Your question for research

Every organisation likes to improve it's practice or gain new knowledge. But sometimes you simply lack the time or expertise to really get things started. Does that sound familiar? Maybe you could consider collaborating with the university. On this page you can find more information on the possibility of turning your question into research by students of the Faculty of Arts.

Small starting questions call for research by students

Starting to collaborate with a university can be a big and time consuming step, therefore we advise you to start small, for example with student research. That way you will get an idea how research could help your organisational practice, but also what it's limitations are. Students offer you a fresh view on the issues you are facing and in return you offer them an interesting experience of what their knowledge is worth in a professional environment.

Science Shop projects, internships or Career minor

Research by students can be established in various ways. For example by offering an internship with a research component or through contacting lecturers you know. But when you don't know your way in the university that well, the Science Shop can help you out. Our faculty's Science Shop in Lnaguage, Culture and Communication explores with you what is the best route to success for you and the student. The website of the Science Shop offers you exemplary projects, news and reports and contact information.

Is your question interdisciplinary and fit for a small group of students? It might fit in our Faculty's Career minor.

Collaboration in larger scale research

Is your question simply too complicated or too big for a student project? Or are you more experienced in working together with researchers? Then you might want to contact one of our centers of expertise or research centers. You can find more information on this page: Collaboration.

Good practices of student research from our Faculty:

"Everyone who participated became enthusiastic about this research method. "

Reflecting on a specific history is useful, that becomes apparent if you are writing a learning history for and with an organisation. Ma-student Anna Silvius did exactly that for the city of Heerenveen. Her work was much appreciated as the quote above clearly demonstrates. Our history students are well trained in this type of research and supervised by experienced researchers in the field? More in Dutch: Een leergeschiedenis voor de gemeente Heerenveen

"It was great to welcome the students, exchanging ideas with them inspired our employees tremendously."

Masterstudents Communication and Information Science and Human-machine Communication received a special assignment from DUO (the governmental organisation who is delivering student finance in the Netherlands). The students technically evaluated the DUO website in order to improve the accessibility and user friendlyness. They exchanged their results with the DUO Usability team. This extraordinary chance in professional practice shows the mutual effectiveness of a co-operation between the university and organisations outside Academia. More information on this project in Dutch: Studenten werken samen met DUO aan gebruiksvriendelijke website.

"Most inhabitants have no idea that this kind of houses were once common in this area. You could tell them, but it is more powerful to show it.”

The Yeb Hettinga Museum in Firdgum wished to show its visitors how people lived in the area in the old days. Would that be possible? Daniël Postma started a preliminary research as a master student of Archaeology to answer this simple question. Over time the project expanded into a doctoral project in close collaboration with many organisations, that all brought in their own expertise and energy. The research took the form of constructing a Turf House as it would have been done in the early Middle Ages. And that lead to many new insights and a wonderful exhibit for the museum and the village! More about the project in Dutch: Archeoloog bouwt zodenhuis