The Academy supports the Netherlands’ aim of ranking among the top five in the world science league table. The Academy has identified three areas in which it can play a key role in internationalisation:

1. improving research in the Netherlands 
2. ‘Science for Policy’
3. capacity-building

If the Netherlands wishes to maintain its leading position in international research, it must enter into firm alliances with other countries and with rapidly developing regions. By boosting the Dutch knowledge society and collaborating with the world’s top researchers, the Netherlands can gradually improve its international competitiveness.

Cooperation with emerging knowledge markets

The Academy sees it as its task to encourage cooperation with rapidly developing countries, in particular China and Indonesia. More specifically, the Academy aims to attract more outstanding knowledge workers to the Netherlands and to persuade budding talent to remain here.

Joint strategy

It would be of enormous value to the Netherlands for the Academy and its national partners to develop a joint internationalisation strategy that will preclude Dutch research organisations duplicating one another’s efforts or competing with one another. The Netherlands will be able to compete more effectively in the international arena if it has a distinct identity, concentrates on specific research themes, and adopts efficient working methods.

Science for Policy

The Academy is committed to playing a fundamental, clearly defined role in making lasting improvements to society and developing long-term solutions to its problems. Its strength lies in its scientific expertise and its ability to mobilise that expertise for the benefit of society. The Academy is focusing on ‘science for policy’ and will act as a lead academy in international projects and programmes relating to ‘water’.

The Academy aims to contribute to capacity-building and to improving the knowledge infrastructure in developing countries. It is concentrating on Africa in this respect, and in particular on cooperation with African academies of science.