Round #5 of the Booster Fund opens

1 April sees the start of round #5 of the University of the North Booster Fund. Now featuring a new set-up, the fund is designed to encourage broad-based teaching and research collaborations, which contribute to broad prosperity in the Northern Netherlands. Applicants have until 30 June 2026 to submit proposals.

Here are the three most important changes:

1. Focus on broad-based teaching and/or research partnerships
   Projects must constitute a partnership between institutes from the full knowledge spectrum: MBO, HBO, and WO, and include a clear teaching and/or research component.
2. Expansion from RIS3 to broad prosperity
   Whereas previous rounds were linked to the RIS3, the new set-up focuses on the wider perspective of broad prosperity the Northern Netherlands. This makes room for initiatives that may previously have fallen outside the scope.
3. Higher grants
   If enough suitable proposals are received, two projects will each receive €150,000 in funding.

Incentive for broad-based collaboration

Chair of the University of the North steering group Dick Pouwels: ‘Hybrid teaching and research is one of the flagship initiatives of the University of the North. The spectrum already includes a lot of intensive, successful partnerships. We strongly believe in this strategy and are convinced that the combination of academic knowledge and practice-based impact will generate solutions for the transitions of this era. The new set-up of the Booster Fund provides an extra incentive for partnerships of this kind and strengthens our spectrum proposition.’

Evaluation

The proposals will be evaluated by an external evaluation committee comprising:

• Han Brezet, Emeritus Professor, Faculty of Industrial Design Engineering at TU Delft
• Aart Jan de Graaf, Entrepreneur in the field of energy issues, and former Leading Lector at the HAN Academy of Engineering & Automotive
• Jorick Scheerens, Programme director of Stichting Practoraten.nl, and also a member of the Knowledge Utilisation Board of the Netherlands Initiative for Educational Research (NRO)

• Joline Beulens, Professor in Epidemiology at VU UMC

More information and how to register

Teaching and/or research partnerships that may qualify should contact the University of the North coordination team member of the responsible institution.

• UG - Rita Landeweerd
• Hanze UAS - Tineke Kroontje
• UMCG - Adrie Bouma
• NHL Stenden UAS - Hendrikus Venema
• Van Hall Larenstein UAS - Hendrikus Venema
• Noorderpoort, Alfa College, DCTerra, and ROC Menso Alting - Roger Groesz

• Firda and Aeres - Hendrik Jan Hoekstra.

A webinar will be held on Wednesday 15 April at 2 p.m. More information about the Booster Fund will be given and there will be an opportunity to ask questions. Sign up here.

More information is available on the Booster Fund web page.