Mulder’s call is supported by the Rathenau Institute’s monitor, which was presented to Oskar Delnoz, Director of Research and Science Policy at the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science, during the SIA and Association of Universities of Applied Sciences conference. The screen shows where HBO’s research is located and what impact it has.
HBO Research as a Driver of Innovation and Impact
Anka Mulder illustrated this in her speech with some examples: For example, almost a third of lecturers in higher education have a dual foundation in a company, university or other institution. These collaborations have a wide-ranging impact. In addition, 42% of lecturers are women, compared to only a quarter of female professors in university education. “Diversity is a powerful tool for broadening the field of vision and increasing the social impact potential of higher education research,” said Mulder. 39% of SIA projects are implemented in collaboration with an SME and in 26% of projects, higher education cooperates with a public institution: “Our research is therefore important for SMEs and the social sectors that can continue this innovation.” Anka Mulder pointed out that making an impact is high on the agenda of practical researchers. “The universities of applied sciences show with their contributions – which are 58% higher than the government contribution they receive – how consciously they choose practice-oriented research. They invest heavily in this themselves.”
Only a small part of the research resources.
Anka Mulder is pleased with the observatory and the transparency of accountability. She also wonders why higher vocational education is the only sector that does this. Especially considering the relatively small share of research resources that higher vocational education receives: one twentieth of the total. She asks the question: “Are the colleges perhaps more well-behaved? Or do we have more to explain than the universities and regional research centres, because higher vocational education is less known to the ministry and politicians? There is always interest in universities, but fortunately interest in MBO has increased in recent years. Higher vocational education sometimes seems like a stepchild. But higher vocational education deserves this attention just as much, because without the more than 460,000 students we are training to become IT specialists, nurses, teachers or engineers, things would come to a standstill,” says Anka Mulder.
A relatively small discount, but serious consequences for higher vocational education.
Mulder: “We help small and medium-sized enterprises and social organizations with practice-oriented research. From Alkmaar to Appingedam, from Heerlen to Harlingen.” The figures show that the universities of applied sciences are doing their research very efficiently, she explains: “With around 200 million euros in direct funding for 36 universities of applied sciences. Because two years ago we received an additional 50 million euros on a structural basis, and 50 million euros through the Research and Science Fund.” However, the latter fund is now under pressure in the new government’s plans. This discount seems relatively small, but it represents a quarter of what HBO considers “the first influx of funds.” That is why Anka Mulder yesterday made a strong appeal to politicians to continue the resources through the Research and Science Fund and to add additional investment: “The observatory clearly shows that researchers are under pressure and are not responding to society’s questions. We are lacking basic funding.”
