Room for KnowledgeDevelopment of Practice-Based ResearchHanze University of Applied Sciences, GroningenFinal versionMay 2017

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Room for KnowledgeDevelopment of Practice-Based ResearchHanze University of Applied Sciences, GroningenFinal versionMay 2017

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Content

Preamble 7

1 Practice-Based Research at Hanze University of Applied Sciences 8

2 Focus Areas and Internationalisation 14

3 Professional Practice and Society 17

4 Research Interwoven with Education and the Living Lab 19

5 The Professional Organisation 22

6 Finance and Support 25

Appendix 1: Principles from this plan connected to the indicators as stated in Innovating Together 31

Appendix 2: PRR-model and Technology Readiness Levels 34

Appendix 3: Results from the strategic plan ‘Course on Quality’, 2010–2015 36

Appendix4:Listofdefinitions 38

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Preamble

In March 2016, the strategic plan ‘Innovating Together’ was

presented. The present research plan is based on that strategic

plan, as well as on the Educational Vision which was published

earlier. In the current document, Hanze University of Applied

Sciences (Hanze UAS) describes its intention for the further

development of practice-based research in the coming period.

This plan is written at the strategic level (stating what we are

going to do); the tactical and operational elaboration will be

developed later by the schools, research centres and centres of

expertise.

The present document proposes a rather ambitious goal: in

2020, Hanze UAS will be a professional knowledge institution

with one primary process – the acquisition of knowledge.

This acquisition will take shape at several levels of aggregation,

through education (knowledge dissemination), research

(knowledge creation) and innovation in professional practice

(dissemination and co-creation).

That ambition is the basis for discussion - between the

Executive Board, the deans, the professors, the lecturers, the

researchers and all other stakeholders. The stated ambition

(with its principles) cannot and should not be seen as a

‘key performance indicator’ to which people will be held

accountable. This plan, this direction for the future as a

knowledge institution, is intended to start an organisational

shift: from a control and accountability culture to a

professional, open knowledge culture.

Paul van der Wijk, Executive Board

Joost Miedema, Staff Office Education & Applied Research

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1 Practice-Based Research at Hanze University of Applied Sciences

On 14 March 2016, the strategic plan ‘Innovating Together’

was presented. This plan and hence the current document are

based on the Educational Vision 2020. With this vision, Hanze

University of Applied Sciences (Hanze UAS) states its intention

to be a learning community: a place where students, lecturers,

researchers and people from professional practice learn from

each other and work together on answering questions and

solving problems that arise in society.

Hanze UAS addresses its societal imperative to act as a link

between fundamental scientific knowledge on the one hand

and innovation in professional practice and society on the

other. This memorandum describes what strategic principles

and goals we will pursue in the coming years for the design

and organisation of practice-based research. Together with

its underlying principles, this goal is the beginning of a

paradigm shift. For now, the goal provides a direction and is

intended to inspire; in future documents, further details, the

implementation and possible barriers will be elaborated.

Education and research are aimed at acquiring knowledge;

for example, by taking a course, students learn what is

already known. By doing research, researchers (whether

they are students or lecturers) expand the knowledge base

by discovering or creating something new. In other words,

acquiring knowledge can be done in several ways: through

education, through research and through a combination.

Doing research contributes to the development of professional

research skills: students develop knowledge that enables them

to solve problems in professional practice. As doing research

enriches the quality of education, it is also an enrichment of

professional practice; students are trained to become research-

The research at the Universities of Applied Sciences can be characterised as practice-based research and can be described as research which is rooted in professional practice. The research question of practice-based research is motivated by professional practice (real-life situations), in both profit and non-profit sectors. The research generates knowledge, insights and products that help solve the problems in professional practice and/or further the development of this professional practice. (Branch Protocol Research Quality Assurance 2016–2022; Netherlands Association of

Universities of Applied Sciences, 2015).

Research in the professional field

Professional learning environments: Research assignments from professional practice integrated in education

Practical assignments in the professional field such as work placements, project assignments

Research-related learning: research methods, research skills, statistics, etc.

Research

EducationProfessional practice

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minded professionals who can innovate in their professional

practice. Research by students and lecturers also contributes

directly to innovations in professional practice and/or society.

By working on different levels, from student research to

work in European consortia, small and large innovations are

possible. Research also provides better educated, motivated

lecturers, inspires lecturers and students, and allows for

profound knowledge.

In the previous strategic period, the strategic plan ‘Course

on Quality’ already stated that Hanze University of Applied

Science has one primary process (knowledge)1, which is based

on two pillars: education and research. In the coming period,

this principle will be achieved.

To fulfil our societal mandate, Hanze UAS will work on the

following goal.

Goal: In 2020, Hanze UAS will be a professional knowledge institution with one primary process: the acquisition of knowledge. This acquisition will take shape at several levels of aggregation, through education (knowledge dissemination), research (knowledge creation) and innovation in professional practice (dissemination and co-creation).

In education, existing knowledge can be acquired through

transfer; in research, new knowledge can be acquired. At

Hanze UAS, professional practice and society, students

and lecturers come together to learn from each other, to

explore with each other and to strengthen each other (Hanze

Educational Vision, 2015). In this learning community, the

fusion of education, research and professional practice is the

most important source of inspiration for all participants.

Together, they work on solutions to regional, national and

international issues.

Three groups of stakeholders are involved in our practice-

based research. These stakeholders are represented in the

educational vision by three spheres or areas: professional

practice and society, education, and research. The aim is to

achieve a balance in this triangle. Practical research provides

knowledge and knowledge products, which are useful to

education, professional practice, government and other

agencies.

1 In this document, the definition of knowledge also encompasses skills and attitude; see the list of definitions.

Figure 1: Hanze Educational Vision

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The use of such knowledge and knowledge products results in

valuable impact. Professorships, research themes and research

projects may differ as to the intended target groups of the

knowledge products (Miedema, van der Sijde & Schuiling,

2013). Some mainly work on peer-reviewed papers intended

for a scientific audience, which may be followed up by

practical translation to professional practice. Others are mainly

involved in creating knowledge and knowledge products for

professional practice (for instance, an advisory report, a paper

in a vocational journal or a working artefact such as software)

and may rework this product into a peer-reviewed article.

