students is seven.

The PhD candidate policy in 2023 mainly focused on the HR work plan. Key aspects are the well-being of PhD students, the onboarding process, improving the quality of supervision, better information provision and support for PhD students in pursuing their careers after the PhD. Tangible results have been achieved for the various aspects: for instance, new supervisors are now offered the Supervision course as standard, onboarding sessions are provided at central level and career days are organised for PhD students. 

The biannual survey on satisfaction and well-being of PhD students was conducted for the second time. The results reveal several aspects that appear to be going well (the majority of PhD students are satisfied with the programme), but also aspects that need improvement, such as workload, perceived stress, lack of clarity about the final terms on which the dissertation is assessed, and undesirable behaviour. 

As elsewhere in the country, there has been much debate within EUR about the position and well-being of PhD students who have a grant and PhD students who finance their programme entirely on their own. Additional policies are to be introduced in this area in collaboration with other universities.

The Young Erasmus Academy (YEA, 25 members), a diverse group of talented young scholars from various scientific disciplines representing all faculties of EUR, contributed to achieving goals in relation to creating societal impact. The YEA formulated a number of objectives and set up three subgroups:

• Visibility and impact: an up-to-date website with information about YEA and about meetings where YEA members can talk about their research and where they can raise mobility improvements (e.g. about the campus grounds that are difficult to reach by bicycle).
• Regognition and Rewards: actively joining in the deliberation process about policy and implications of Regognition and Rewards across faculties and the initiation of an everyone professor survey.
• Sustainability and futureproof EUR: an active role in the Sustainability Dialogues.

In addition, the YEA took internal and external steps to further structure the organisation. One such step involved the amendment of a number of YEA regulations, for example in the area of recruiting new members. More contact was sought with the Young Academy, as reflected by the attendance of several meetings.

SEISMEC

The SEISMEC project received an impressive € 10 million grant from the European Commission as part of the Horizon Europe programme. This interdisciplinary project involves researchers from EUR, who are collaborating with a multinational consortium of 30+ research, industry and civil society partners. EUR researchers Jason Pridmore (ESHCC), Jovana Karanovic (RSM) and Claartje ter Hoeven (ESSB) are combining their expertise to lead this unique project. 

Supporting European Industry Success Maximisation through Empowerment Centred development (SEISMEC) aims to spend four years demonstrating the concept of people orientation within a wide range of industrial sectors, scales and socio-technical contexts across the EU. With 17 pilots across 14 key industrial ecosystems in the European single market, SEISMEC wants to show how people-oriented solutions help design and develop new technologies. This paves the way to an industrial landscape driven by skills and creativity: a landscape built around high-quality, sustainable jobs that puts the overall safety and satisfaction of workers first. 

By shining a spotlight on empowerment and people orientation, SEISMEC promises to deliver high-impact results to maximise industrial success and promote inclusion in the context of Industry 5.0, which emphasises a people-oriented approach to industry, prioritising the changing role of employees.

Coordinatorship Enablement Packages (CEP)

Erasmus Research Services strives to provide strategic support for EUR coordinatorship of major multidisciplinary partnership grants. This led to the following successful awards coordinated by EUR:

• FAiR, Arjen Leerkes, ESSB – HEU Cluster 2
• FORT-PORT, Karin van Wingerde, ESL – NWO-KIC Subversive Crime
• CUES, Yijing Wang, ESHCC – HEU Cluster 6
• SEISMIC, Jason Pridmore, ESHCC (consortium including ESSB & RSM) – HEU Cluster 4
• UNIC, centrally awarded project – Erasmus + European Universities initiative

National Growth Fund

EUR was involved in nine proposals in round three of the National Growth Fund: a big increase from the previous rounds. 

The proposals EUR was involved in include Rethink-the-Delta (on extreme climate conditions), CIIIC (Immersive technology), Deltaplan Valorisation (strengthening valorisation activities in the Netherlands), Re-Ge-NL and More hours works. 

Central coordination has been set up within EUR for a number of approved growth fund proposals from rounds 1 and 2 (such as Groenvermogen and AINed). These programmes lead to research activities and calls. ERS reviews these applications, taking into account the opportunities for EUR, the various schools and scholars. This led to EUR's participation in similar successful calls. 

Vidatum

As part of EUR's ambition to secure more income from indirect funding and the third flow of funds, the university is working to improve the portfolio management of these projects. In 2023, Vidatum was chosen as the system to manage and administer externally funded research projects. Implementation of this system is scheduled for 2024.