Research Perspective of the University of Amsterdam

UNIVERSITY OF AMSTERDAM

Adopted by the Board on 14 September 2006 (revised translation, Dec. 2008)

Disclaimer This translation is provided for information purposes only. In the event of a difference of interpretation, the original Dutch version of this document (Onderzoeksvisie Universiteit van Amsterdam, 14 september 2006) is binding.

Research Perspective of the University of Amsterdam

Table of contents

Foreword 1. The international and national context 2. Distinctive features and basic assumptions Assumption 1: The UvA is a top-quality research institution Assumption 2: The UvA nurtures its research talent Assumption 3: Research at the UvA is driven by curiosity and has social relevance Typical UvA research Typical interdisciplinary UvA research

4 5 8 8 9 9 11 16 17 17 17 18 19 19 19 20 21 23 23 24

3. Focus of the research at the UvA Theme 1: Research priority areas Theme 2: Interdisciplinary research Theme 3: Innovative research 4. Quality of the research and the researchers Theme Theme Theme Theme 4: 5: 6: 7: Managing for and stimulating quality Education as a breeding ground for research talent PhD programmes From PhD student to professor

5. How the research is organised Theme 8: The graduate schools Appendix 1: Interfaculty collaboration at the UvA

Research Perspective of the University of Amsterdam

Foreword
The University of Amsterdam (UvA) aims to be an academic institution internationally renowned for the quality of its education and research. This is not a position it takes for granted; in the ever-changing environment in which the UvA operates, it must be continually defended. Everyones input is needed: the high quality of the UvAs education and research is the result of hard work and continual improvement. The Education Perspective (Onderwijsvisie) was presented in early 2006 to help give shape and direction to this process over the coming years with respect to the education offered at the UvA. The present Research Perspective (Onderzoeksvisie), adopted by the Board in September 2006, similarly maps out the course the UvA seeks to follow in terms of research. The UvA intends to maintain and expand its existing top-class research. One way to help safeguard the quality of this research is, for example, by attracting promising young talent. The UvA aims for high-quality research in a wide range of areas and therefore to offer excellent facilities and support to research activities. In addition to research in the individual disciplines, interdisciplinary research has long played an important role at the UvA. Within the scope granted by the Board and the deans, experts at the research institutes (onderzoeksinstituten) make substantive choices regarding the research to be conducted. By way of illustration, this Research Perspective includes examples of typical UvA research. Rather than describing every aspect of UvA research in detail, this document presents a general picture of the UvAs aims for the coming years with regard to research. The general picture will be incorporated into the Strategic Plan 2007-2010 (Instellingsplan 2007-2010).

Research Perspective of the University of Amsterdam

1. The international and national context

One of the declared goals of the European Union is to become the most competitive and dynamic knowledge society in the world by the year 2010. Universities will play a vital part in realising this ambition. They are, after all, the key sites for the development and exchange of knowledge. As the European Commission recently noted, universities have traditionally been and should always continue to be prime actors in developing modern civilisation though their unique role of combining the creation and diffusion of knowledge.1 In this context, efforts are being made towards European integration, with the Member States collaborating to achieve ever-better results with the existing research resources. Increasing competition in research from countries outside the European Union highlights the urgency of these efforts and has led to the formulation of the Lisbon aims, which stipulate that Europe is to become the worlds most competitive and dynamic knowledge society by 2010. The framework programmes of the European Union represent an important tool for achieving this goal. Until now, these programmes have primarily financed the establishment of network or collaborative structures devoted to specific research themes. This work was intensified in the Sixth Framework Programme, with the creation of a European Research Area (ERA). The Seventh Framework Programme, currently in preparation, will also provide avenues for the stimulation of fundamental research in a European collaborative structure, via the Ideas Programme. The European Research Council (ERC) will oversee the allocation of funds in this programme. The research budget at the European level is growing and so becoming increasingly important to the UvA. International contacts and collaborations are prerequisites for scientific research. They are usually initiated and realised at the level of the individual researcher or research group. The UvA actively encourages the development of international contacts by supporting institutional collaboration, the exchange of researchers and applications for international grants. In an increasingly international society, there is an ever-growing need for transparency between institutions of higher education. Not only in the Netherlands but also elsewhere in Europe there is a growing demand for a European classification of institutions comparable to the American Carnegie Classification. This is dealt with in greater detail in section 2. Three key concepts play an important role in Dutch national research policy. The active stimulation of research should lead to more effective cooperation with other knowledge centres and encourage advanced research. The promotion of focus and mass in research entails attention and resources being directed towards carefully demarcated research areas. Knowledge valorisation means that knowledge should be applied in an economically and socially relevant fashion. These concepts are elaborated on below. The Netherlands has set itself the goal of becoming one of the three most competitive economies in the European Union by 2010. In the context of European science policy, the Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science is pursuing an active policy to promote the quality and excellence of Dutch scientific research. That is why the Ministry views competition among institutions and research groups as essential.2 In an effort to stimulate research, the Minister of Education, Culture and Science wishes to expand
1 Communication from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament: Delivering on the Modernisation Agenda for Universities: Education, Research and Innovation, May 2006. 2 Wetenschapsbudget 2004, focus op excellentie en meer waarde (Science Budget for 2004: Focus on Excellence and Greater Value), Ministry of Education, Culture and Science.

Research Perspective of the University of Amsterdam

existing competition mechanisms (excellent research is currently rewarded with additional indirect funding and funding from the business community) to include a system of performance premiums for university research. A first step towards the development of the performance premiums is the introduction of the so-called smart mix (starting in 2007). The purpose of the smart mix is to reward excellent university achievements and to promote the utilisation of research results. The Ministries of Economic Affairs and of Education, Culture and Science have jointly made the sum of 100 million available for this purpose. The smart mix should lead to structural public and private collaboration in the field of research. A second proposed step is small-scale stimulation (kleine dynamisering), whereby the Minister of Education, Culture and Science will take 100 million from university budgets and redistribute it according to the success of each university in individually acquiring resources through indirect government funding and contract research. According to the Ministry of Education, Culture and Education, focus and mass are essential if Dutch science is to flourish in the European research arena. A concentration of research must ensure that Dutch research groups retain their top-quality reputation in the European research landscape. To steer this initiative in the right direction, the Ministry has formulated a number of thematic priorities (genomics, nanotechnology and ICT). The best research groups working in these fields are to be given additional support. Achieving a concentration of research will require better coordination among the various universities, as well as with other research institutions and the business community. During the past ten to fifteen years, Dutch universities have established a number of collaborative frameworks, such as the National Research Schools, Technological Top Institutes (TTIs) and Societal Top Institutes (STIs). Using revenues from natural gas, a number of projects have been launched under the so-called BISK programme (Decree on Grants for Investments in Knowledge Infrastructure), in which universities, knowledge institutions and the business community all participate. These collaborative structures have helped strengthen and consolidate focus and mass in Dutch research. The UvA participates in approximately forty research schools, including three top research schools, eleven BISK projects, three TTIs and one STI. Universities need to take advantage of the governments goal to have universities develop clearer and more distinctive identities and competitive relationships on the one hand and to expand focus and mass in research on the other. In many cases focus and mass can only be achieved through collaboration, which is in keeping with the wellestablished university tradition of collaborative research. As stipulated by law, one of the core tasks of universities is to disseminate knowledge to society. In recent years this task has come to be more widely known as knowledge valorisation, i.e. the conversion of knowledge into social and/or economic value.3 The universities have traditionally performed this task by training academics and publishing scientific research. However, research commissioned by or conducted in collaboration with the business community, different levels of government and other social agencies also demonstrates the contribution universities make to society. With the increasing realisation that knowledge is an important engine driving Dutch society, there is a growing interest in knowledge valorisation. The UvA, too, is increasingly aware of its importance, but on the understanding that it should not be pursued at the expense of the institutions other core tasks. The focus on knowledge valorisation should form an integral part of its research activities. The UvA has its own holding company (UvA Holding Ltd.) that serves as an umbrella for, among other things, spin-offs, i.e. commercial activities generated by UvA research. The UvAs
3 Onderzoek van Waarde (a position paper outlining the activities being developed by Dutch universities to ensure the optimal utilisation of knowledge and research results), VSNU, December 2005.