Some professorships and centres of applied research publish

primarily for education; for instance, the production of a

textbook that offers students an introduction to their field of

study.

Principle 1: The three approaches – research for professional practice, education and knowledge development – are equivalent and complementary. Hanze UAS is able to add value to all three areas of impact.

Professionals often have their strength in one of the

performance areas. The challenge is to stimulate each other;

mutual differences are not an obstacle but rather a step

towards groundbreaking collaboration (Hanze Educational

Vision, 2015). It should be noted that the interweaving of

these three areas expressly does not mean that one or two

are assimilated into a third. Education will be closely linked

to research and professional practice, but the uniqueness of

education will always be necessary; just as research cannot

always match all aspects or dimensions of education and

professional practice.

The position of practice-based research and the associated

innovation may best be explained by the metaphor of

“technological readiness levels” (TRL2; see also Appendix 2).

This scale ranges from 1 (only an observed basic principle)

to 9 (products ready for the market or systems proven in

operational environments). Traditional scientific institutions

concentrate on TRL 1 to 3, possibly 4; for society or economic

application, new knowledge (innovation) becomes valuable

only at TRL 8 or 9. McCarthy (2013) called the area between

fundamental science and society, around TRL 5, 6 and 7,

the ‘valley of death’. This area is where fundamental science

ends but knowledge is not yet ready for application. In this

‘valley’, practice-based research is particularly capable of being

valuable. Of course, the other levels are also possible in the

cyclical, dynamic environment of our practice-based research.

2 HORIZON 2020 – Work Programme 2014-2015 General Annexes (European Commission Decision C (2014)4995 of 22 July 2014).

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Figure 2: The PRR-model (Van Beest & Andriessen, 2016)

Explain a mechanism

Collect data/

experiment in a test environment

Realise accepted insight in practice

Develop a concept

Collect data/

experiment in practice

Realise accepted change in practice

Adjust a concept to practice

Collect data/

demonstrate solution in practice

Realise secured change in practice

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Because TRL and related methods only deal with technological

developments, Hanze UAS commissioned the development of

the TRL methodology into the Practice-Readiness of Research

model or PRR (Praktijkgereedheid van Onderzoek, PRO;

Van Beest & Andriessen, 2016). This PRR model has two axes.

The horizontal axis describes the different contexts in which

research can take place. These contexts run from work ‘in

theory’ (the controlled environment) to work ‘in practice’ (the

uncontrolled professional practice). The vertical axis shows

different types of research goals, ranging from conceptualising

to contextualising goals. In total, the PRR model distinguishes

between nine types of research goals that are subdivided by

type and context.

Hence, the practice-based research at Hanze UAS can be of

value where fundamental science stops but the knowledge that

it yields is not yet ready to apply. This area will be, as described

in Innovating Together (2016), the focus of our practice-based

research: to provide professional practice and society with

products and services (in broad terms) that lead to accepted

change and, where possible, even secured change in practice. In

other words, they are knowledge products with impact.

Publications remain important because practice-based

research has three forms of output: new knowledge, useful

practice-ready products and the professional development of

research stakeholders; these three outputs provide different

stakeholders with knowledge products.

Hanze UAS develops a knowledge agenda that is established

in conjunction with professional practice and society, in

the region and the broader environment. This knowledge

agenda is described in Section 2. The agenda focuses on

valorisation: to generate new knowledge or insights leading

to products, services or other results that add value to society

and/or education. This value can be described in financial or

economic terms, but the social and environmental impact is

also of great importance. Adding value is the alpha and omega

of our research; external funding of research is often only

possible if it is clear beforehand where and how valorisation

will take place. Research is only successful if an accepted or

secured change actually adds value in some form and if this

value has also been made visible. This fact means that research

may also ‘fail’, an outcome which provides knowledge as well

(for example, why an intervention does not work) and which is

part of the entrepreneurial attitude. Based on this knowledge

agenda, Hanze UAS is developing its Research Management

Portfolio.

Principle 2: In 2020, the acquisition, sharing and co-creation of applicable knowledge is part of the natural, habitual behaviour of Hanze researchers (professors, lecturers and students).

The goal of education is to familiarise people with existing

knowledge. Research is the way to create new knowledge and

realise innovation. For this reason, practice-based research

is especially important to Hanze UAS: it is the way that

we develop and unlock knowledge necessary and valuable

to professional practice and society. The practice-based

research at the university is grounded in questions from

professional practice and contributes to solving social issues

through articulating research questions. Professors, lecturers,

researchers and students connect with businesses and other

organisations in the Hanze region. These relationships have

a structural character where possible and ensure that our

environment has access to existing knowledge, is able to

develop new knowledge and is therefore more capable of

achieving innovations. Research contributes to embedding the

latest insights from professional practice in education. This

process is described in Section 3.

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Principle 3: In 2020, every study programme, bachelor’s and master’s, collaborates with at least one professorship; each professorship collaborates with at least one study programme.

The connection between a professorship and a study

programme could, for instance, be in the form of

professorships organising education and/or creating

graduation projects; another possibility is for members of a

professorship to do research in a living lab, collaborating with

students and professional practice. Together, programmes and

professorships will develop a meaningful elaboration.

Interweaving education and research primarily appears in

the research capability which Hanze UAS wants to teach her

students, and which the university expects from her lecturers

and staff. This ability is characterised by wanting to know,

continuing to ask critical questions of others and yourself,

and having a strong motivation to keep innovating. This

way, the university offers students the best preparation for an

unknown future, strengthens and professionalises practice-

based research, and adds value to professional practice. The

role of research in education is described in Section 4.

3 See ‘Wat is een lectoraat?’ (‘What is a professorship?’); Hanze UAS, 2014.

Our research is currently being developed by the research

centres and the centres of expertise (CoE). A new strategic

period is also the time to see whether these centres are

sufficiently consistent with developments within and outside

of Hanze UAS. In our region, an increasing demand has

emerged for research and education that connects chemistry,

agriculture, energy and sustainability. To this end, the Hanze

Research Centre Biobased Economy has been launched.

