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Regulations of the Academy

The joint meeting of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, as described in Section 13.1, subsection 2, of the Dutch Higher Education and Research Act [Wet op het Hoger onderwijs en wetenschappelijk onderzoek], having read the proposal of the general board of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, and in view of the provisions of Section 13.2, subsection 1, of the Higher Education and Research Act, and in view of the regulations of the joint meeting, resolves to adopt the following regulations, as meant in Section 13.2, subsection 1, of the Higher Education and Research Act.
 

Chapter I Introductory provisions

Article 1.1 Definitions

1. In these Regulations, the following terms will be understood to have the meanings assigned to them below:

a. the Academy: the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences [KNAW]
b. the WHW: (Dutch) Higher Education and Scientific Research Act;
c. the minister: the Dutch Minister of Education, Culture and Science;
d. the joint meeting: the general meeting of the Academy as referred to in Section 13.1, subsection 2, of the WHW;
e. the board: the general board of the Academy as referred to in Section 13.1, subsection 1, of the WHW;
f. the president: the chairperson of the board as referred to in Section 31.1, subsection 6, of the WHW;
g. the vice-president: the vice-president of the board as referred to in Article 4.1, paragraph 1, of these Regulations;
h. the general secretary: the general secretary of the board as referred to in Article 4.1, paragraph 6, of these Regulations;
i. the ordinary members and foreign members: the members of the Academy as referred to in Section 13.1, subsection 2, of the WHW;
j. the board of management: the board of management of the Academy as referred to in Article 6.1 of these Regulations;
k. body: board, domain board, advisory council, section, committee, institute, board member or an official in the service of the Academy;
l. bureau: the Academy bureau;
m. institutional plan: the plan as referred to in Sections 2.2 and 2.2.a of the WHW, also referred to by the academy as the ‘strategic agenda’.

2. References to the masculine form in these Regulations will also apply to the feminine and non-binary form.

Chapter II Statutory tasks, activities, organisational structure and sources of funding

Article 2.1. Statutory tasks and activities

1. The Academy is engaged in scientific research. It promotes the exchange of ideas and information amongst its members and between its members and others engaged in scientific endeavour and scientific organisations; advises the minister, either on request or at its own initiative, on matters in the field of scientific endeavour; and promotes scientific endeavour by carrying out activities in that field, or causing such activities to be carried out, all of this as provided in Section 1.5, subsection 1, of the WHW. The Academy is a non-profit organisation under public law.

2. In accordance with these statutory duties, the Academy will:
a. offer a forum for scientific debate and the exchange of scientific information so as to be able to act as the voice and conscience of science;
b. offer a forum for The Young Academy and the Society of Arts
c. advise the Dutch Government on its science policy and on the use of scientific evidence for policymaking;
d. implement policy and conduct management with respect to the research institutes accountable to the Academy;
e. maintain international scientific relations and cooperate with international scientific organisations;
f. present prizes and adopt and implement incentive programmes, whether or not in the context of the administration of foundations and funds with which it has been entrusted.

Article 2.2 Organisational structure

1. The Academy organisation consists of:
a.the Learned Society, consisting of members that form the joint meeting;
b. The Young Academy;
c. the Society of Arts;
d. institutes

Article 2.3 Source of funding

1. The sources of the Academy’s funding are:
a. the annual government funding referred to in the WHW;
b. subsidies;
c. revenues from third-party assignments;
d. money and property accruing to the Academy by virtue of gifts or wills;
e. other revenues.

Chapter III The Academy organisation

The Learned Society

Article 3.1 Structure

1. The Learned Society consists of four multidisciplinary domains, namely:
a. the Humanities, abbreviated as GW;
b. Behavioural, Social Sciences, and Law, abbreviated as GMRW;
c. Medical, Biomedical and Health Sciences, abbreviated as MMBG;
d. Natural Sciences and Engineering, abbreviated as NTW.

