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  • 19 December 2024

    Don't make irreversible decisions on language studies now

    The position of language studies at Dutch universities is very worrying. Two universities are in the process of abolishing French and German as independent subjects. Other languages, including Chinese, Japanese and Korean, are also on the verge of disappearing as main subjects. In order to maintain and secure necessary expertise for the Netherlands, the Academy advises against taking irreversible decisions on language studies until national agreements have been reached on how best to preserve and develop independent language courses and programmes.

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  • 11 December 2024

    Use evidence-based methods for decision-making on complex policy issues

    Regular consultations with academics and the use of evidence-based methods can lead to important findings and reveal blind spots in science policy, according to The Young Academy in its report Informed choices.

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  • 4 December 2024

    New research shows how cannabis can potentially influence brain development

    Neuroscientist Rogier Min from the Amsterdam UMC has collaborated with Christiaan Levelt’s lab from the Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience and discovered how brain cells may react to cannabis, along its potential impact on our brain’s flexibility.

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  • 2 December 2024

    Researchers create a new organoid with all key pancreas cells

    Researchers from the Hubrecht Institute have developed a new organoid that mimics the human fetal pancreas, offering a clearer view of its early development.

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  • 6 November 2024

    The Academy supports protest against cuts to higher education and science

    The government plans to make historically harsh cuts to education, research and innovation. This has major negative long-term consequences for the economy and society. Also, it damages our reputation as a country of knowledge.

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  • 24 October 2024

    ALLEA Calls for EU-Wide Harmonisation of Secondary Publication Rights for Scholarly Research

    In a statement published in the context of International Open Access Week 2024, the European Federation of Academies of Sciences and Humanities (ALLEA) expresses its strong support for Secondary Publication Rights (SPRs), a legal mechanism that allows researchers to freely share publicly funded scholarly articles via institutional or other non-profit repositories.

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  • 15 October 2024

    KNAW Early Career Award 2024 for twelve promising researchers

    The Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW) will be honouring twelve young researchers active in various fields of study with a KNAW Early Career Award.

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  • 3 October 2024

    ‘Multiperspectivity is absolutely essential to the investigation into our colonial history’

    On 30 May 2024, the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW) announced its plan to commission an investigation into its colonial past. The commission will be awarded to an independent research team selected by means of a European tender. As part of the tendering procedure, the Academy will meet with interested researchers on 18 November 2024.

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  • 13 August 2024

    From quantum physics to following your dreams: looking back at this year’s Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting

    The Lindau Nobel Laureate Meetings are unique gatherings in Lindau, Germany, at which young and established researchers meet Nobel laureates to find inspiration and share knowledge. Three young promising researchers share their personal experiences and insights from the event.

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  • 25 July 2024

    Wim van der Putten appointed interim director of the Netherlands Institute of Ecology

    Ecologist Wim van der Putten has been appointed interim director of the Royal Academy's Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO), effective 1 October. He is currently head of the Department of Terrestrial Ecology at the institute and special professor Functional Biodiversity at Wageningen University & Research.

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  • 12 July 2024

    Academy's response to report of inappropriate behaviour by Leiden University professor

    Leiden University's report regarding undesirable and inappropriate behaviour by one of its professors also concerns the Academy. The university’s report has affected us profoundly. First and foremost, our sympathies lie with those who complained about inappropriate behaviour and with others on whom this case may well have a major impact.

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  • 3 July 2024

    New Board of Management KNAW appointed

    The Academy Board is pleased to announce the appointment of three members of the Board of Management, effective 1 October 2024. Adriana Esmeijer has been appointed Director of General Affairs, Iwan Holleman Director of Operational Management, and Geert de Snoo Director of Research Policy. The new Board of Management succeeds the Academy’s acting Board.

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  • 11 June 2024

    New government’s austerity plans detrimental to Dutch higher education and research

    The Academy and The Young Academy are deeply concerned about the austerity plans for higher education and research proposed in the outline coalition agreement of 16 May 2024.

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  • 30 May 2024

    Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences to commission investigation into its colonial past

    The Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW) intends to commission an investigation into its history of involvement in colonialism.

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  • 16 May 2024

    Academy selects 17 new members

    The Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW) has selected 17 new members. Of these, 16 are ordinary members and one is a foreign member. The Academy’s approximately 600 members are leading scientists and scholars active in every discipline. Membership is for life. The new members will be installed on Monday 30 September.

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  • 15 May 2024

    Alzheimer’s Disease without symptoms. How is that possible?

    Everyone experiences aging in their own way, and factors such as genetics, lifestyle and environment play a role in this process. Some individuals reach the age of 90 or even 100 in good health, without medications or brain disease. But how do these individuals maintain their health as they age?

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  • 6 May 2024

    The future of Europe depends on robust, open and free science and education

    Address of the Presidents of National Academies of Sciences of the European Union Member States to the candidates for the 2024 European Parliament elections.

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  • 29 April 2024

    Ten researchers to receive an KNAW Early Career Partnership in 2024

    Ten young researchers will be awarded an KNAW Early Career Partnership this year. They will have the opportunity to organise an interdisciplinary meeting and will receive the sum of EUR 10,000 to do so.

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  • 24 April 2024

    Academy Statement: Research knows no borders: Preserve the open science system

    Nurture international research talent and pursue a well-considered language policy. International research collaboration and an open science system are important for Dutch science and society and for the economy of the Netherlands. The Academy wishes to see international mobility preserved in the academic world.

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  • 17 April 2024

    Scientists call for a European institute for AI in science

    A group of renowned scientists have advised European Commissioners on the use of AI in science. According to the advice, artificial intelligence has the potential to revolutionise scientific discovery, accelerate research progress, boost innovation and improve researchers’ productivity.

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  • 8 April 2024

    New study highlights the benefit of touch on mental and physical health

    Through a large-scale analysis, researchers at the Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience have uncovered the ways in which consensual touch can benefit a person’s physical and mental wellbeing.

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  • 25 March 2024

    Millions in subsidies for ‘brain atlas’ of psychiatric symptoms.

    The Institute for Chemical Neuroscience (iCNS) will receive 23.23 million euros from the government as part of the Gravitation programme. The money will be used for the development of a ‘brain atlas’ of psychiatric symptoms. This should pave the way to improving the diagnosis and treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders such as depression, frontotemporal dementia and anxiety disorders. The research will be conducted by a national consortium of universities, UMCs and the Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience.

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  • 20 March 2024

    Interview recipients KNAW Ecology fund: from speckled mousebirds to 'crop raiders'.

    The Academy’s Ecology Fund supports ecological fieldwork within the Netherlands and beyond, and ecological research abroad carried out by young researchers. Kat Bebbington (Lecturer in Behavioural Ecology, Wageningen University and Research) and Ronja Knippers (PhD Candidate Human-Wildlife Coexistence, Utrecht University) are two of the researchers who received a grant this year. They talked to us about how the Fund contributes to their research project.

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  • 18 March 2024

    Anthropologist of science Marianne de Laet new director of the Meertens Institute

    Anthropologist of science Marianne de Laet has been appointed new director of the Meertens Institute (part of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences) as of 1 June 2024. De Laet is Professor of Anthropology and Science, Technology, and Society at the Harvey Mudd College (United States), where she was also Associate Dean for Academic Affairs until last summer. Before that she was affiliated with the Faculty of Society & Behaviour at the University of Amsterdam as a guest researcher. Her expertise covers the fields of anthropology of technology and culture, science and society. She succeeds Inger Leemans, who is the current interim director of the Meertens Institute.

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