At the same time, the layout of existing knowledge centres is

being redesigned. This way, we ensure that the distribution of

people and resources is in line with new developments, such as

the greater role of research in education and vice versa.

Professorships need to have sufficient research capacity.

Professors have not always had enough room to manoeuvre or

build a stable research pyramid3, as they have had to do very

much by themselves. The members of the professorship – the

research team – will carry out more and more tasks, which

means that a professor will have and receive management

tasks; going from a situation of ‘many generals and few

soldiers’ to a well-built pyramid around the right people.

Hanze UAS will invest in the professionalism of lecturer-

researchers; the funding for this area will be realised through

schools and deans. Extending the existing professorships takes

precedence over starting new ones (Innovating Together,

2016). A new professorship can only be created if its societal

value and necessity are clear. This point will be elaborated

in the professorship plan. Professionalism at the university,

both of the organisation and of the people who work there,

is discussed in Section 5.

Our ambitions for research will also have consequences for

the distribution of people, support and financial means.

This process is described in Section 6.

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2 Focus Areas and Internationalisation

Focus AreasHanze UAS aims to strengthen and focus its research. This

goal is achieved through collaboration between schools and

professorships in research centres and centres of expertise.

Energy, Healthy Ageing and Entrepreneurship are the three

focus areas which encompass by far the most practice-based

research at the university. In the coming period, these three

knowledge domains will remain the focus areas. Of course, we

will also remain open to the possibility of new developments.

Nationally and internationally, Hanze UAS is an important

partner in Energy and Energy Transition. The Energy

Academy Europe is a place where, along with other knowledge

institutions, we bring together high-quality energy education

and energy research. In the Centre of Expertise Energy and

the energy testing ground EnTranCe, students from senior

secondary vocational education (mbo), universities of applied

sciences (UAS) and traditional universities collaborate with

researchers, small and medium-sized enterprises, and large

companies on innovative products and services that contribute

to a sustainable energy supply. In the coming years, EnTranCe

will expand its position as a hotspot for practice-based

research, innovation and business development in the fields of

energy and energy transition. The Roadmap ‘Energy Research’

will further describe the vision on the knowledge agenda for

this field.

Hanze-wide, Healthy Ageing is receiving widespread interest.

Because we all grow older, we need smart innovations to

maintain or enhance our quality of life. Healthy ageing

involves the entire life cycle. The Hanze Centre of Expertise

Healthy Ageing connects all research, education and

entrepreneurship in the field of Healthy Ageing within

the university. In 2020, this centre of expertise will be the

national and international UAS research centre for practice-

based research, education and entrepreneurship (acquiring

knowledge) in the field of Healthy Ageing. In the Roadmap

‘Research at the Centre of Expertise Healthy Ageing’, the

vision on the knowledge agenda for healthy ageing will be

elaborated.

Entrepreneurship means not only that we do research

on this phenomenon, but also that Hanze UAS attaches

great importance to training all its students to become

entrepreneurial, research-minded professionals who

carry out active, creative and innovative work in the

profession for which they are trained. The university also

encourages students to develop themselves as self-employed

entrepreneurs: when they want to start a business, students

are supported fully. This way, we educate professional

entrepreneurs and entrepreneurial professionals who

contribute significantly to economic and social development

in the north of the Netherlands and beyond. In the Roadmap

‘Entrepreneurship Research’, the vision on the knowledge

agenda for Entrepreneurship will be specified.

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Principle 4: For every spearhead, a Roadmap Research is written and implemented which concretises the Hanze knowledge agenda.

Internationalisation4

Especially with regard to the focus areas, the research agenda

focuses on European programmes. This approach calls for

research groups with international prestige and researchers

who have an international track record. A substantial part

of the researchers must be active internationally through

networks, consortia and international publications.

To achieve this aim, the knowledge centres and CoEs will all

take part in at least one major international project by 2020;

for example, in the agenda of the European programmes.

When recruiting senior researchers, more attention will

be paid to international experience and skills. Hanze

UAS promotes the arrival of visiting professors and the

international mobility of its own staff.

Principle 5: Research centres and centres of expertise realise structural collaborations with international partners.

The past strategic period showed great improvement in

internationalisation, especially in the field of education. There

has been a rise in the number of foreign students who come

to the university to study, as well as in the number of Hanze

students who spend a period abroad. The internationalisation

of curricula has been, and still is, increasing. However, the

international orientation of our research is lagging behind

somewhat.

In the memorandum ‘Recalibration Internationalisation’

(Hanze UAS, 2013), strengthening the international dimension

of research is associated with the following facets:

● building structural international cooperation

● acquiring international grants

● building an international reputation in the field of

practice-based research.

4 See memorandum Herijking Internationalisering (Recalibration Internationalisation; Hanze UAS, 2013).

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To build a strong international reputation, the research

centres and CoEs will produce and maintain clear information

– including in English – about their research portfolios

and the results obtained (such as products, services and

scientific articles), paying special attention to the accessibility

of research in the field of Healthy Ageing, Energy and

Entrepreneurship (see also the Roadmaps Healthy Ageing,

Energy and Entrepreneurship). Professors and members of

the professorships will start working on their international

track record, so researchers and their knowledge products are

traceable and visible.

Principle 6: Foreign professional practice, society, education and research are able to find Hanze UAS and use our knowledge products.

The development of strategic cooperation in research is

focused on the research themes Healthy Ageing, Energy and

Entrepreneurship. For each research theme, not limited to

the focus areas, a specific programme will be developed. Each

programme will either be connected to an existing network,

or one or more networks are formed. A network consists of the

most important players in the research theme, with a broad

geographical coverage and with connections between regional

integration and the international context.

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3 Professional Practice and Society

In the previous strategic period, Hanze UAS built a strong

foundation for developing practice-based research in

cooperation with professional practice. In this period, the

number of strategic partners increased dramatically: both

with larger organisations and with a wide range of SMEs, the

university maintains long-lasting partnerships. In recent

years, these efforts5 have led to a large amount of good research

(see annual report) which is valuable for professional practice

and society.