Research Perspective of the University of Amsterdam

Knowledge Transfer Office (formerly Liaison Office), Science Park Amsterdam and the AMC Medical Business Park were all founded to help promote collaboration with the business community and institutions and the exchange of knowledge, and so to make an active contribution to the knowledge society. This illustrates the importance the UvA attaches to regional cooperation, something underscored by its participation in the Knowledge Network Amsterdam (KennisKring Amsterdam), designed to bring together knowledge institutions and business enterprises in the region. The Ministry of Education, Culture and Science provides the basic financing of university research via direct funding (eerste geldstroom). The Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) distributes research resources on the basis of quality selection via indirect funding (tweede geldstroom). In the past both direct and indirect funding were largely channelled into fundamental research. The business community and social agencies were traditionally responsible for financing the more application-oriented research. In recent years the emphasis in direct and indirect funding has shifted from fundamental research to more strategic research, the themes for which are determined by the Ministries of Education, Culture and Science and of Economic Affairs, the NWO, the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW) and the Innovation Platform (established by the Dutch government in 2003 to promote innovation and encourage initiative in the Netherlands). This is borne in mind and appropriate links are sought when the UvA chooses its own research priority areas. Faculties or universities can no longer use resources that have been earmarked in (or otherwise skimmed off) direct or indirect funding as they see fit. This puts university research policy under pressure. The pressure is increased by the growing emphasis on matching obligations when seeking external research financing: universities match indirect funding in particular through direct funding, whereby the direct funding can then no longer be used to support independent research. There has also been a shift away from single-discipline research. Traditionally, much research has been conducted along disciplinary lines. This is reflected in the organisational structures of the universities, the Association of Universities in the Netherlands (VSNU) and the NWO. However, developments in the sciences and society have led to new areas of research that often require the expertise, knowledge and methods of multiple disciplines. Both those commissioning the research and the researchers themselves are taking advantage of this, as is reflected in one of the three lines of action noted in the NWOs Research Strategy for 2007-2010, in which the importance of collaboration and an interdisciplinary approach is stressed. Disciplinebased organisational structures and evaluation mechanisms, however, still often form an obstacle to interdisciplinary research. Given the comprehensive nature and high quality of its research, the UvA is in an excellent position to promote disciplinary and interdisciplinary research, and the UvA is focusing on both approaches (see section 3, Themes 1 and 2).

Research Perspective of the University of Amsterdam

2. Distinctive features and basic assumptions

Assumption 1: The UvA is a top-quality research institution The UvA is an internationally renowned research university offering a broad range of bachelors, masters and PhD study programmes. Research and teaching are closely linked, which is why most faculty members both teach and conduct research. In comparison with other universities in the Netherlands, the range of research conducted at the UvA is impressive, to say the least. The UvA plays a leading role in Europe and around the world in a number of research fields, and aims to nurture and expand this top-level research. It recently joined the League of European Research Universities (LERU), whose members include the world-class universities of Oxford, Zurich, Heidelberg and Cambridge. Membership in this organisation confirms the quality and range of research conducted at the UvA. The LERU makes every effort to enable the research universities of Europe to join forces and preserve and reinforce their leading positions in fundamental research and higher education. The LERU defines research universities as academic institutions that excel in research and higher education in a wide range of fields, that enable students to take part in PhD programmes and that offer study programmes closely linked to research. According to the frequently cited Carnegie Classification, a research university must comply with a number of criteria regarding expenditures for Research and Development, the number of post-doctoral appointments and the conferral of doctorates. Based on both the LERU and Carnegie definitions, the UvA more than meets the requirements for the research university category. The interdependency between education and research is reflected in the fact that of the UvAs 150 masters programmes, approximately 20 are so-called research masters programmes (onderzoeksmasteropleidingen) and 15 are two-year science masters programmes (bet-masteropleidingen) with a research component. As was noted earlier, academic staff not only teach but also conduct research. In addition, new study programmes must be linked to research. Every year the UvA has a total of some 360 PhD students, of whom about 310 are awarded their doctorate. Approximately 200 of these doctorates are granted in the fields of scientific and medical research and 100 in the fields of the humanities and social sciences. The PhD research covers most of the academic spectrum. The UvA regularly evaluates its research and, based on these results, adapts its research policy at the institute, faculty and/or university level. Every six years an independent, external international committee of peers evaluates the research according to a protocol formulated by the UvA in 2003. The evaluation is conducted at the level of the research institutes and preferably in collaboration with other universities. Every three years the research is internally evaluated in a so-called mid-term review. The assessment scale in the protocol is from 1 (unsatisfactory) to 5 (excellent). In the 20 research evaluations conducted in recent years, none of the UvA programmes scored less than a 3 for quality. In nine cases, a favourable score of between 4 and 5 was given. The quality of UvA research can therefore generally be qualified as high with exceptional peaks. The positive assessment is reflected not only in these research evaluations, but also in the large number of external grants awarded to UvA researchers in recent years. Funds are generally only granted by an external financing agency on the basis of a strict peerreviewed selection. The fact that the UvA usually receives a relatively high percentage (more than 11%) of the grants for young researchers from the NWOs Innovational Research Incentives Scheme (Vernieuwingsimpulssubsidies) can be seen as a confirmation of the quality of UvA research. It is also notable that eight of the forty-four