2. Members of the Academy may be members of more than one of the domains listed in paragraph 1.

3. The members of each domain may association in one or more sections within that domain.

4. An advisory council and a domain board are formed for each domain.

Article 3.2 The domain and the domain board

1. A domain is charged with fulfilling the Academy’s forum and advisory functions, as well as creating and maintaining synergy between the two functions and ensuring links to the other domains. The domain board referred to in the second paragraph of this article is charged with advising the board of the Academy on its overall function as a forum and its advisory agenda; it is the first point of contact for the board of the Academy and maintains contact with the members of the relevant domain and the advisory councils. It may also issue solicited and unsolicited advice to the board of the Academy.

2. A domain has a domain board consisting of at least three Academy members.

3. The chairperson of the domain board is a member of the board of the Academy as referred to in Article 4.1, paragraph 1, of these Regulations.

4. The vice-president and other members of the domain board are appointed or reappointed by the board of the Academy based on a recommendation submitted by the relevant current domain board. Before the domain board submits its recommendation to the board, it will hear the opinion of the members of the relevant domain. 

5. The vice-president and other members are appointed for a period of three years and may be reappointed once for a period of no more than three years. They must not have reached the age of 67 at the time of appointment or reappointment.

6. The vice-president or a member of the domain board is suspended or dismissed by the board of the Academy on the motion of the domain board. Suspension and dismissal can be effected based on the grounds laid down in Article 4.1, paragraph 4, subparagraphs a to d, inclusive, of these Regulations.

Article 3.3 The sections

1. The section or sections referred to in Article 3.1, paragraph 3, is or are charged with providing advice to the domain board on the issues regarding which the domain board so requires.

2. The section determines its composition, method for proposing the president, and work method. The president can be appointed for a period of three years and may be reappointed once of a period of no more than three years. If the president is also a member of the domain board, Article 3.2, paragraphs 4, 5, and 6 will apply.

Article 3.4 The advisory councils

1. For each domain, an advisory council which covers all of the scientific disciplines that are included in that domain is established and charged with presenting recommendations to the relevant domain board for the advisory agenda and advising the board of the Academy on the latter’s fulfilment of its advisory duties.

2. The advisory committee consists of no more than twenty members, at least three quarters of which must be members of the Academy or The Young Academy at the time of their appointment.

3. The members of the advisory council are appointed by the board of the Academy on the recommendation of the advisory council for a period of three years and may be reappointed once for a period of no more than three years. The members representing The Young Academy must be members of The Young Academy at the time of their appointment. Upon reappointment, a member who is from The Young Academy need no longer be a member of The Young Academy. If the membership term of a member of The Young Academy expires during an individual’s term of appointment or reappointment to the advisory council, that individual will continue to be a member of the advisory council until the individual’s appointment or reappointment term expires.

4. The chairperson of the advisory council is a member of the Academy and is appointed by the board of the Academy, on the recommendation of the advisory council, to serve for a period of three years and may be reappointed once for a period of no more than three years.

5. The chairperson and the other members of the advisory council must not have reached the age of 67 at the time of appointment or reappointment.

6. The chairperson or member of the advisory council is suspended or dismissed by the board of the Academy on the motion of the advisory council. Suspension and dismissal can be effected based on the grounds laid down in Article 4.1, paragraph 4, subparagraphs a to d, inclusive, of these Regulations.

Article 3.5 The members of the Academy

1. The Academy has ordinary members, foreign members and corresponding members, the last in so far as these were chosen before 1 May 2011 and for as long as they continue to meet the requirements for corresponding members, as were applicable before 1 May 2011.

2. Each year, a maximum of sixteen persons are appointed ordinary members and a maximum of four persons are appointed foreign members by the board, after being nominated as such by voting members of the Academy in accordance with the procedure laid down in the Regulations for choosing ordinary and foreign members of the Academy. If the board so proposes, the joint meeting may decide to change this number. The allocation of the vacancies to be filled across the domains or the cross-domain vacancies is determined by the general meeting on the proposal of the board.

3. The members are generally appointed for life. 

4. The dismissal of ordinary members, foreign members and corresponding members will be effected on the recommendation of the board by the joint meeting. Members may also submit their resignation by submitting a written statement for that purpose to the board.