In the coming period, the process of articulating research

questions will be professionalised even further; from existing

contacts in an active regional, national or international

consortium, questions are retrieved which the Hanze

professorships will work out and answer scientifically. Of

course, this process can also be done proactively – when

a trend or development is signalled by the university,

professorships may address it together with the professional

field. The structural cooperation with external parties in

living labs offers good opportunities in the region. Naturally,

research can also take place at the national and international

level; it is possible that a living lab is not the best choice to

achieve the research goals at these levels. In 2020, we will have

a financing system suitable for strong and mature research

themes.

The knowledge agenda and portfolio will be updated in the

professorship plan.

Principle 7: In 2020, the Hanze knowledge agenda and knowledge portfolio are recognised and accepted by external persons and organisations (see also §5).

Hanze UAS has set itself the objective of becoming the main

knowledge partner for SMEs in the region (Course on Quality,

2010; Innovating Together, 2016). Although much has already

been achieved for this objective, more is possible here as well.

We have structural collaborations in the region; for instance,

in the Northern Innovation Agenda (NIA), the Groningen

Agreement (het Akkoord van Groningen) and the Healthy

Ageing Network Northern Netherlands.

Articulating research questions in professional practice6 Translating

a problem from professional practice into a good research

question is tricky. Hanze UAS will have to take that

responsibility together with SMEs. Although the university

should be proactive towards SMEs, SMEs will also need to

be proactive towards the university. In line with the AWTI

recommendations, we are already working with industry

organisations. Because SMEs and Hanze UAS have both joined

the top sectors, we can take part in the discussion on the

emergence of new innovation contracts (see AWTI, 20157).

5 See Koers op Kwaliteit, Versterkt verder met praktijkgericht onderzoek en de prestatieafspraken: Voorstel prestatieafspraken Hanzehogeschool Groningen, 2012.

6 Hanze UAS not only works very closely with SMEs in the manufacturing industry but also with SMEs in business services, care and welfare.7 Mkb en hogescholen (SMEs and UASs); AWTI, 2015.

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Principle 8: By 2020, cooperation with SMEs and industry organisations has been strengthened and expanded.

Although Hanze UAS has had a structural collaboration with

governments, health care institutions and other organisation

for many years, the above argumentation also holds true for

cooperation with these partners. These partners also have an

interest in practice-based research, so as to work on solutions,

innovations and the education of investigative professionals –

their future employees.

Principle 9: By 2020, cooperation with governments, health care institutions and other public organisations has been strengthened and expanded.

Structural cooperation with clusters of public knowledge institutions

The university of applied sciences is not the only knowledge

partner for SMEs. There is a good chance that the issues of

SMEs can best be addressed by a combination of multiple

knowledge institutions – an approach that has already proven

its value in SIA-RAAK projects. Structural cooperation with

other knowledge institutions, apart from subsidised projects,

does not yet occur very frequently.

Principle 10: In 2020, the number of structural partnerships with other knowledge institutions (WO, HO, MBO) has grown significantly.

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4 Research Interwoven with Education and the Living Lab

In 2015, the goals as described in Course on Quality and in

the Performance Agreements with the Ministry of OC&W

were achieved. Research is linked to education through the

realization of research curricula in all programmes.

Through the motto ‘If it’s good, it could be better’, the

research curricula will be further developed in the coming

period. In order to train our students to become truly

research-minded professionals, we do not only consider

whether we do things well but also whether we do the

right things. To this end, the research themes in the study

programmes will more than ever be tailored to the research

themes in the professorships. In the development of their

research themes, the professors will take into account what

the field of work and the schools consider important to the

research curricula. Of course, this process will happen in

conjunction with the professional field and in accordance with

Hanze’s strategic goals. In this way, the study programmes

will perfectly match the educational vision (Hanze UAS, 2015).

The professors, lecturer-researchers and lecturers ensure

that research in the programmes meets the criteria for good

practice-based research (see e.g. BKO, 2015). The fact that these

criteria have not been set in stone is a good reason for a broad

discussion on the research themes; actively considering when

research is good enough will enhance the professionalism of

students and lecturers.

The alignment of education cycles and research cycles will

be improved. Research themes in the professorships and

research curricula in the schools can and will strengthen

each other. Education timetables should provide space and

flexibility for research by students and lecturers; the planning

of research projects will take better stock of both what is

needed in education and the questions from professional

practice. Planning and scheduling will take education and

research activities into account, as well as creating space

for collaboration between schools, knowledge centres and

centres of expertise; this process promotes the integration of

education and research.

Principle 11: Also in planning and scheduling, education and research are increasingly intertwined.

Internships can be used as a means to articulate research

questions; by monitoring the many internships, more general

patterns and broader issues may be formulated for a profession

or SME sector. For example, if many research internships focus

on approximately the same underlying question, this fact may

be a reason for setting up a research project and applying for

a grant. Monitoring the broader issues and patterns in what

the profession field requires means an extra effort from the

internship coordinators and they will receive time to do so.

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Hanze UAS will increase the number of master’s programmes

based on a societal need. Not only the quantity but also the

quality of research in the master’s will increase; this process is

described in the memorandum ‘Research in the master’s’.

Principle 12: Improved positioning and growth of Hanze’s master’s programmes is the basis for a practice-based research culture in schools, which provides more challenges for researchers (resulting in more researchers with a Master’s degree or PhD).

Principle 13: Researchers always have educational responsibilities to guarantee the interweaving of research and education.

The current interweaving is a combination of two task areas:

research and education. In a living lab (innovatiewerkplaats

‘innovation workshop’ or IWP), there is a third party:

professional practice and/or society. A living lab is defined as

‘a social practice between education and professional practice. Participants

create knowledge across the boundaries of disciplines, structures, sectors,

forms of learning. Learning is integrated with performing complex, authentic

tasks (projects, research assignments) for and with clients and stakeholders, in

the region, nationally and internationally. Teachers and students participate

from different programmes and levels of education’8.

