Research assessments

Utrecht University attaches great value to ensuring the quality of its research is assessed effectively. All research at Utrecht University is therefore periodically assessed by external teams of experts. Most research (97%) receives an assessment ranging from good to excellent. In the event of a negative assessment the University takes the necessary measures.

SEP

The assessments are carried out on the basis of the Standard Evaluation Protocol for Public Research Organisations (SEP). This SEP protocol has been drawn up by the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW), the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) and Dutch universities. In conformity with this protocol Utrecht University ensures that all its research institutes are assessed by external expert assessment committees once every 6 years. This protocol was established in 2003 and has since been tightened.

SEP Protocol 2009-2015 (pdf)
SEP Protocol 2015-2021 (pdf)

Assessments

It is common practice for Utrecht research institutes to be assessed together with one or more national or international research institute(s) in the same field. The Executive Boards involved usually request QANU (Quality Assurance Netherlands Universities) to coordinate such joint assessments. The assessments are public: the reports can be found on the QANU site. If it is not possible to carry out a joint assessment, research groups are evaluated separately. Please find an overview of individual reports below.

SEP Research assessments (pdf)

2024

• Psychology and the University's administrative response

2022

• Computer Science (Instituut voor Informatica en Informatiekunde)
• Wiskunde (Mathematisch Instituut)

2021

• Innovation-, Enviromental- and Energy and Resources (Copernicus Institute)
• Economics (USE) 

2020

• Cultural Anthropology (report to follow)
• Sociology (report to follow)
• Spatial sciences (Urban Futures Institute)
• Public Administration (USBO) 
• Earth Sciences
• Physical Geography

2019

• Medicine / UMC Utrecht, stakeholders and the University's administrative response
• Pedagogical Sciences and Educational Sciences
• Freudenthal Institute

2018

• Philosophy 
• Religious Studies & Islamic and Arabic Studies
• Research Institute for History and Art History 
• Utrecht Institute of Linguistics OTS
• Research Institute for Cultural Inquiry and the University's administrative response
• Institute of Veterinary Research and the University's administrative response

2017

• Science for Life. Science for Life has had an excellent evaluation. For that reason the Executive Board at Utrecht University decided not to ask for a formal reply of the Faculty of Science.
• Physical and Chemical Sciences and the University's administrative response
• Psychology and the University's administrative response

2016

• Economics and Business and the University's administrative response
• Mathematics and the University's administrative response
• Computer science and the University's administrative response (in Dutch)

2015

• Earth Sciences and Physical Geography
• Public Administration and the University's administrative response

2014

• Sociology
• Geosciences - Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development
• Geosciences - Human Geography and Spatial Planning (first page in Dutch, following are in English)

2013

• Divisions of UMC Utrecht of Universiteit Utrecht/UMC Utrecht 
• Theology and Religious Studies 

2012

• Pedagogics and Education Science
• Cultural Antropology
• Institute of Veterinary Research
• Research institute for History and Culture (OGC) and the University's administrative response
• Psychology
• Biology and the University's administrative response
• Physics and the University's administrative response

2011

• Astronomy and NOVA
• Chemistry
• Pharmaceutical Sciences - UIPS

2010

• Mathematical Institute and the University's administrative response
• Didactics, IVLOS Institute for Eduaction en Freudenthal Institute for Science and Mathematics Education (FIsme)
• Informatics - Utrecht Institute for ICT Research en de University's administrative response
• Law

2009

• Earth Sciences

2008

• Utrecht University School of Governance
• Human Geography and Spatial Planning, Urban and Regional research centre Utrecht (URU)
• Innovation and Environmental Sciences, Copernicus Institute and de University's administrative response

2007

• Tjalling C. Koopmans Institute, Utrecht School of Economics (USE)

2006

• Theology, Instituut voor Theologisch en Godsdienstwetenschappelijk Onderzoek (Integon)

2005

• Arts, Utrecht Instituut of Linguistics OTS (Uil OTS)
• Philosophy