Research & Impact

At Sustainable Consortia and Alliances, we are committed to making connections every day. We forge collaborations with companies, governments, other knowledge institutions and, non-profit organizations, aimed at achieving impact through research done at the UG. By making these connections, we contribute to building a future-proof Northern Netherlands and a sustainable world.

Using our expertise, we provide UG researchers with advice and support on research funding. Moreover, we ensure that the knowledge resulting from their research achieves a societal impact through our connections.

We are the first point of contact for companies, government and semi-bodies, and other organizations that want to collaborate with the UG. Together, we will explore the possibilities for a fruitful cooperation based on your request. We match you to the best researcher or service to ensure that the ground-breaking science carried out here actually has an impact on society.

Contact

• General email address: secr.research.impact@rug.nl.
• Temporary Head of Department: Rita Landeweerd (Interim manager Cluster Research & Impact, departments Consortia & Alliances and Societal & Governmental Engagement).
• Postal and visiting address: Academy Building, Tuinvleugel, Broerstraat 5, 9712 CP Groningen, the Netherlands.

As the Society & Governmental Engagement team, we focus on two core activities: public affairs and public engagement. We work on shaping dialogue with society and government to develop joint ideas for current and future research agendas, missions, and underlying policies. Our team has a special focus on the Schools for Science & Society and their connection with the University of the North.

• Temporary Head of Department: Peggy van Vliet.
• Contact: p.van.vliet@rug.nl.

Public Affairs

Every day, we work towards bringing Groningen closer to The Hague and Brussels and vice versa.

We develop and maintain relationships in Brussels, The Hague, and the Northern Netherlands with policymakers, politicians, strategic partners, university networks, and other stakeholders. We actively participate in network and lobby organizations, including The Guild, Neth-ER, Coimbra Group, EUA, UNL, SER, AWTI, NERA, SNN, Groningen Agreement, University of the North, etc., and provide input. We also provide input for future R&I policy and funding programmes by consulting with policymakers and stakeholders in Brussels and The Hague, showcasing expertise, projects, and programmes, responding to consultations and through organizing and attending working visits in The Hague, Brussels, and Groningen.

We also provide information and strategic advice on developments regarding research and innovation policy and funding programmes, such as Horizon Europe and the Framework Programme FP10, the European Research Area, the Multiannual Financial Framework, The National Technology Strategy, Invest-NL, Top Sectors (TKI), Nij Begun, RIS3, etc.. In addition, we provide insights and practical guidance to researchers on how to best prepare for the upcoming changes, how to become more visible, and we offer support to nominate them for expert group.

Contact Public Affairs

• Martijn Röfekamp - Public Affairs Brussels / m.rofekamp@rug.nl
• Kevin Kruiter - Public Affairs The Hague / k.m.kruiter@rug.nl
• Bart Talens - Public Affairs Northern Netherlands / b.j.talens@rug.nl

Public Engagement

Every day, we work to increase the visibility of the University of Groningen and its researchers.

From our bustling location at the House of Connections on the Grote Markt, we visualize the way in which science contributes to solving major societal problems by organizing events and activities. We help organize events, examine how we can make the biggest impact, and facilitate the organization of events and activities. We do this in collaboration with a wide variety of parties, such as the Schools for Science & Society, University of the North, Teaching Academy Groningen, ENLIGHT, Young Academy Groningen, Studium Generale, the University's impact organization, and many other internal and external parties.

Public engagement also focuses on profiling and positioning UG scientists and their expertise. For example, we offer media, pitch, and lobby coaching and we improve the online and offline visibility of researchers through impact and science journalism. This can take various forms, such as news items, interviews, background stories, reports, podcasts, and videos. We also offer guidance on how to handle press contacts and collaborations between scientists and journalists.

Contact Public Engagement

• General affairs House of Connections: houseofconnections@rug.nl
• Floor Kuiper - Programme manager House of Connections / f.kuiper@rug.nl
• Marcella Oldenhuizing - Event manager Schools of Science & Society / m.r.oldenhuizing@rug.nl
• Jelle Posthuma - UG Impact journalist / j.posthuma@rug.nl

The Knowledge Utilization & Entrepreneurship domain focuses on generating economic growth and societal impact by utilizing academic knowledge. As part of this, we support researchers and students with putting their gained knowledge into practice.

There are several ways to achieve this: we can help protect intellectual property, support researchers and students in exploring and developing entrepreneurial practices, support in licensing, access to (pre)seed funding, provide workshops on related topics, and answer questions about the impact and value creation of research.

We work closely with local, regional, and national impact, entrepreneurship, and valorization ecosystems.

The domain also supports students in the Student Entrepreneur Scheme (Studentondernemersregeling, SOR). The programme provides a support framework for student entrepreneurs at the University of Groningen. The SOR recognizes the unique needs of students running their own businesses during their studies, while outlining the benefits and responsibilities associated with achieving top entrepreneur status.

The domain comprises four collaborating departments that can answer specific questions:

• The IP team can help you with advice and information about intellectual property (IP)
• Business Generator Groningen is available to support business development and licensing IP to your own start-up or lending it to an external company.
• Innokite is the incubator for knowledge intensive start-ups in the Northern Netherlands. Innokite offers co-working spaces, relevant workshops and mentoring, and access to a vast network to help you achieve your start-up goals.
• RUG Ventures is the investment company affiliated with the university and can help your start-up grow into a successful company.

If you have any questions about the Student Entrepreneur Scheme, impact creation, valorization, and entrepreneurship, please feel free to contact us.

Contact

• General contact address: entrepreneurship@rug.nl.

IP-team

• ip-info@rug.nl.

Business Generator Groningen

• info@businessgeneratorgroningen.com.
• businessgeneratorgroningen.com.

Innokite

• innokite.nl.
• info@innokite.nl.

RUG Ventures

• info@rugventures.com.
• rugventures.com.

Correspondence and visiting address

• Knowledge Utilization & Entrepreneurship, Kadijk 4, 9747 AT, Groningen, the Netherlands.
• Domain head: Fédes van Rijn.

The Talent, Funding & Quality (TFQ) domain is responsible for policy and support related to funding and conducting research and recognizing major research achievements. TFQ team members focus on policy and tools that can foster high-quality, impactful, and innovative research across the University of Groningen (UG) and that can help academics adapt to evolving research trends and cultures. We advise and support the Board of the University and the faculties in achieving, securing, and improving the quality and impact of research at our University.

The TFQ domain tracks and responds to research policy and funding opportunities in the Netherlands, across the European Union, and beyond. Members liaise with the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science, the European Research Council (ERC), the Dutch Research Council (NWO), the wider UG research community, and other stakeholders to provide research support and direction for UG graduate students and for both early-career and established researchers. We coordinate and/or support strategic programmes at the UG, such as the YAG, Recognition & Rewards, the Graduate Schools, and ENLIGHT.

Through the Talent Development team at TFQ, UG researchers can receive training for NWO grant applications or to prepare for interviews relating to an NWO or ERC funding scheme. The Talent Development team also offers individualized editing support for NWO and ERC grant applications and supports nominations for major prizes and memberships to encourage recognition of UG’s legacy of outstanding talent.

Contact

• See the Talent, Funding & Quality staff contact page.
• Talent Development training: talent@rug.nl.
• Talent Development editing: editingtd@rug.nl.
• Correspondence and visiting address: Broerstraat 5, 9712 CP, Groningen, the Netherlands
• Department office assistent: Debbie Berendes, secr.research.impact@rug.nl.
• Head of Department: Maarten Schunselaar.