Research Perspective of the University of Amsterdam

Spinoza Prize winners were from the UvA. The UvA seeks to preserve and reinforce this high quality of research. Assumption 2: The UvA nurtures its research talent A university must have talented and motivated researchers if it is to maintain and develop its leading position as a research institution. This is not something that can be achieved simply by providing more funds or attracting excellent staff. Young talent must also be offered the right opportunities and prospects. The UvA therefore invests in both educating its own young talent and attracting promising young researchers from elsewhere. Students are first introduced to research at the bachelors level. After obtaining their bachelors degree, the best students are given the opportunity to do a research masters, which will help prepare them for an eventual doctorate. To facilitate a smooth transition between a research masters and a PhD programme, all the research masters and PhD programmes of each faculty are taught in the research institutes. This, combined with excellent supervision and an exciting and challenging research environment, enables PhD students to complete their programme in three or four years. The quality of the PhD programmes, the responsibility for which lies with the research institutes/graduate schools, is safeguarded by the quality assurance cycle for research. After the best researchers have obtained their PhD, the UvA aims to give them the opportunity to pursue their academic career at the UvA through a post-doctoral position or lectureship, preferably after a period of conducting research at a foreign university. Researchers who have received a grant from the NWOs Innovational Research Incentives Scheme are also more than welcome at the UvA. The UvAs human resources policy focuses on giving these talented young people the opportunity to invest in their personal development and to advance towards a position as senior lecturer or professor. The UvA aims for diversity in its academic staff. For more than a decade, it has had a special Fund for Stimulating the Employment of Women in the Ranks of Higher Education (Fonds ter Stimulering van de toename van vrouwen in de hogere wetenschappelijke rangen). It also encourages students from ethnic minorities to pursue a PhD within the framework of the NWOs Mosaic (Mozaek) Programme. Hiring talent from outside the UvA is an important way of reinforcing the quality of the UvAs academic staff. The UvA has learned from experience that a friendly and challenging research environment and an excellent infrastructure are prerequisites for recruiting and retaining talented young researchers. To help young researchers develop into leaders in their respective fields, the UvA knows it must invest in their talents and working environment. Assumption 3: Research at the UvA is driven by curiosity and has social relevance Perhaps more than anywhere else, a university is the place for independent and unorthodox research. A university should be a breeding ground for knowledge and insights that can also be employed in university education. This type of research is made possible by the government through direct funding (eerste geldstroom). The NWO makes a substantial contribution to fundamental research through indirect funding (tweede geldstroom), and it will continue in the future to enable excellent researchers from junior to highly qualified senior researchers to pursue and give shape to their academic careers.4
4 Wetenschap gewaardeerd! NWO strategie 2007-2010 (Science Valued: NWO Research Strategy for 20072010), Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research, 2006.

Research Perspective of the University of Amsterdam

Every year, the UvA spends about 100 million on research via direct funding. It receives an additional 23 million via indirect funding and about 49 million from commercial partners. This demonstrates the importance the UvA attaches to both independent research, financed by direct funding, and social relevance, financed by indirect funding and funds obtained through contract research (derde geldstroom). The picture presented in section 1 (the international and national context) clearly reveals that between fundamental research and applied research a third category has emerged: strategic research. Strategic research focuses on questions that are not directly application-oriented but which contribute towards a knowledge base relevant to future development or innovation goals. One might speak of a research spectrum spanning from fundamental through strategic to applied research, with UvA research covering the entire range. The UvA defines social relevance in broad terms. Socially relevant research contributes either in the short or long term to Dutch society for example, to education, advancement and cultural development by supporting national policy issues or strengthening the countrys knowledge base. Section 1 touches upon the importance of collaborating with the business community and social agencies in the Amsterdam region. As a result, in its research choices the UvA will try to embed its work in the region. The UvA also attaches great importance to external accountability with regard to how its direct funding is spent. Consequently, it will make every effort to be transparent when presenting the results of research financed through these channels.

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Typical UvA Research

Affective Processes Emotions can be described as extremely short pathways between a need and a tendency to exhibit certain behaviour without too much reasoning along the way. The research into affective processes centres on the interaction between cognitive and emotional processes, which exert intensive influences on each other. Experimental manipulation of these processes provides insight into how they are linked. The research focuses on the emergence, regulation and consequences of emotions in and for evaluative and decisionmaking processes and human behaviour. Affective disorders and phobias are also examined. In addition, relations between mood disorders, well-being and health constitute an important line of research. Multidisciplinary research is conducted into the regulation and deregulation of sleep and the impact of sleeping disorders on people. Another area of interest is the role of emotions in inter-group processes and phenomena such as ethnic stereotyping. Five of the six research groups at the Psychology Department conduct research into affective processes. This emphasis is unique in the Netherlands and is one of the ways psychology research conducted at the UvA distinguishes itself both nationally and internationally. The research is supervised by Joop van der Pligt. Conflict and Negotiation Conflicts occur everywhere throughout society. Researchers at the Amsterdam Centre for Conflict Studies (ACS) study the dynamics of conflicts, alternative ways to settle them and the link between the media and conflicts. There are four specific research themes. Urban Conflicts demonstrates how tensions are generated in urban regions under the influence of globalisation and how they can be dealt with as constructively as possible. Religion and Conflict focuses on the relationship between religion, culture and conflict, and the role of religion in the debate on integration. Researchers study how different religions can co-exist in one culture. Authority and Conflict examines civil initiatives and the governance strategies of governments that try to effect solutions via collaboration rather than authority. Armed Conflicts and the Promotion of Enduring Peace concentrates on the obfuscation of the concept of war. This obfuscation is caused by non-state conflicts such as civil wars and the war on terror. Special attention is paid to the role of local actors and circumstances (such as the clan structure in Afghanistan, Iraq and Somalia) and the possibilities for creating pre-conditions for enduring peace. This last theme also includes studies on international military or humanitarian interventions. The research is supervised by Maarten Hajer. e-BioScience Approach New molecular (omics) technologies have led to experiments in the biological and medical fields of research that have generated enormous amounts of data. At the same time, there have been major developments in bioinformatic methodologies, e-Science and the ICT infrastructure. It is, however, no easy task for the life sciences to effectively apply and implement these developments in their research. The e-Bioscience Approach provides a multidisciplinary method for the medical and biomedical research questions with an emphasis on (omics) experiment design, data pre-processingintegration interpretation and knowledge representation. The Faculty of Science contributes intensively towards the development of a solid e-BioScience environment. Specific aspects of UvA e-BioScience which life scientists can make use of include large data-file processing, data integration and knowledge representation, dynamic process modelling and simulation, complex systems methods, domain visualisation and interaction such as in the e-BioLab currently under development. The research is supervised by Bob Hertzberger. Systems Biology How does life work? Researchers in systems biology or integrative biology use predictive models to gain greater insight into the organisation of living systems and the interaction

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between their components. These systems can vary in scale from molecules, genes, cells, tissue, organisms or populations to entire ecosystems. Smart combinations of experiments and quantitative models yield new insights that lead to applications in public health and the food industry. This kind of approach to living systems requires state-ofthe-art expertise in a number of fields, which is why biologists at the Faculty of Science collaborate intensively with physicists, mathematicians and computer technicians. This is also why the Netherlands Institute for Systems Biology (NISB) was recently founded in conjunction with the VU University Amsterdam, the Centre for Mathematics and Informatics (CWI) and the FOM Institute for Atomic and Molecular Physics. The research is supervised by Klaas Hellingwerf and Roel van Driel. Astroparticle Physics Finding the origin of high-energetic radiation in the universe is the Holy Grail in the field of astroparticle physics, a science on the interface of astronomy and physics. This radiation may in part be caused by the presence of huge quantities of dark matter and dark energy in the universe. The astroparticle experiments are supplemented by data from particle accelerators (in which extremely high levels of energy are used to force elementary particles to collide). Accelerators such as the Large Hadron Collider push the borders of our knowledge on elementary particles and help us explore the unknown material of the universe. These developments can be expected to markedly enhance our picture of the universe and its fundamental laws, allowing us to unravel cosmological developments ever since the Big Bang and calculate the quantity of dark material and dark energy in the universe. At the same time, this information opens a new perspective on other sources, i.e. dynamic high-energetic systems in the cosmos. Telescopes such as LOFAR (Low Frequency Array) reveal the fundamental properties of these sources. There is collaboration in the field of astrophysics with theoretical physics, astronomy and high energy physics institutes. The research is supervised by Frank Linde, Stan Bentvelsen, Ralph Wijers and Robbert Dijkgraaf. European Law and International Copyright Law The advent of the information society poses new questions pertaining to legislation and regulation, e.g. with respect to digital rights, copyright law, open content, databank law and European harmonisation. Information law covers a number of legal areas such as intellectual property, basic communication rights (i.e. the rights to privacy and freedom of speech), the regulation of government information and commercial information, and the market structuring of information networks, in particular telecommunications and the media. Information law is not linked to one information technology; it extends the lines, from the old (analogous) media through to electronic media such as broadcasting and the Internet. Researchers at the Institute for Information Law are internationally recognised and are able to successfully acquire indirect and contract funding. The research is supervised by Bernt Hugenholtz. Multi-level Responsibility The once straightforward relations among states and between the state and the individual have become far more obscure in recent years. Developments in international law have resulted in overlapping forms of responsibility and liability. This research programme clarifies this diffuse picture via international research and European cooperation in the framework of a Network of Excellence (FP6). The central focus is on the distribution of cases among courts, the mutual relationship between political and legal responsibility and liability, and the unity and fragmentation of international law. The research is supervised by Andr Nollkaemper. European Contract Law European private law exercises a great deal of influence on national legal systems, and the two are becoming increasingly interwoven. Many seemingly national rules originate from sources in European law. What is more, many European legal rules take direct

