Dutch ministries and knowledge institutes agree on Science for Development

30 juni 2007

The Dutch knowledge institutes NWO/WOTRO, KNAW, VSNU and SAIL and the ministries of OCW and Foreign Affairs met on 30 June at Schokland where they signed an agreement concerning accelerated and combined efforts to contribute to the Millennium Development Goals (MDG).

The signed agreement was based on a more elaborate joint vision statement, which the knowledge institutes developed over the last half year. The participating organisations believe that too little use is made of the scientific knowledge, skills and experience which exist in the Netherlands in conducting research for the development of the South. In order to gain critical mass, Dutch research institutes should combine their efforts within the Netherlands and with partners abroad (notably in low and middle income countries) in order to use scarce human capacity and financial resources more efficiently and effectively.

With this in mind, the organisations have formulated several concrete action points. They will build and sustain long-term research partnerships within the Netherlands and between Dutch research institutes and institutes in the South. The organisations will operate within transdisciplinary and interdisciplinary knowledge systems, including professional end users. They will also synergize the international research policies of different ministries within the Netherlands by mainstreaming research for poverty alleviation and sustainable development.

At Schokland, Minister Plasterk strongly applauded the initiative of the knowledge institutes, whilst Rob de Vos, deputy director general of development cooperation for the ministry of foreign affairs, called the agreement “a dream come true”.

Two other agreements were also signed at Schokland in which NWO/WOTRO is involved: an agreement on the NWO research programme ‘Conflict and Gender’ and an agreement on the Platform for Health Systems and Health Policy Research to be hosted by WOTRO.