University of the North launches its own booster fund

The University of the North is introducing a booster fund! With this booster fund, the knowledge institutions involved aim to boost and accelerate the realization of the RIS3 objectives and the University of the North’s goals as formulated in the Knowledge Agenda. Over the next three years, a sum of €250,000 per year will be made available for this purpose. The first round will start on 8 September 2022.

The booster fund is an initiative of the University of the North partners; the University of Groningen (UG), the University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG), the Hanze University of Applied Sciences, NHL Stenden University of Applied Sciences, and Van Hall Larenstein University of Applied Sciences and should act as a flywheel for educational, research, and valorization projects of the affiliated knowledge institutions.

Cooperation projects that qualify for the booster fund may apply until 23 October for an amount between €25,000 and €75,000. This amount can be used to deploy colleagues for additional hours to accelerate the project. An important condition is the participation of at least three knowledge institutions in the consortium.

The proposals will be evaluated by an external evaluation committee consisting of Marcel Beukeboom (Permanent Representative to the Food and Agriculture Organizations of the United Nations in Rome), Han Brezet (Emeritus Professor, Faculty of Industrial Design Engineering, TU Delft), and Aart-Jan de Graaf (Leading Professor and Representative of the Professorships within the HAN School of Engineering and Automotive).

If you want to know more about the booster fund and the possibilities of submitting an application, please visit the webpage. Additionally, a webinar will be held on Wednesday 21 September from 3 to 5 p.m., during which an introduction to the booster fund will be givenand interested parties can pose their questions to the attending University of the North coordinators and the University of the North team. Keep an eye on the webpage for more information!