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precedence over national law. The influence of European private law goes beyond mere legal or economic dimensions; it also affects ideological, cultural and social aspects. In the European Contract Law research programme, questions are posed about the coherence and political and social justice of European private law. The group is known as the Centre for the Study of European Contract Law. A significant amount of European funding has been raised for the research programme. The research is supervised by Martijn Hesselink. Immunology and Infectious Diseases The latest genetic and cellular technology makes it possible to discover new viruses. Detailed descriptions of the properties of viruses that cause certain infections allow us to use existing medication more effectively. The discovery of new viruses is also relevant to the development of new medication for treating viral infections. One of the top research groups in the field of immunology and infectious diseases, Retrovirus and RNA Viral Infections, is headed by Ben Berkhout. Berkhouts group is not only focused on discovering new viruses; it also works on combating HIV. The Immunology and Infectious Diseases programme is supervised by Tom van de Poll and Hanneke Schuitemaker. Cardiovascular, Cardiogenetic and Vascular Research Heart failure means the heart is not working properly as a pump, resulting in either insufficient blood being supplied to the tissues to meet the bodys needs or the arteries becoming blocked. The top research group Clinical Aspects of Heart Failure is supervised by Arthur Wilde. This large research group plays a prominent international role in the research into heart failure caused by heart rhythm disorders. They focus on the genetic background of various disorders classified as cardiac arrhythmia, devoting specific attention to electro-rhythm disorders and the electrophysiological processes in the heart. The leading research group Molecular and Structural Aspects of Heart Failure supervised by Antoon Moorman examines molecular process at the cellular level in the development of the heart. Both Wilde and Moormans research groups work in close conjunction. The Cardiovascular, Cardiogenetic and Vascular Research programme is supervised by Antoon Moorman and John Kastelein. Metabolic Diseases Diseases affecting the metabolism are congenital and caused by gene mutations that are responsible for a shortage of a certain enzyme. Well-known metabolic diseases include phenylketonuria (PKU), Pompes disease and Tay-Sachs disease. Although the diagnostic possibilities have greatly increased in recent years, treatment results for many metabolic diseases are nonetheless inadequate. Both clinical and fundamental metabolic disease research are at the forefront at the UvAs Academic Medical Center (AMC). The Lysosomal Pathology and Nitrogen Metabolism top research group is supervised by Hans Aerts. The AMC has been selected as the national research and treatment centre for lysosomal glycolipid metabolic diseases and so has an active coordinating role in international studies on diagnostic tools and new therapies for these diseases. In research on the treatment of diabetes type 2, designing specific glycosphingolipid synthesis inhibitors has proven to be a viable concept and will also be applicable to other metabolic diseases. The Metabolic Diseases programme is supervised by Hans Aerts and Frits Wijburg. Biofilm and Oral Infections Tooth decay and parodontal and endodontal infections are the most common diseases of the oral cavity. Scientists in the field of biofilm and oral infections focus on the development, prevention and treatment of these disorders. They investigate the role of specific bacteria in dental plaque and the role of host factors such as genetically determined differences in immunological resistance. As part of prevention, environmental factors such as oral hygiene and the use of fluoride are also investigated. Treatment options are explored in various ways, e.g. by developing and prescribing peptide

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analogues of histatines (antimicrobial substances from the saliva) and influencing the interaction among micro-organisms. The research conducted at the Academic Centre for Dentistry Amsterdam (ACTA) is supervised by Bob ten Cate, Ubele van der Velden and Arie van Nieuw Amerongen. Bioengineering and Reconstruction of Bone and Tooth Tissue This research at the Faculty of Dentistry focuses on the application and recovery of bone, muscle tissue and paradontium. The paradontium, the tissue surrounding the teeth, plays a role in fastening the teeth to the jaw. Researchers study various aspects, including the regeneration of the bone and paradontium after operations or as a result of breakage and the restoration of a defective function. At the fundamental level, researchers examine the influence of mechanical stress and growth factors on bone cells and the normal and abnormal development of the mastication system. The research is supervised by Vincent Everts, Chiel Naeije and Theo van Eijden. Cultural Analysis Culture can be defined as an all-embracing concept for the entire range of symbolic and material expressions in words, gestures, images and sounds that people use to identify themselves and distinguish themselves from others. Researchers in this field focus on the systematic interpretation of contemporary culture and historical subjects. They analyse cultural phenomena and their conceptual foundations. The emphasis here is on the textual, visual and historical details as well as the implied normativity in the ways that identity, difference and distinction play a role in various media. The research comprises five programmes: Evaluating Institutions and Practices, Transnationalism and Multiculturalism, Structure and Story, Technology and the New Mediatisation and Argumentation in Discourse. The research is supervised by Mieke Bal, Frans van Eemeren, Thomas Elsaesser, Jos van Dijck and Patricia Pisters. Culture and History Europe has a rich culture. The Institute for Culture and History (ICH) focuses on the study of European culture from a historical perspective. Text and objects are studied not only individually but also in the context of the historical structures and processes within which they were created and functioned. Conversely, these structures are used to explain the specific representation of the texts and objects. The research at the ICH covers a wide range of subjects and approaches. The main fields are archaeology, history, literature and art. The research on cultural dynamics, heritage and canonisation constitutes the core of the Institutes work. One strong and highly multidisciplinary cluster is the Amsterdam Centre for the Study of the Golden Age (Henk van Nierop). Heritage Studies is becoming increasingly important in relation to the preservation of monuments and historic buildings, archaeology and related fields. Smaller groups that are rapidly developing include Holocaust and Genocide Studies, Hermetic Philosophy and European Studies. Logic, Language and Computation The contemporary world of technology is driven by flows of information. It is a challenge for todays researchers to gain deeper insight into them and to reinforce existing applications. Researchers at the Institute for Logic, Language and Computation (ILLC), an inter-faculty research institute, study the coding, transference and analysis of information. The emphasis is on natural and formal languages, but other information carriers such as images and music are studied as well. The research is strongly international and interdisciplinary and intertwines insights from various disciplines in the fields of information and information processing, such as logic, mathematics, computer science, linguistics, cognition science, artificial intelligence and philosophy. The research is supervised by Martin Stokhof, Jeroen Groenendijk, Frank Veltman and Michiel van Lambalgen.