A strong start has been made with designing and setting up

living labs (in the Educational Vision, this practice is called

professional learning environment), in which students,

lecturers and professors work together in multidisciplinary

teams with professionals from professional practice.

This instructional mode is designed so education, research and

the field of professional work can work together on solutions.

In these learning environments, students can apply their

knowledge in practice, acquire research-based skills and work

with people from the profession. By working on authentic

assignments in practice, students know that their work has

meaning: someone is waiting for their results. This aspect

promotes their own professional development. Professional

practice and society can work on solutions for their problems

in a living lab, together with lecturer-researchers and students.

The living lab gives PhDs and lecturers the opportunity to

develop their own research further, or to initiate new avenues

of research. These living labs provide a basis for innovative

products, services, processes and start-ups. For this reason,

they make an important contribution to the impact that

Hanze UAS has on its environment. In the coming years, the

university will focus on realising more living labs.

8 Cremers, Wals, Wesselink, Nieveen & Mulder, 2013.

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Principle 14: By 2020, every study programme is involved in at least one multidisciplinary living lab. Every bachelor’s student is active in a living lab for at least half a year.

The living labs are preferably cross-boundary, not just

across different scientific disciplines but also various sectors,

structures and/or working methods. Deepening knowledge

can be of great importance as well; for instance, in the final

phase of the study. This cross-section of knowledge disciplines

creates innovation. Research professionals and professional

researchers must feel right at home in a multidisciplinary

environment, where a solution is being developed from

multiple knowledge perspectives and at multiple levels.

These environments are also suitable for translating

knowledge from fundamental research (PRR and TRL 1

through 4) via PRR/TRL 5, 6 or 7 to the daily reality of SMEs

and other institutions (PRR/TRL 8, 9).

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5 The Professional Organisation

Our practice-based research has achieved the objectives of

the previous strategic period9. The knowledge centres and

centres of expertise have their foundations in order; now it is

time to grow further. Due to the increase of practice-based

research, the amount of output (for example, the number of

presentations and publications) has risen sharply over the past

period. Publications and presentations are an important part

of the knowledge chain, but they are not the only purpose of

practical research. Knowledge valorisation, being of value for

and adding value to professional practice and society, is the

aim of practice-based research as pursued by Hanze UAS.

Principle 15: Hanze UAS distinguishes itself in terms of impact (knowledge utilisation) by ensuring that the knowledge products of the university are visible, traceable and useful, and that they can lead to accepted or guaranteed change in practice.

In addition to social value, scientific impact is also needed.

Such impact is not only useful for making knowledge more

sustainable, for increasing cooperation and for developing

into a respected university of applied sciences, but also for our

focus on developing or co-developing products, services and

processes for professional practice and society (Innovating

Together, 2016). This process requires good articulation of

research questions (for example, by making use of graduation/

internship reports). The nature of research will not change

at the core and will continue to meet the highest scientific

standards, but the approach and organisation around our

research will be more professional.

In the coming period, this development will be continued;

knowledge centres will increasingly develop into a network

organisation where professionals find each other to do

research. Practice-based research will remain concentrated in

the knowledge centres and CoEs. Research and working with

research capabilities becomes the habit. In this manner, the

number of lecturers actively doing research will increase.

Lecturer-researchers will receive more time to do research.

A too rigorous educational planning should not hinder

them. The teams of lecturers will make agreements on what

is necessary and feasible. For both novice and advanced

researchers, it must be attractive to continue practising

research. To make this situation possible, existing possibilities

in the organisation and the job classification system will be

put to better use.

9 See Evaluatie Voortgang Onderzoeksbeleid (Research Policy Progress Evaluation); Hanze UAS, 2014.

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Principle 16: All Hanze lecturers are allocated more hours to do research; for lecturers with a PhD, it is a significant part of their appointment. These hours are interchangeable within each team.

In recent years, we have been working hard at the

professionalism of lecturers with respect to research. All Hanze

lecturers have been educated in research skills, at least at a

basic level. A large part of the lecturers has a Master’s degree,

while the number of lecturers who have a PhD or are working

on their PhD has risen sharply and is still rising. Now, there is

a need for lecturers-researchers who can do more; for example,

being able to lead a research project (or part of a project).

This requires more advanced skills, such as writing a grant

application or setting up and maintaining a relevant network.

In the coming years, university lecturers and senior university

lecturers will be trained in advanced research and project

management skills. This way, the professors will be relieved

and the lecturers have many more growth opportunities.

17 18

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Principle 17: Hanze UAS develops into a professional university of applied sciences with stably built research pyramids*. To this end, we train at least 10% of our lecturers as senior researchers with advanced skills. * See p. 8

In addition to the three main topics of Healthy Ageing, Energy

and Entrepreneurship, Hanze UAS pays special attention to

personal and social formation. Education is more than just

gaining knowledge; it is also about individual development.

Students and staff at the university are encouraged to develop

their talents, are offered room to excel, feel accepted and

recognised, and are awarded opportunities to take initiative

(Innovating Together, 2016). Students and staff think critically

and reflect. They are involved with each other, with the field of

work and with the world around them. This way, our people –

students and employees alike – learn to deal with uncertainty,

change and contradiction. A culture of learning, trying and

excelling, in which distinguishing oneself is possible and

utilising your potential is encouraged, contributes to this

formation. This process is not primarily about high marks; it

is much more about creating a culture that aims to cultivate

the talent of every individual to the fullest.

Principle 18: The professional culture at Hanze UAS is developed even further; this process means that we encourage the personal development of all involved at the university.

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6 Finance and Support

In recent years, practice-based research at Hanze UAS has

grown sharply and the budget for such research has increased

accordingly. Due to the complexity of current financial flows,

it is difficult for both professorships and the Staff Office

Financial Affairs (FEZ) to gain an overview. This situation

means that the allocated budget is not always used optimally;

for example, the allocated funds from internal calls are not

fully spent. The current arrangement stipulates that research

centres and centres of expertise must obtain 40% of their

funding externally. This provision can lead to project-based

funding without focus in the portfolio, instead of a strong

research theme for which matching external funding is

sought.

