Applied research

Knowledge development is not an end in itself. We seek to contribute to practical improvements that foster meaningful living in a just society. Our research is pursued together with stakeholders - clients, students, professionals, managers and others. We seek to improve research methods as well as communication, evaluation and monitoring tools to study public problems with a normative dimension, including research on hard-to-reach populations. 

Many of our research and teaching staff work in practice, for example as a member of a medical ethics committee or as a coach or discussion leader.

We have a special agreement with a number of social partners to develop joint research. For example, we concluded a covenant with Prisma, a care organisation in the Dutch province of Noord-Brabant that provides support at all stages of life for people with disabilities, and with Arq, an expert group that deals with trauma management.

Commissioned research

Part of our research is commissioned by third parties, for instance for a company, the government, healthcare institutions or not-for-profit organisations. 

Some examples: for the Dutch Association of Voluntary Organisations (NOV) we carried out research into the changing role of voluntary organisations in healthcare and for companies. And the company Genzyme financed our research into therapy compliance in patients with Multiple Sclerosis (MS). 

In the descriptions of our chair groups, you will find more information about our research  expertise and projects. If you have any questions, please contact the group’s chair holder.

Endowed chairs

Our university has a number of endowed chairs, chairs funded by external bodies to promote teaching or research in a subject area. An endowed chair strengthens the profile of the university and promotes knowledge development in cooperation with civil society organisations. For example, we have a special professor of Volunteer Palliative Terminal Care, established by the Vrijwilligers Palliatieve Terminale Zorg (VPTZ), and a special professor of Empowerment for vulnerable elderly people, established by the Municipality of Rotterdam. 

Our research is pursued together with stakeholders - clients, students, professionals, managers and others.