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The Language Blueprint Linguistics focuses on the systematic aspects underlying spoken and signed languages and language use, one of the higher cognitive functions the human brain is capable of. Linguistics is part of the basis for the abstract modelling of human cognitive processes. The Amsterdam Center for Language and Communication (ACLC) unites researchers studying these aspects of linguistics. It covers a wide range of topics and employs diverse theoretical, observational and experimental research methods. The linguistic research conducted at the ACLC examines variation and the system behind variation as formulated in The Language Blueprint. Natural languages exhibit great variation in all the aspects of their structure, in how they convey meaning and in how they are used. The human language faculty is highly flexible. Despite this diversity, languages exhibit a striking degree of similarity, now encoded in what are known as language universals. These define the language blueprint, the basic layout of any system of human communication. The ACLC applies a novel and integrated strategy to significantly enhance our understanding of the nature of this blueprint. Universals are studied from any number of descriptive and theoretical perspectives. The research focuses on four areas: Language Description and Typology, Linguistic Modelling, Language Variation and Change and Language Acquisition and Processing. The focus for the next few years is on Typology and Multilingualism. The research is supervised by Anne Baker, Paul Boersma, Kees Hengeveld, Jan Hulstijn and Fred Weerman. Finance Group Corporate Finance & Financial Systems is an internationally renowned research group that focuses on financing, in particular on financial markets, risk management, corporate finance and bank intermediation theory. The group has strong ties to institutions in the United States, where many of the staff have conducted research or lectured. In recent years, conferences have been organised in conjunction with Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, the London Business School, the University of Michigan and Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, among others. The research group recently welcomed the visiting professor Florencio Lopez-de-Silanes and there are strong ties with Stijn Claessens of the World Bank. The research is supervised by Enrico Perotti. Center for Research in Experimental Economics and Political Decision-Making As a science, economics is known for its hypothetical models and abstract game theory. But it is also an experimental science that uses laboratory tests to observe human behaviour and test theoretical representations. It has been demonstrated in the laboratory that observed behaviour deviates from theoretical predictions. That is why alternative theories are developed that can more accurately predict observed behaviour and so serve as an important supplement to the classic economic models. The Center for Research in Experimental Economics and Political Decision-Making (CREED) is an internationally prominent research institute in the field of experimental economics and (political) decision-making. The Centre is playing a leading role in the development of the new research field of Behavioural Economics (with strong links to psychology and biology) and heads various related networks such as ENABLE, the European Network for the Advancement of Behavioural Economics. Researchers at CREED focus on the economics of political decision-making, limited rationality and institutions, and experimental economics. At the CREED laboratory, political economic processes are created that make it possible to implement adequate monitoring and precise measuring. Researchers at CREED include Theo Offerman (Behavioural Game Theory), Joep Sonnemans (Behavioural Economics), Arthur Schram (Experimental Economics) and Frans van Winden (Political Economics). There are also strong ties with Jacob Goeree (Caltech). The research is supervised by Frans van Winden.

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Typical interdisciplinary UvA research

Cognitive Science Center Amsterdam How does the human mind acquire, preserve, use and express knowledge and how are these abilities transmitted by the brain? These and other questions are what scientists address in the field of the cognitive sciences. A key research area is the functioning of the brain in relation to behaviour. The function and dysfunction of the nervous system, particularly the brain, is also increasingly a topic of interest. The UvA has an excellent and comprehensive curriculum in the field of the cognitive sciences which cuts across disciplinary lines into psychology, logic, psycholinguistics and biology. The research is mainly conducted at the Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences, which coordinates the Cognitive Science Center Amsterdam (CSCA). The Faculty of Science and the Faculty of Humanities are closely connected to the research, and researchers in the fields of language and neurobiology are also linked to Cognitive Sciences. Every year the CSCA organises lectures and a summer school. A prominent guest professor is also appointed every year to the Nico Frijda Chair. The CSCA is coordinated by Maurits van der Molen. Amsterdam Institute for Labour Studies Labour issues are often complex. Political, economic and cultural internationalisation means markets are no longer embedded in national states. Instead, states and institutes are embedded in international markets. This is why it is now time to re-examine the solutions and insights from the industrial and national era, and new institutions and theories are called for. Increasing international competitive pressure and the latest developments in the fields of communication and information should also be taken into consideration. Furthermore, answers are needed with reference to the growing inequality and risks associated with international migration, differences in knowledge and education, ageing, changing behaviour in the labour market and altered family relations. The Amsterdam Institute for Labour Studies (AIAS) combines the expertise of economists, sociologists, psychologists and legal and medical experts employed in the labour field. The research programme focuses on three sub-areas: the development of institutions in relation to the labour markets, labour relations and organisations, and social policy; inequality in the labour markets, particularly the role of institutions in them; and finally, internationalisation in the labour markets and labour relations (employees, company management, social security and social dialogue). Every year the AIAS organises a conference, and is involved in organising international conferences for networks such as the European Economic Association (EEA) and the European Low-Wage Employment Research Network (LoWER). In addition, every two weeks the AIAS holds lunch seminars with lectures by its own scientists and international guests. The research is supervised by Jelle Visser. Amsterdam Center for Law & Economics There has recently been a growing need to apply economic insights to legislation and regulation and indeed to integrate legal principles and developments into economic decision-making. Legal experts tend to focus on the letter of the law, whereas economists concentrate on the interpretation of the law. The Amsterdam Center for Law & Economics (ACLE) serves as a bridge between legal experts and economists and was set up as a joint initiative of the Economics and Law Faculties. ACLE research focuses on three areas: Competition & Regulation, Corporate Governance & Law and Foundations of Law & Economics. Partly as a result of the appointment of the top researchers GiuseppeDari Mattiacci (Foundations of Law & Economics), Maarten Pieter Schinkel (Competition) and Joseph McCahery (Corporate Law & Governance), the ACLE has rapidly established an excellent reputation. The research is supervised by Arnoud Boot.

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3. Focus of the research at the UvA

Theme 1: Research priority areas While the selection of research priority areas is based in part on academic interest, it is also determined by the themes formulated by the external funding agencies, such as the ministries, the NWO and the European Union (see section 1). The selection of research priority areas can also be influenced by a universitys own research traditions. The UvA strives wherever possible to allow research to be driven by the researchers curiosity, without losing sight of the social context (assumption 3). Each faculty has its own research priority areas. The Board and the deans make agreements about these priority areas every four years and set them out in the covenants. The Board ensures that the proper conditions exist for excellent research to be conducted. The selection of research priority areas is inspired mainly by the researchers interests. At the same time, links are sought to the themes put forward by the external funding agencies, such as the NWO, the KNAW, the Dutch ministries and the European Union.