‘Peaks in the highlands’ Hanze UAS has started the creation of the

‘highlands’, a high level of practice-based research for Energy,

Healthy Ageing and Entrepreneurship. This development will

be continued strongly. It is worth considering whether it is

possible to increase the basic funding of schools, so they can

link education, research and the professional field.

Principle 19: An increase in research volume is partly realised by making research and education a single primary process in implementation and support.

To investigate the possibilities for a redesign of research

funding, a task force will be initiated, led by the Staff Office

FEZ. This task force will look at the budgetary ratio of base

processes and peaks. They will investigate a number of

possibilities. For example, one option could be that Hanze

UAS starts to work with seed capital. This approach entails an

investment in risky start-ups and can be seen as a type of R&D

for grant applications. Such investments do not have to be

refunded (cf. Sarasvathy’s effectuation).

A second possibility to investigate is whether the current

requirement of 40% external funding per research unit still

fulfils its purpose. A third option that deserves attention is

to make autonomy at the school level the basis for research;

to be or become strong in the region. A fourth possibility

is always to counter-finance successful grant applications.

Healthy Ageing, Energy and Entrepreneurship will receive

more support, and perhaps also seed capital, as these areas are

our focus areas.

20

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Principle 20: Hanze UAS investigates whether it is possible to create a new funding system by 2020 which explicitly supports and encourages cooperation between schools, knowledge centres and centres of expertise in education and research.

Support by the staff officesResearchers and professors need to do a lot; applying for

grants and managing projects are complicated and complex

processes which require specialist knowledge. Currently, as

the knowledge centres and CoEs have to organise this activity

by themselves, too much work is done more than once. In

future, externally funded research projects will more often

transcend the knowledge centres and CoEs, which calls for

more centralised support. In 2016-2017, staff agencies will

experiment with transcending cooperation and integral

support. This process will lead to a shared vision on service

(replacing the current individual visions). Such intensified

cooperation should lead to research support by experts during

all parts of the pre- and post-award phases. The first step has

already been taken: Hanze UAS is investigating what expertise

is necessary but not yet available at the university.

21

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Applying for grants, keeping track of research progress and

research results, and making research output available must

be made simpler and less time-consuming. To this end, we

will continue to implement our research information system

(PURE; ‘Research on the map’ project) in the coming years.

The acquisition of this research information system will

improve the research support functions at Hanze UAS. This

development will take over some work from the knowledge

centres, CoEs and other researchers, as data will only need to

be entered once. For measuring and reporting indicators of

practice-based research, a method has been developed that

will be used in the coming period. The measurements of input

(investment) and output (knowledge products) have been

collected and reported for years. Measurement of knowledge

valorisation (or impact) is relatively new; collecting this kind

of data with internal and external stakeholders will quickly

become a standard procedure.

Hanze UAS wants to be an example when it comes to

sustainability (Innovating Together, 2016). This sustainability

principle also applies to the knowledge process. Innovation

in professional practice and society is about knowledge;

innovation is the development and use of new knowledge

or the use of existing knowledge in a new way. As a result,

sustainable innovation is also about knowledge: knowledge of

sustainability and sustainability of knowledge. Knowledge of

sustainability is knowledge that allows services, products or

processes to become more sustainable. This situation makes

it possible for people to live healthier and happier lives or to

achieve ecological improvement through new, energy-efficient

technology, for example. Sustainability of knowledge is

about how knowledge is shared and secured. By establishing

sustainable knowledge processes, the university can make

a stronger contribution to the existing focus areas Energy,

Healthy Ageing and Entrepreneurship, as well as to future

goals.

An important prerequisite for achieving these ambitions

is a solid research infrastructure. As soon as possible,

Hanze UAS will develop more expertise in international/

European practice-based research, involving expertise in both

acquisition and the management of external resources. In

addition, staff offices and knowledge centres will investigate

how to initiate optimum research support in all areas, from

the pre-call phase to project management and knowledge

valorisation.

Principle 21: Hanze UAS works on the basis of professional and integral research support.

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Appendix 1: Principles from this plan connected to the indicators as stated in Innovating Together

The strategic plan ‘Innovating Together’ describes indicators

that will help to show the progress of the plan. These

indicators are a starting point: we will continue to discuss the

set of goals and indicators, adjusting them when necessary.

The objectives set out in this research policy relate to the goals

and indicators of Innovating Together.

Of course, the link alluded to here is no more than a

suggestion of how the Innovating Together indicators can

contribute to achieving the principles and the ultimate goal.

Each school and every knowledge centre/centre of expertise

will have to make its own choices.

Indicators:

TEACHING1: study success

a. Drop-out rate

b. Educational output

2: international mobility

a. Outgoing mobility

b. Incoming mobility

3: number of Honours certificates awarded

4: number of Master’s diplomas awarded

5: Student contact with Energy, Healthy Ageing and

Entrepreneurship

a. Energy

b. Healthy Ageing

c. Entrepreneurship

6: good or excellent accreditations

RESEARCH7: proportion of internal to external funding

8: number of lecturers/PhD students/staff with a PhD/

professors

PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE9: collaborations with businesses

10: lifelong learning

a. Course participants

b. Part-time students

c. Tailored programmes

11: number of start-ups

a. Total

b. Quality

● Energy

● Healthy Ageing

● Entrepreneurship

12: valorisation

a. Quality – stakeholder satisfaction

b. Output

c. Outcome

d. Impact

OVERALL13: total number of living labs

14: staff and student satisfaction

a. National Student Survey

b. Work perception survey

15: regional involvement – number of cultural and social

projects and festivals

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Goal: In 2020, Hanze UAS will be a professional knowledge

institution with one primary process: the acquisition of

knowledge. This acquisition will take shape at several levels of

aggregation, through education (knowledge dissemination),

research (knowledge creation) and innovation in professional

practice (dissemination and co-creation). (Educational Vision,

10, 13)

Principle 1: The three approaches – research for professional

practice, education and knowledge development, are

equivalent and complementary. Hanze UAS is able to add

value to all three areas of impact. (9, 10, 12, 14, 15)

Principle 2: In 2020, the acquisition, sharing and co-creating

of applicable knowledge is part of the natural, habitual

behaviour of Hanze researchers (professors, lecturers and

students). (8, 10, 12, 14)

Principle 3: In 2020, every study programme, bachelor’s and

master’s, collaborates with at least one professorship; each

professorship collaborates with at least one study programme.

