Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR), Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e), the University of Twente (UT), and the Open University (OU) are working on this theme. Prof. dr. Koen Swinnen is the coordinator on behalf of EUR. Prof. dr. Wybo Houkes is the coordinator on behalf of TU/e. Prof. dr. Michel Ehrenhard is the coordinator on behalf of the University of Twente. Dr. Ward Ooms is the coordinator on behalf of the Open University.
Mid-term evaluation 2025-2026
The mid-term self-evaluation took place in 2025. The main findings from the MTR for this theme are:
- The EUR Sectorplan UDs have been grouped into five interfaculty, thematic clusters to strengthen multidisciplinarity and substantive profiling.
- The meetings and collaborations organised by the Partners/Sectorplan members facilitate the creation of research projects and consortium applications. An example of this is the (A)I CARE NWA consortium application, for which the first contacts were made at the 2025 SSH-Breed Annual Conference.
- The Partners/Sectorplan Members organise/participate in meetings aimed at national and international community building and profiling, such as the Automating Democracy conference (2025).
- Sectorplan Members are involved in the development of new methods and systems/tools, including large language models ELM and SHARE.
Innovation in education
At faculty level:
- In 2023, ESSB Sectorplan members were involved in setting up and providing education in the Master’s programme in Digitalisation in Work and Society, helped redesign the Statistics curriculum in the Bachelor’s and Master’s programmes, and introduced Sectorplan themes into the Master’s programme in Labour, Organisation and Management (EUR).
- Since 2025, the OU Bachelor’s programme in Business Administration has included a learning pathway entitled “Leadership of Transitions”, covering topics such as digital transitions in companies and organisations.
- Since 2025, a UT Sectorplan UD has been teaching a Master’s course in Business Administration on organisational design in the context of prosperity, labour and entrepreneurship.
- In 2026, the OU Faculty of Management Sciences will launch the course Leading Sustainable Business Transformation, which will focus on digital transitions, among other things.
At the interfaculty (and interuniversity) level:
- In 2024, a team with a UT SectorplanUD won the social impact award from the BMS faculty for the creation of the university-wide minor Innovation & Entrepreneurship.
- Sectorplan members from ESE, ESHCC, ESL and ESSB are jointly providing education in the revised ESHCC minor AI and Societal Impact (EUR).
Interdisciplinarity and inter-university coordination and collaboration
- A diverse Sectorplan community of 130+ members has formed at EUR, consisting of researchers, lecturers, grant officers and policy and communication staff.
- The Partners have organised several meetings to which Sectorplan members from the various Partners contribute, such as: SSH-Breed Annual Conference (07/03/25 & TBC/04/26); two Sectorplan panels at the RENT conference (2025); Sectorplan panel at the Digital Society conference (2025); ITEM event for exchange between researchers and lecturers (autumn 2024 at TU/e, next edition at OU).
- After getting to know each other at the 2025 SSH-Breed Annual Conference, the Partners are collaborating with RU colleagues from the theme The human factor in new technologies of the SW Sectorplan.
Societal impact
- Scientific insights from Sectorplan members are being applied in policy through, among other things, the development of SSH language models that guide the AI policy of various Dutch ministries (including the Interior, Justice and Security, Economic Affairs, Education, Culture and Science).
- OU Sectorplan UDs are working with financially/economically vulnerable people in Heerlen-Noord through the ELSA Lab Poverty & Debt to develop interventions and a citizen advisory group on financial literacy.
- The Erasmus School of Law Sectorplan members are the driving force behind the partnership between EUR, Rotterdam Bar Association, Rotterdam Public Prosecutor’s Office and Rotterdam District Court.