Theme 2: Interdisciplinary research Given the broad range of its research, the UvA is in an excellent position to stimulate interdisciplinary research (see the examples on page 16 and in Appendix 1). Interdisciplinary research involves intensive collaboration between various disciplines, with the goal of exploring scientific questions jointly. In recent years the Board has enabled the faculties to stimulate interdisciplinary research. Collaborative frameworks receive a start-up subsidy over a period of years to allow them to successfully launch their research, after which the research must become a structural component of the research programme of the participating faculties. This set-up has led to a number of successful collaborative frameworks, such as the Cognitive Science Center Amsterdam, the Amsterdam Institute for Labour Studies, the Institute for Migration and Ethnic Studies and the Centre for the Golden Age. The UvA will continue to stimulate interdisciplinary research not as an end in itself but because of its enhanced value for science. The UvA is convinced that new insights are developed mainly at the interface between various academic disciplines. There also seems to be a growing need for an interdisciplinary approach to help solve the specific problems confronting society. Moreover, interdisciplinary collaboration is often an indispensable part of efforts to launch large-scale subsidised projects, such as when submitting requests within the framework programmes of the European Commission. As noted in section 1, a particular challenge of interfaculty, interdisciplinary research is that it is often not viewed as part of the core task of the participating faculties and researchers. University researchers' careers are shaped by academic status, which in turn is mainly determined by publications in their own discipline in predominantly singlediscipline journals. Once the Board of the UvA has ended its initial financial support, it has proven difficult to secure the lasting financial commitment from the faculty that is required in order to embed the research. The funding of interdisciplinary research, particularly where it transcends faculties, requires attention. The joint appointment of academic staff (from lecturers to professors) by more than one faculty can contribute to the emergence of lasting collaborative initiatives that enhance overall value. Targeted support will also be directed to interdisciplinary research that fits into the research programmes of the faculty or faculties involved. In consultation with the faculties, the Board will create frameworks for stimulating interdisciplinary research. Experience shows that in order to maximise the possibility of success of interdisciplinary and interfaculty research, it is important to appoint a renowned researcher as the project leader.

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The UvA will continue to support interfaculty, interdisciplinary research. Joint appointments of academic staff (from lecturers to professors) by more than one faculty will contribute to the creation of viable and lasting collaborative projects which in turn will enhance the value of the research programmes of the individual faculties.

Theme 3: Innovative research The UvA research agenda is increasingly influenced by external parties. For example, the revenue generated by contract research has been increasing over the past few years. There is also a trend for university funding to be skimmed off for use by other financing agencies, such as the KNAW or the NWO (for example, for the top research schools and within the context of small-scale stimulation (kleine dynamisering)). Moreoever, various external parties such as the NWO, the Dutch Ministries and the European Union are asking the universities to make a comparable financial contribution (matching). A substantial part of the direct funding intended for fundamental research is therefore used for other purposes and can no longer be freely spent (see section 1). The UvA spends approximately 8 million a year in direct matching contributions. About 2 million of this goes to indirect matching (housing, infrastructure and so forth). The UvAs aim is to allow the researchers curiosity to inspire the choice of research priority areas wherever possible. In many cases, this curiosity-driven research fits into the directly financed lines of research already in existence at the UvA (assumption 4). Despite the decline in resources available through direct funding, the UvA will continue to do everything it can to support innovative and high-risk research that has the potential of developing into a new research priority area. In the new allocation model, the faculties will, in principle, have scope for this within their own budgets. In consultation with the faculties, the Board will establish frameworks for funding innovative research. The UvA will seek to amend or expand the direct funding arrangements so that this money will again be fully available to support curiosity-driven research. In addition, the UvA seeks to expand its influence on external parties with respect to developments in new fields of research in order to play a role in determining their research agendas. The Board will promote leadership and stimulate first-class UvA researchers to play a role in policymaking agencies (such as the programmatic boards of the NWO). The UvA will continue to do everything it can to support innovative and high-risk research. The Board and the deans will make agreements about stimulating this type of research.

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4. Quality of the research and the researchers

Theme 4: Managing for and stimulating quality In 2003 the national system of assessing research per discipline under the auspices of the VSNU was abandoned. Since then, the quality of research has been evaluated in accordance with the Standard Evaluation Protocol (SEP) drawn up by the KNAW, the NWO and the VSNU. Responsibility for the research assessment is now in the hands of the three individual agencies, each of which can make its own decision about whether the research should be evaluated per discipline and/or in a national context. Since 2004 UvA research has been evaluated per institute in accordance with the UvA Research Evaluation Protocol (UvA Protocol Onderzoeksevaluaties), which is in line with the national Standard Evaluation Protocol. To preserve national comparability, the UvA seeks to organise the research assessments within a national framework wherever possible. The evaluation results are used in determining UvA research policy. In accordance with the Standard Evaluation Protocol, the research is assessed once every six years by an international external committee of experts. The assessment criteria are: quality, productivity, relevance and viability. The external committee uses the results of the mid-term review of all UvA research (conducted every three years), of the annual reports of the research institutes and of an on-site visit. With the approval of the dean, the research institute amends its research policy, based on the results of the mid-term and external reviews. The goal is to preserve and reinforce the quality of UvA research. Research that scores less than a 3 for quality according to the Standard Evaluation Protocol should be discontinued. The most important factors in preserving and consolidating the quality of research at the UvA are the retention of talent and excellence, the embedding the research in designated priority areas and maintaining the broad scope of the UvA research programme. Because certain research is important to the UvA if this scope is to be maintained, some groups whose achievements are less impressive may receive more support than others. To further stimulate the quality of research (assumption 1), the UvA will reward research groups that perform well. This will be done, for example, by allocating extra funding and/or personnel, such as an additional position for a PhD student, more research time, support staff or research assistants, or a travel budget for attending conferences. Since the financial scope is limited, this funding will have to be made available by reducing support to other, less successful, research projects. Managing large-scale research projects with external funding (for example, within the framework programmes of the European Commission) is often a complex matter. The UVAs Knowledge Transfer Office (formerly the Liaison Office) can play an advisory and supportive role in managing these projects. The UvA safeguards the quality of its research through the UvA Research Evaluation Protocol and supports, wherever possible, external evaluations carried out in a national context. Based on the assessment results, the research policy is amended at the institute, faculty and/or university level. The retention of talent and excellence is the basic assumption in this regard. To stimulate the quality of research, the UvA will reward research groups whose achievements are impressive. The financial scope to do so will be sought by reducing support to other, less successful, research projects.

Theme 5: Education as a breeding ground for research talent Excellent researchers are a prerequisite for outstanding research. Many of these are recruited from outside the UvA, nationally and internationally, but naturally the UvA also draws from its own pool of students and graduates. By introducing students to research

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at an early stage, it is possible to recognise and invest in talent (assumption 2). By acquainting bachelors students with the idea of doing a research masters degree, the UvA brings them into contact with research via explicitly research-oriented study programmes and academic student counselling. At a later stage in the bachelors programme, students can assist in conducting research. In the natural sciences, it is not uncommon for students doing a two-year masters programme to be involved in a research project. In recent years, two-year research masters programmes have also been developed (and accredited) in the humanities and the social and medical sciences. These research masters programmes prepare students for a possible career in research by giving them the opportunity to take part in ongoing faculty research programmes that are supervised by first-class researchers and lecturers. After completing a research masters programme, promising students can be admitted to a PhD programme. To introduce as many students as possible to research options, in principle the UvA gives, every bachelors student the opportunity to do a research masters. The UvA has already developed such programmes for a wide range of disciplines and is making every effort to expand the range. A research masters programme in Law, for example, will be developed. The UvA seeks to introduce as many bachelors and masters students as possible to research. As a result, research masters programmes will be developed for every discipline.