(5, 6, 8, 12)

Principle 4: For every spearhead, a Roadmap Research is

written and implemented which concretises the Hanze

knowledge agenda. (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)

Principle 5: Research centres and centres of expertise realise

structural collaborations with international partners. (2, 12)

Principle 6: Foreign professional practice, society, education

and research are able to find Hanze UAS and use our

knowledge products. (2, 10, 12)

Principle 7: In 2020, the Hanze knowledge agenda and

knowledge portfolio are recognised and accepted by external

persons and organisations. (2, 10, 12)

Principle 8: By 2020, cooperation with SMEs and industry

organisations has been strengthened and expanded. (9, 12, 14)

Principle 9: By 2020, cooperation with governments, health

care institutions and other public organisations has been

strengthened and expanded. (9, 12, 14)

Principle 10: In 2020, the number of structural partnerships

with other knowledge institutions (WO, HO, MBO) has grown

significantly. (8, 12, 14)

Principle 11: Also in planning and scheduling, education and

research are increasingly intertwined. (1, 10, 12, 14)

Principle 12: Improved positioning and growth of Hanze’s

master’s programmes is the basis for a practice-based research

culture in schools, which provides more challenges for

researchers (resulting in more researchers with a Master’s

degree or PhD). (4, 8, 13, 14)

Principle 13: Researchers always have educational

responsibilities to guarantee the interweaving of research and

education. (Educational Vision, 10, 13, 14)

Principle 14: By 2020, every study programme is involved in at

least one multidisciplinary living lab. Every bachelor’s student

is active in a living lab for at least half a year. (5, 9, 12, 13)

Principle 15: Hanze UAS distinguishes itself in terms

of impact (knowledge utilisation) by ensuring that the

knowledge products of the university are visible, traceable

and useful, and that they can lead to accepted or guaranteed

change in practice. (12)

Principle 16: All Hanze lecturers are allocated more hours to

do research; for lecturers with a PhD, it is a significant part of

their appointment. These hours are interchangeable within

each team. (8, 12, 13, 14)

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Principle 17: Hanze UAS develops into a professional

university of applied sciences with stably built research

pyramids. To this end, we train at least 10% of our lecturers as

senior researchers with advanced skills. (Innovating Together,

‘Leergemeenschap’ (‘Learning community’), 10, 12)

Principle 18: The professional culture at Hanze UAS is

developed even further; this process means that we encourage

the personal development of all involved at the university.

(Educational Vision, ‘Leergemeenschap’, 14)

Principle 19: An increase in research volume is partly realised

by making research and education a single primary process

in implementation and support. (Educational Vision,

‘Leergemeenschap’)

Principle 20: Hanze UAS investigates whether it is possible to

create a new funding system by 2020 which explicitly supports

and encourages cooperation between schools, knowledge

centres and centres of expertise in education and research.

Principle 21: Hanze UAS works on the basis of professional

and integral research support. (7, 12)

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Appendix 2: PRR-model and Technology Readiness Levels

PRR modelHanze University of Applied Sciences, Groningen has

commissioned the development of a methodology to

determine the degree of practicality of its practice-based

research. Practice-based research aims to develop new

knowledge that can contribute to professional practice. To

this end, practice-based researchers should ask themselves to

what extent their research is ready for practice. The practice-

readiness of research is defined as the extent to which research

activities contribute to secured changes in practice.

The PRR model has two axes. The horizontal axis describes

the different contexts in which research can take place.

These contexts run from work ‘in theory’ (the controlled

environment) to work ‘in practice’ (the uncontrolled

professional practice). The vertical axis shows different

types of research goals, ranging from conceptualising to

contextualising goals. In total, the PRR model distinguishes

between nine types of research goals that are subdivided by

type and context.

The model supports practice-based researchers in conducting

a conversation about the practice-readiness of research. The

PRR model has the following applications:

● creating a common language to talk about the practice-

readiness of research and promote collaboration between

researchers from different disciplines in concrete projects;

● formulating a dot on the horizon (end goal) of a research

programme and the road ahead, so choices can be made;

● acting as an idea generator for the design of meaningful

research supplementary to existing research. The model

gives insight into the various research objectives and

related research activities;

● clarifying the proposition that a research project can offer

to professional practice. The model helps to determine the

extent to which research activities lead to secured changes

in practice;

● accounting for the choices made in setting up a research

project; for example, with respect to universities;

● meeting the requirements of the sector if a TRL estimate is

requested;

● monitoring the progress of research. The goals can be

embedded in a research planning, which monitors the

progress of the research. As the purpose of practice-based

research is to realise a secured change in practice, the

PRR model helps to map how research leads to a secured

change in practice and clarifies which researcher(s) take up

what research objectives to achieve that goal.

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The nine TRL levels are:

TRL 1 – basic principles observed ·

TRL 2 – technology concept formulated ·

TRL 3 – experimental proof of concept ·

TRL 4 – technology validated in lab ·

TRL 5 – technology validated in relevant environment

(industrially relevant environment in the case of key enabling

technologies) ·

TRL 6 – technology demonstrated in relevant environment

(industrially relevant environment in the case of key enabling

technologies) ·

TRL 7 – system prototype demonstration in operational

environment ·

TRL 8 – system complete and qualified ·

TRL 9 – actual system proven in operational environment

(competitive manufacturing in the case of key enabling

technologies; or in space).

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Appendix 3: Results from the strategic plan ‘Course on Quality’, 2010–2015

Practice-based research at Hanze University of Applied

Sciences, Groningen has risen sharply in the past strategic

period. In 2014, the research budget was € 14 million. Hanze

UAS employed 50 professors, 220 lecturer-researchers, 99 PhD

students and 148 PhD graduates at this time.

