THRIVE Institute is the think-and-do tank for societal impact, working with partners across sectors to reshape our economy and help maximize positive change. We translate scientific insights into practical tools and strategies aimed at creating societal impact. With experience in both academic and non-academic settings, we use our expertise to turn research into action and accelerate societal progress.
Our role in the project
Our role as an independent third party, a professional outsider, enables us to form fruitful collaborations and eventually bridge the gap between academia and business. In this role, we developed expertise in:
- University-business collaborations
- Employability training for PhD researcher and postdocs
- Valorisation and business training of professional researchers
- Matchmaking & facilitation research with societal impact projects
Our ambition is to close the gap between science and practice on both a knowledge and people basis. Firstly, by facilitating the valorisation of knowledge so that it is used for new (or better) knowledge-driven programs or organizations, evidence-based policy, or informed decisions. Secondly, by helping young scientists to thrive by finding the connection to society and professional life.
While PhD candidates are acknowledged for acquiring specialized knowledge, they frequently lack the practical professional skills, networking abilities, and concrete ideas essential for making a significant societal impact. The THRIVE PhD Academy provides PhD candidates and postdocs with the opportunity to obtain these skills and apply them in practice. In the THRIVE PhD Academy, our trainers empower researchers to push societal transition by enriching their role as academics.
We do this through partnering with universities and scientific funding bodies to assist researchers in transforming their groundbreaking research into successful policy instruments, regional development interventions, popular science, grant applications, and impactful businesses. In our programs, we also train PhD researchers across the Netherlands to leverage their expertise and skills effectively, maximising societal impact through their research and/or professional roles. In total we have trained close to 300 PhD researchers and/or postdocs to maximize their societal impact either through their research or role as a researcher.
