NWO strategy to increase the chance of societal impact

  • Area: Other
News
  • Area: Other
Societal impact is an important part of research strategies. The approach however needs to be adjusted to the type of research project. What type of approach fits your project? This question will for sure come up when you want to apply for funding for a new project and the funder asks you to explain how you reach societal impact.

Renewed knowledge utilisation approach for NWO grant proposals

Science can help solve complex societal challenges, which requires an interdisciplinary approach to align the needs and expectations of all stakeholders in your project. The Dutch Research Council (NWO) wants to promote the contribution of research to society and fulfill a more connecting role in science and between science and society. In this connecting role the knowledge utilisation policy of NWO is important because knowledge utilisation increases the chance to reach societal impact. Knowledge utilisation is an iterative process in which activities are planned with stakeholders and end-users to promote the use of results from your research project.

Approach for knowledge utilisation for different types of funding

Not all funding instruments of NWO focus on achieving societal impact. Therefore, three proportionally different approaches for knowledge utilisation were designed.

The three knowledge utilisation strategies - Impact Outlook, Impact Plan and Impact Focus - support various activities to stimulate or reach societal impact, from the creation of the project idea, during the project and after the research has been completed

  • Impact Outlook approach for research that primarily focuses on scientific impact, which is not necessarily linked to a societal issue
  • Impact Plan approach to purposefully increase the chance of societal impact of research that can make an important contribution to societal issues
  • Impact Focus approach for applying already developed knowledge and insights

If you need help to develop your impact strategy or need input for the knowledge utilisation section in your grant application, contact the UMCG Grant Support Hub.