About Regieorgaan SIA

The mandate of the Taskforce for Applied Research SIA, or Regieorgaan SIA for short, is to improve the quality and widen the impact of the applied research done by universities of applied sciences in the Netherlands. We do this by funding research and facilitating collaboration between universities of applied sciences, industry and public bodies.

Funding applied research

Regieorgaan SIA encourages the professionalisation and strengthens the quality of applied research in universities of applied sciences in the Netherlands. We support the universities of applied sciences through various funding mechanisms.

We fund the research itself, as well as the creation of networks and platforms. Our subsidies support the development phase and the direction that the universities of applied sciences, research groups and professors are taking.

Funding your research

Researchers at universities of applied sciences in the Netherlands can apply to Regieorgaan SIA for funding.

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Strong position for applied research

Regieorgaan SIA believes that the applied research at universities of applied sciences can be further developed to become more independent high value forms of research. Research that has a strong societal relevance and takes a clear position in the innovation network. Our activities are designed to support this.

Strategy and policy

Applied research helps solve societal and economic issues and against this backdrop our goal is to interconnect these issues and universities of applied sciences more strongly. We do this by connecting people, organisations and policy-making. As a network organisation, we operate at regional, national and European level.

Applied research

Universities of applied sciences in the Netherlands carry out applied research which arises from issues or problems in practice.

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3 roles, 9 ambitions

For the period 2023–2026, Regieorgaan SIA has formulated 9 ambitions that are linked to the 3 roles we aim to play as organization. The 3 roles are:

financing applied sciences by universities of applied sciences
fostering thematic collaboration
contributing to system development

3 ambitions focus on research quality, 3 on thematic collaboration, and 3 on the development of the research and innovation system. For each ambition, measurable goals and outcomes for the next 4 years are described. Regieorgaan SIA owns the ambitions, but their realization will be the result of joint efforts with our partners and stakeholders.

Collaboration and contributing to national policy

We play an active role in shaping the Netherlands’ innovation and research policy. We work closely with a wide range of entities such as Government agencies, leading sectors and knowledge institutes. And we collaborate in programmes such as the Dutch Research Agenda and the Knowledge and Innovation Convenant.

Internationalisation

Regieorgaan SIA stimulates the internationalisation of applied research. This both improves the quality of the research and helps it have a greater impact. It also facilitates the sharing of knowledge, offers new opportunities for talent development and can lead to the funding of applied research internationally.

Issues arising from the field that call for collaboration with international entities are usually the trigger for the internationalisation of research. Equally, an international issue may call for a regional or national contribution from the Netherlands.

There are already several good examples of successful international collaborations in applied research. Universities of applied sciences in the Netherlands, and particularly those along the borders, work closely with German or Belgian partners. Outside Europe there have been successful projects with Brazil, Vietnam and Indonesia.