Note: the registration is full. You can be added to the waiting list by emailing neth-er@neth-er.eu with your first and last name.
Double Knowledge
As the European Union prepares for the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), the successors to Horizon Europe and Erasmus+ will define our continent’s capacity to research, innovate and educate. The world will not wait for us. Now is the time to turn words into action and double our investment in knowledge. Join us on November 20, 2025 for the Neth-ER Annual Network Conference at the Residence Palace, Rue de la Loi 155. We will discuss how Europe can close the gap and secure its future through bold investments in education, research and innovation.
REGISTER HERE
Education & research at the heart of our programme
Neth-ER President Robert-Jan Smits and Director Jurgen Rienks will kick-off the event. Prof. Dr. Robbert Dijkgraaf, Distinguished University Professor at the University of Amsterdam and President at the International Science Council (ISC), will then give a speech on the role of research and innovation in strengthening the EU’s competitiveness. Representing all types of education – vocational, applied and theoretical education – Dr. Gaby Allard (MBO Raad), Marjan Hammersma (Avans University of Applied Science), Prof. Dr. Annelien Bredenoord (Erasmus+ University) and Prof. Dr. Annemie Schols will discuss European ambitions on the education front. More will be revealed soon.
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16:00 – 16:30
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Walk-in & registration
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16:30 – 17:55
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Programme
Opening remarks
By Robert-Jan Smits (President, Neth-ER) & Jurgen Rienks (Director, Neth-ER)
Keynote speech
By Prof. Dr. Robbert Dijkgraaf
Panel discussion
With Dr. Gaby Allard, Marjan Hammersma, Prof. Dr. Annelien Bredenoord & Dr. Prof. Annemie Schols
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17:55 – 18:00
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Conclusions
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18:00 – 19:30
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Network reception with drinks & bites
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“If Europe wants to be a major power in science, it must chart one single course. Then the Brussels instruments must act as powerful magnets aligning all those compasses. Europe must become a true research and innovation union,” Robbert Dijkgraaf (The Strength of Europe’s Weakness, NRC, 27 September 2025)
Who to expect?
The conference brings together the governing leadership of the Dutch knowledge sector. That is, the highest-level representatives from university medical centres, universities of applied sciences, vocational schools, research universities, student associations and science institutions. The Network Conference has a true international character. Thanks to Neth-ER’s role in the Informal Group of R&D Offices in Brussels (IGLO), you will meet policy experts from Germany, France, Spain South Korea, and more. As in previous editions, this conference also attracts policy makers and professionals from EU institutions. Moreover, scientists, teachers, and managers who worked hands-on with Horizon and Erasmus+ projects will be present.
“For many years, European programmes such as Erasmus+ and Horizon Europe have contributed to the development of knowledge. They allow young talent to be educated and trained abroad, researchers to work in transnational teams, and regional innovation ecosystems to be interconnected – extending the frontiers of our knowledge.”, Robert-Jan Smits
Context
Each year, Neth-ER organises a network conference in Brussels, bringing together international policymakers, journalists, students, and other members of the broader knowledge community. Last year’s edition featured contributions from Alexandr Hobza (then Chief Economist at DG RTD), Conny Aerts (professor at KU Leuven), Caroline de Gruyter (author and Europe correspondent), and MEPs Marit Maij and Tom Berendsen, among others. Watch the aftermovie of “Investing in Knowledge & Changing Global Perspectives”.