Energy research had a magnitude of € 4.5 million. There were

25 FTE of researchers, 19 of which were PhD students. Energy

works with 8 strategic partners and more than 100 project

partners. The Energy Transition Centre, EnTranCe, has been

realised. This centre is a testing ground for renewable energy

where about 250 students do research on an annual basis in a

living lab with companies. There are 12 Energy start-ups per

year.

The research on Healthy Ageing (HA) had a volume of

€ 5 million; the number of professors has grown to 30 and

there are 50 PhD candidates. Healthy Ageing has 150 partners

in the Ministry of OC&W Centre of Expertise HA, which

contribute about € 3 million a year. There are 25 living labs,

where 400 students from hbo and mbo work for at least half a

year. Every year, 14 start-ups are initiated from HA.

Entrepreneurship has resulted in more than 1,000 start-ups

since 2011. Over 5,000 jobs (salaried and freelance) have been

created. Entrepreneurship has been the third spearhead of the

university since 2016.

All of this activity is the result of the previous research

policy ‘Versterkt verder met praktijkgericht onderzoek’ (‘Reinforced

continuation of practice-based research’), established in 2010.

In this document, 12 principles were presented; 7 of these were

included in the performance agreements with the Ministry of

OC&W.

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Principles from ‘Versterkt Verder met Praktijkgericht Onderzoek’

Principle 1: Bundling the strengths of all professorships and schools. Result: All professorships are connected to a knowledge centre, while all schools link education and research with the themes of the knowledge centres.

Principle 2: Increasing the focus of research centres and the quality assurance of research. Result: The research centres and the centres of expertise are fully included in the control cycle. The long-range plans align with the strategic policy plan, the agreements from the performance contract have been achieved and the quality assurance tools have been greatly improved. Each research centre has had an external research assessment. This evaluation has a validity of six years. Halfway through, after three years, a midterm review will be held. The midterm review procedure (2014) was developed for this purpose.

Principle 3: Managing and organising research centres. Result: Management of research centres has become more transparent: the responsibility for content was assigned to the professors, while managerial responsibility was assigned to the steering group. The leading dean is mandated to manage for output. In 2014, concrete agreements were made on the management of the centres of expertise: Energy, Healthy Ageing and Entrepreneurship.

Principle 4: Increasing research volume. Result: The volume is expressed in numbers and FTE of professors, PhD students and lecturer-researchers. For lecturer-researchers, the choice was made not to increase their number but rather to increase their FTEs. This way, we have slightly fewer researchers, but they have more days to do research. The review committee agreed with this choice.

Principle 5: Strengthened effort in external research funding. The aim for each research centre is to finance its research from external research funding for at least 40%. Result: On 30 April 2014, the ratio of internal/external funding was 48.1%/51.9% for Hanze UAS.

Principle 6: Growth of professorates. Result: The minimum appointment size of a professor is 0.4 FTE and almost all professors have a PhD. Each professor supervises at least one PhD student in the professorship. The performance agreement on the number of PhD candidates has been achieved, but Hanze UAS continues actively to stimulate PhD programmes. There is a career policy for PhD graduates, which will be further developed in the coming years.

Principle 7: Contribution to teaching by professors. Professors are expected to be involved in a master’s of bachelor’s programme. Result: All professorships play a role in the study programmes.

Principle 8: Quality impulses from research to education. Result: All schools have developed research themes and research skills related to their occupational profile.

Principle 9: Impulses to an ambitious study culture. Result: The research curricula and the development of living labs provide students with more opportunities for challenging research assignments. As a result, they can develop into research-minded and enterprising professionals (Hanze Educational Vision, 2014).

Principle 10: Practice-based research and master’s. Result: The master’s policy was revised in 2014. As part of the performance contract, four iconic funded master’s were developed.

Principle 11: Regional anchoring and international orientation. Result: The research centres are well anchored in the region and the focus areas which transcend knowledge centres focus areas closely correlate with regional, national and international themes.

Principle 12: Knowledge management and dissemination of research results (valorisation). Result: Related to achieving the performance agreement on output/impact, a lot of catching up was done. Definitions of knowledge products, output and impact were established, while agreements were made on the process of publishing knowledge products. The Hanze publication policy was adopted in 2014. In 2015, the research data management policy was developed and established. The Research Support Portal was also developed, where researchers can find all possible supporting information. This portal was designed according to the knowledge chain approach developed in 2013 under the Impact Assessment/Valorisation Project. That project also resulted in the annual Hanze Research Day (since 2013), as well as a set of indicators that measure and display output, outcome and impact (established in October 2014).

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Appendix 4: List of definitions

Innovation: this term entails the development of new

knowledge or the use of existing knowledge in a new way.

Multidisciplinary research: a single study or project does

not necessarily have to be multidisciplinary; a research

centre or CoE does. In other words, while part or all of a

research project can be unidisciplinary, the research group

executing the research cannot. A programme or project

often entails multiple studies that do not necessarily have

to be multidisciplinary, as people can do research from their

knowledge domain; the multidisciplinary character shows

in the knowledge exchange by the project team. The choice

for a multi- of unidisciplinary approach is determined by the

questions from professional practice, the state of knowledge

and the final research question.

Knowledge: knowledge is often seen as something different

from skills (see the Educational Vision); higher education

works on knowledge, skills and attitude. In this document,

skills are viewed as action knowledge; in addition to

explanatory knowledge (knowing that), skills (knowing

how) are also important or perhaps even more important.

Entrepreneurship is an attitude (wanting to) which enhances

the chance of successful knowledge application.

Articulating research questions: this term refers to the

iterative, creative process through which a knowledge

institution learns from its external partners what they consider

as important characteristics, trends, conditions or preferences

with regard to innovation. As a result, articulating research

questions goes beyond demand management (‘vraagsturing’;

Boon, 2012), in which knowledge end-users determine the

research agenda. In the process of articulating research

questions, queries from professional practice are combined

with theory and knowledge from the research group; all these

aspects together ultimately lead to the research question.

Articulation is not a matter of ‘you ask, we deliver’; rather, it is

a process of co-creation.

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