Theme 6: PhD programmes At the PhD stage, research talent is given the opportunity to develop further (assumption 2). The UvA has PhD programmes in all disciplines. The UvA employs approximately 1,360 PhD students, for example as research assistants, and every year about 310 obtain their doctorate, two-thirds of which are in the natural science and medical sectors. Less than half the students who are granted their PhD continue their careers as a member of the academic staff. The UvA offers an attractive, international research environment for PhD students, in which they can develop their research talent and are given excellent training opportunities (assumption 1). Being successful at the PhD level requires good counselling on the part of both the promotor and the supervisor(s). The quality of the PhD programme is safeguarded by the internal and external research assessments carried out in accordance with the Standard Evaluation Protocol, the annual assessments made by the promotor and the PhD student, and the UvA PhD Student Regulations (Promotiereglement). In view of its goal to make an important contribution to the development of a Dutch and European knowledge-based society in the coming years, the UvA aims to have more PhD students obtain their doctorates. Simply recruiting more PhD students is not an option as the necessary financial resources are not available. The solution will therefore mostly lie in ensuring that a higher proportion of PhD students obtain their degree, and preferably in less time than is currently the case. It now often takes PhD students more than four years to complete their degree, while (too) many never achieve this goal. The UvA seeks to improve performance rates and to increase the annual percentage of PhD students who obtain their PhD by 15% within four years. This means that, starting in 2010, about 370 PhD degrees should be awarded annually (assuming the number of PhD students remains stable).

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In addition, the UvA aims to have 60% of its PhD students obtain their degrees within five years. To achieve this, coaching will be needed for both the PhD students and their promotors. This can take the form of a structured training programme and a streamlined series of progress reports involving external experts in an advisory role. An assessment of the promotors capacities as a counsellor will also be part of the process. Counselling can be improved by appointing a team for every PhD student, consisting of the promotor and at least one supervisor, who can be approached by the PhD student on a daily basis if necessary. At the beginning of the PhD programme, a training and supervision plan should be drawn up to serve as the basis for the mandatory annual assessments. A year after the programme has started, an assessment should be made as to whether the PhD student will be able to complete the PhD thesis within the set time. The UvAs basic assumption is that the PhD student who receives a positive evaluation at that juncture will complete the PhD programme successfully and on time. This policy to change the PhD programme mindset has already been implemented in a number of faculties. The founding of graduate schools, which house the masters, research masters and PhD programmes, will also play an important role in improving PhD performance rates. PhD programmes can be shorter if the masters, research masters and PhD programmes are well linked, though in such a way that this does not form an obstacle to inter-city and international student mobility. Since a PhD degree is an important step not only towards a career in research but also towards other positions in society, more attention should be devoted to this aspect during the course of the study programme. The UvA is making every effort to broaden the qualifications of PhD students, for example by involving them in the management of the research groups. To ensure that there is an adequate pool of research talent but also to make a contribution to the development of the knowledge society at the Dutch and European level, the UvA seeks to train more PhD students. This can be achieved through better performance rates and shorter PhD programmes. The graduate schools, which house the masters, research masters and PhD programmes, together with a new mindset on the part of the promotors and the PhD students can help facilitate this.

Theme 7: From PhD student to professor The UvA makes every effort to be an attractive employer for the best researchers recruited from the national and international pool (assumption 3). It provides an excellent international research environment in which it is easy to conduct research, and offers good facilities with respect to fieldwork, courses, ICT and administrative support. In recent decades there has been a decrease in the opportunities for up-and-coming talent to advance to an academic post within the UvA. This has to do with the age distribution of the academic staff. A personnel policy based on the principle of permanent staff positions has probably exacerbated this effect. In addition to the limited number of research positions available, the growing number of those seeking positions also plays a role: there has been an enormous increase in the number of PhD graduates since the introduction of the two-tier structure (Tweefasenstructuur). To improve career advancement opportunities, the UvA should place greater emphasis on quality appreciation in its human resources policy, so that well-trained graduates can get those jobs for which they have developed special talents. To promote the principle of career advancement, additional capacity in the workforce would be desirable. While this will be achieved mainly through attrition, it may also be created by finding alternative employment for underperforming researchers. Talent can also be stimulated at various stages of the academic career. The UvA will devote more attention to this in the years to come, for example by offering assistance in

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writing requests for NWO Innovational Research Incentives Scheme grants (Veni, Vidi and Vici) and in nominating candidates for the KNAWs Young Academy or KNAW professorships. The UvA is an attractive employer for both Dutch and international researchers. To improve the career advancement opportunities for research talent, the career principle will play an important role in its human resources policy. The necessary capacity in the workforce will become available in the coming years both through attrition and through career alternatives for researchers whose development is stagnating.

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5. How the research is organised

Universities are traditionally the organisational framework within which research is conducted. There have long been institutional and personal links between universities, while other national and international frameworks have been established more recently. In the Netherlands these frameworks include the top research schools, the Technological Top Institutes (TTIs) and Societal Top Institutes (STIs), and the BISK (Decree on Grants for Investments in Knowledge Infrastructure) partnerships. Research frameworks have been introduced at a European level as well, such as the Networks of Excellence (NoEs). The universities, however, continue to be and wish to remain the prime institutions responsible for the funding spent on research and for safeguarding the quality of research. In the past decade, the way study programmes and research at the UvA were organised has been revised in keeping with the University Government (Modernisation) Act (Wet Modernisering Universitair Bestuursorganisatie, MUB). In an effort to clearly stipulate the responsibilities for research and education, all research is now conducted at the research institutes (onderzoeksinstituten) and all study programmes are organised by the education institutes (onderwijsinstituten). The deans have primary responsibility for the contents of the research conducted at the UvA. The Board formulates the general guidelines for the UvAs research policy. The recently formulated desire to keep pace with international developments in both research and education particularly in the Anglo-Saxon world has led the UvA to found graduate schools.

Theme 8: The graduate schools In 2004, most UvA faculties cautiously began to make plans for founding their own graduate schools. This was often done with a view to raising the international visibility of the UvA with respect to its masters and PhD programmes and to attracting more students, including those from abroad. The creation of graduate schools was accelerated in 2005 when these schools were given responsibility for safeguarding the quality of the PhD programmes (assumption 2). Both the (preparatory) research masters programmes and the PhD programmes now fall under the graduate schools. A more streamlined curriculum has thus been created which is expected to improve the performance rates and reduce the duration of the PhD programmes. In the coming years, all the masters, research masters and PhD programmes will fall under the graduate schools. The structure of the graduate schools will be closely linked to existing structures and responsibilities, as well as to specific organisational structures within the faculties. The graduate schools will not constitute an extra management level within the university organisation. Instead, they will be working frameworks between the existing organisational units (the research institutes, education institutes and departments). The responsibility for the masters, research masters and PhD programmes will remain in the hands of the research and education institutes. It is the task of the graduate schools to provide an optimal link between the masters, research masters and PhD programmes. Accordingly, over time, the UvA will transfer all the masters, research masters and PhD programmes to the graduate schools.

