What exactly is this ‘Research and Innovation Strategy’?
Think of it as a blueprint for how the university intends to approach research and innovation in the coming years. It’s not about micromanaging individual researchers. The document is somewhat abstract, outlining in broad strokes what the university does, how it does it, and why.
The UT has set three concrete goals for 2030:
- To increase societal relevance through (trans)disciplinary research and innovation excellence within its four impact domains.
- To ensure that education, research, innovation, and lifelong learning are interconnected.
- By 2030, ‘Team UT’ will be equipped to collaborate and grow in connection with society, with specific attention to talent – particularly PhD and EngD candidates.
Why is such a strategy necessary?
A question that applies to many policy documents, you could argue. This is an update of the research strategy the UT launched in 2020, which runs through to 2030. Updating is necessary because the UT must adapt to geopolitical and financial developments. The document itself refers to a ‘volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous world’ in which the UT operates.
Moreover, the university hasn’t stood still over the past five years. Plans from the previous strategy have either been completed, abandoned, or overtaken by reality. For example, the establishment of a robust Strategic Business Development service was already realised in 2020. Another example: back then, the university spoke of five research themes. Today, there are four so-called impact domains: health, climate, chip technology, and safety & security.
What does this mean for me as a UT employee?
In principle, not much. You’re not expected to radically change your way of working overnight. These kinds of documents often signal a gradual shift in work culture. For instance, the strategy places strong emphasis on ‘team science’ rather than individual achievements. It also explicitly supports the Recognition and Rewards movement – both developments the UT was already pursuing.
Will I notice any concrete changes?
Yes, but more gradually. This strategy sets the stage for other strategies, documents, and policy changes. For example, by 2026 the UT aims to have strategies in place for talent recruitment and retention, for internal and external awards, for open science, for knowledge safety, and a committee for sensitive collaborations. One very concrete figure: by 2030, 80 percent of all principal investigators – essentially everyone from assistant professor to full professor – will commit to working within the impact domains.
What else can I expect?
The core of this strategy will undoubtedly be reflected in the institutional plan currently in development. It will also drive further changes. At the urging of the University Council, there is explicit attention for a talent programme for PhD candidates and EngD trainees, aimed at helping them complete their trajectories more efficiently. In line with this strategy, a ‘Research and Innovation Charter’ is also forthcoming. It will set out uniform rules for project acquisition, spending, and collaboration agreements that researchers, support staff, and managers must adhere to.
So, like this document itself: not radically disruptive or surprising, but certainly a development that will gradually reshape how we work in the years ahead.
