Sharing and applying knowledge

As a university, we regard societal impact as a core component of its mission. We aim to strongly improve the sharing and application of knowledge in collaboration with public authorities, civil society organisations, entrepreneurs and citizens. In this way, together with its partners, we can contribute to solving complex societal challenges, such as climate change, democracy, health and future generations.

Impact strategy

To this end, we have set up various programmes. The impact strategy programme focuses primarily on research. Independent projects on European collaboration and on the economic valorisation are closely linked to this. Social impact in education is being given greater prominence through the new Utrecht Educational Model.

Programme impact strategy

Utrecht University’s impact strategy is designed to contribute to the following objectives:

  1. Increasing the societal impact of our research;
  2. Strengthening our research by addressing societal challenges;
  3. Improving the diversity and sustainability of our research funding;
  4. Achieving societal co-creation more frequently in our research, both by individual staff members and by organisational units.

This must provide direction for collaboration, stakeholder engagement and co-creation, as well as for traditional methods of economic valorisation.

In doing so, we are building on the choices set out in the Strategic Plan 2030 and the major ambitions in 'Collaborating across borders', alongside our work on Open Science.

A preparatory phase will run from 2026 to early 2027. The outcome of this will be a strategy that:

  • clearly defines the types of impact that Utrecht University prioritises;
  • specifies the areas in which we aim to achieve targeted impact during the planning period;
  • describes the tools and activities to be used;
  • determines how this impact is to be measured and monitored;
  • and provides direction for the organisation of impact: its structure, integration and support.

An impact strategy with two tracks

As we develop our impact strategy, we are currently considering a two-pronged approach. During the 2026–2030 planning period, we aim to achieve the following:

  1. Broadly promoting opportunities for research focused on societal impact by improving the working conditions for our staff, for example by strengthening our internal organisation and our knowledge ecosystem.
  2. Strategically deepening and strengthening – within the plan period – a limited number of priority areas, enabling us to be more successful in research focused on societal impact. The aim is for the entire organisation to benefit from the experience we gain in these priority areas.

We warmly invite stakeholders from within and outside UU to get in touch with their ambitions, ideas and opportunities.

Pioneers, contact