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Appendix 1: Interfaculty collaboration at the UvA

Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences Cognitive Sciences (supervisor: Van der Molen) Collaboration with the Faculty of Science and the Academic Medical Center (AMC), Amsterdam. Conflict and Negotiation (supervisor: Hajer) From the Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences: Labour and Organisational Psychology (De Dreu), Regional Planning (Salet), Dynamics of Science (MCharek), Governance (Hajer); from the Faculty of Law: Multi-level Responsibility (Nollkaemper); from the Faculty of Economics and Business: Experimental Economics. There is also cooperation within the Institute for Migration and Ethnic Studies (Rath) with the Faculty of Law and the Faculty of Humanities and within the Amsterdam Institute for Labour Studies (Visser) with the Faculty of Law, the Faculty of Economics and Business and the Academic Medical Center (AMC), Amsterdam. Faculty of Science e-Bioscience (supervisor: Herzberger) There is collaboration here between the Institute for Informatics, the Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics and the Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences. Systems Biology (supervisors: Hellingwerf, Van Driel). There is collaboration here between the Faculty of Science (Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences) BISK programme (Decree on Grants for Investments in Knowledge Infrastructure), the Institute for Atomic and Molecular Physics and the Center for Mathematics and Informatics. Astroparticle Physics (supervisors: Linde/Bentvelsen, Wijers, Dijkgraaf) The string theory group (Institute for Theoretical Physics), the high energy physics group (Institute for High Energy Physics) and the astronomy group (Anton Pannekoek Astronomy Institute) work together in the field of particles physics. The possibility of long-term collaboration (ten to twenty years) between these three groups is being discussed. Faculty of Law European Law and International Copyright Law (supervisor: Hugenholtz) The potential collaboration partner here is the Faculty of Economics and Business (legal economists (Dari-Mattiacci) at the Amsterdam Center for Law and Economics). Multi-level Responsibility (supervisor: Nollkaemper) The potential collaboration partner within the UvA for this programme is the Faculty of Economics and Business (legal economists (Giuseppe Dari-Mattiacci) at the Amsterdam Center for Law and Economics) and the Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences (Conflict and Negotiation: Hajer). European Contract Law (supervisor: Hesselink) The Centre for the Study of European Contract Law works in close cooperation at the UvA with the legal economists of the Faculty of Economics and Business (Boot). The potential collaboration partner is the Faculty of Humanities (Amsterdam School for Cultural Analysis). Faculty of Medicine / Academic Medical Center (AMC), Amsterdam Immunology and Infectious Diseases (supervisors: Van der Poll and Schuitemaker) There is close cooperation with Sanquin Research Amsterdam as well as with the Faculty of Economics and Business in the field of AIDS research. Cardiovascular, Cardiogenetic and Vascular Research (supervisors: Moorman and Kastelein) There is indirect collaboration with the Faculty of Science via de Medical Biochemistry Department at the Academic Medical Center (AMC), Amsterdam.

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Metabolic Diseases (supervisors: Aerts and Wijburg) The Faculty works in close cooperation with the Faculty of Science (Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences) in the field of Proteomics. Gastric, Liver and Intestinal Diseases (supervisors: Oude Elferink and Fockens) There is collaboration with Sanquin Research Amsterdam. Neurological and Psychiatric Disorders (supervisors: Van Gool and Baas) There is collaboration in the field of cognitive sciences. There is also close cooperation with the Faculty of Science for the functional MRI. Oncology (supervisors: Caron, Medema) There is close cooperation with the Netherlands Cancer Institute - Antoni van Leeuwenhoek Hospital and the Micro-array Unit of the Faculty of Science (Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences). Public Health (supervisors: Stronks, Bossuyt) There is cooperation with the Cultural Anthropology Section of the Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences. The development of joint biobanks on the basis of the ICT infrastructure of Surfnet 6 and Big GRID is important in the collaboration with other University Medical Centres. A request is now being processed in this round of Fund for Economic Structural Reinforcement financing. Further collaboration with the Academic Medical Center (AMC), Amsterdam within the UvA in the near future: An expansion of the existing cooperation with the Faculty of Science in the fields of genomics and proteomics with an emphasis on bio-informatics. Van Kampen has been appointed at the Academic Medical Center (AMC), Amsterdam as well as recently at the Faculty of Science. Possible collaboration in the fields of metabolomics and drug design and development. The Academic Medical Center (AMC), Amsterdam and the Faculty of Science are to reinforce the cooperation as regards the Virtual e-Bioscience Institute, Systems Biology and Neurosciences and Cognition. With the Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences: The collaboration in the field of cognitive science is to be reinforced (linked to neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimers). With the Faculty of Law: Possible cooperation in the field of property rights as regards biobanks. With the Faculty of Economics and Business: Financing and access to care (in the course of AIDS research in Africa, they appeared to be more important factors than medication and reliability in taking it); Rinke de Wit has been jointly appointed. Faculty of Dentistry / Academic Centre for Dentistry (ACTA), Amsterdam The Academic Centre for Dentistry (ACTA), Amsterdam has extensive collaboration with the Academic Medical Center (AMC), Amsterdam (Electron Microscopy, Cell Biology and Histology, Clinical Chemistry, Infectious Diseases, Experimental Hepatology, Social Medicine and Psychiatry Departments), the Faculty of Science (Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences) and the Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences (Psychology, Methodology and Clinical Psychology Departments). Faculty of Humanities With the Faculty of Science: The interfaculty research school, the Institute for Logic, Language and Computation (secretary: Faculty of Science). With the Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences: Cooperation on the part of linguists and logicians from the Faculty of Humanities with colleagues from the Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences in the field of Cognitive Science. Collaboration has recently been launched in the field of social cohesion / changing citizenship in the framework of the SmartMix / NWO programme Cultural Dynamics.

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With the Faculty of Law and the Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences: Future cooperation in the fields of European Studies, Conflict Studies and Argumentation. Faculty of Economics and Business Center for Research in Experimental Economics and Political Decision-Making (CREED) There is ample interfaculty research collaboration with geologists (e.g. Sabelis, Egas, Pennartz), and there has long been cooperation with psychologists (Van der Pligt, De Dreu, Fischer, Lamme) and with the Institute for Logic, Language and Computation (Van Benthem). Amsterdam Center for Law and Economics (ACLE) The Amsterdam Center for Law and Economics is closely linked to institutes at both of the faculties, i.e. with the Amsterdam Institute for Private Law, the Amsterdam Center for International Law and the Institute for Information Law at the Faculty of Law and with the IO, Finance and Accounting, and the faculty-related social initiatives Economics Network for Competition and Regulation, the Amsterdam Center for Corporate Finances and the Amsterdam Courses in Economics and Business at the Faculty of Economics and Business. The researchers include Van Cayseele (economics), Cseres (law), Driehuis (economics), Hesselink (law), De Kluiver (law), Du Perron (law), Smits (law), Theeuwes (economics), Vogelaar (law), Van de Ven (economics), Wallage (economics) and Winter (law). Other collaborations Wijnberg and Leenders (Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences/Communication Science): Cultural Industries (economics of movie awards). Tijdens and Van der Werfhorst (Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences): in the KP6 programme Equalsoc. Ferrer-i-Carbonell and the Amsterdam Institute for Labour Studies: The Amsterdam Institute for Labour Studies is an interdisciplinary collaboration framework for law, medicine, economics, psychology and sociology. Schinkel and Vogelaar, Cseres (Faculty of Law): Competition Law and Economics (Amsterdam Center for Law and Economics, see above). Klein and Spreij (Faculty of Science): Algebraic properties of statistical information. Anderson, De Dreu et al. (Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences / Psychology): Organisation and Behaviour.

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