5. Members are suspended by the board after consulting the domain board of the domain to which the person concerned belongs.

6. Dismissal and suspension as referred to in paragraphs 4 and 5 of this article may be effected on the following grounds:

a. the person concerned has been declared by a court ruling not open to appeal to be incapable of performing juristic acts due to a mental disorder;

b. the person concerned has – through his acts or statements – unreasonably disadvantaged the Academy or damaged its reputation, or acted contrary to the honour and dignity of a scientist/scholar. Such acts or statement are in any case understood to mean significantly violating scientific integrity, significantly engaging in unacceptable behaviour, and being irrevocably convicted of a crime. 

The Young Academy

Article 3.6 The Young Academy

1. The Academy includes The Young Academy, which consists of young researchers who have distinguished themselves and who have a wide interest in science and scholarship.

2. The objectives of The Young Academy are:
a. to bring young researchers actively into contact with disciplines outside their own area of specialisation and to offer them the possibility of conducting interdisciplinary research;
b. to encourage young researchers to think strategically about the future of their own discipline, about collaboration with other disciplines, and about science policy;
c. to encourage young researchers to communicate their scientific insights to the general public;
d. to support young researchers in their progress as such;
e. to encourage positioning of the Dutch academic context within international frameworks and to encourage consideration of the position of foreign young researchers within the Dutch system.

3. The duties, appointment process, and composition of the board, membership, selection of members, and the work method of The Young Academy are detailed in the Regulations of The Young Academy, which is adopted by the board of the Academy after hearing the board of The Young Academy.

4. The annual plan, budget and annual report of The Young Academy are submitted annually for approval to the board of the Academy, in accordance with the Regulations of The Young Academy.

The Society of Arts

Article 3.7 The Society of Arts

1. The Academy includes a Society of Arts, consisting of members from the full spectrum of the arts.

2. The objectives of the Society of Arts are to:
a. translate the voice of the arts in Dutch society (including the political realm), and
b. promote the interaction between science and art.

3. The duties, appointment process, and composition of the board, membership, selection of members, and the work method of the Society of Arts are detailed in the Regulations of the Society of Arts, which are adopted by the board of the Academy after hearing the board of the Society of Arts.

4. The annual plan, budget and annual report of the Society of Arts are submitted annually for approval to the board of the Academy, in accordance with the Regulations of the Society of Arts.

Chapter IV The board

Article 4.1 Composition, appointment and dismissal

1. The board consists of seven members, including the president, two vice-presidents and the chairpersons of the domain boards. Appointments to the board are effected such that the members’ backgrounds encompass as many of the domains as possible. One of the two vice-presidents will be from the domains referred to in Article 3.1, first paragraph, subparagraphs a and b, of these Regulations, and one from the domains referred to in Article 3.1, first paragraph, subparagraphs c and d, of these Regulations.

2. The president and other members of the board are appointed, reappointed, suspended and dismissed by the joint meeting on the recommendation of the current board.

3. Members are appointed on the recommendation of the board from the circle of ordinary members who have not yet reached the age of 67 as of the date of appointment. Members of the board may be appointed for a period of three years and may be reappointed once for a period of no more than three years, provided that they have not reached the age of 67 as of the date of reappointment. The president and the vice-president will be appointed to those positions. The president is appointed for a period of three years and may be reappointed for a single period of no more than three years if he has not yet reached the age of 67 as of the date of appointment. Upon expiry of the reappointment period of the president, upon expiry of the appointment term for which no reappointment takes place, or upon dismissal of the president as referred to in paragraph 4 of this article where the outgoing president came from the domains referred to in Article 3.1, first paragraph, subparagraphs a and b, of these Regulations, the succeeding president will come from the domains referred to in Article 3.1, first paragraph, subparagraphs c and d, of these Regulations.

4. Suspension and dismissal of a member of the board will be effected by the joint meeting on the recommendation of the board. Suspensions and dismissals may be effected on the following grounds:
a. at the request of the person concerned;
b. the person has grossly failed to perform his administrative duties;
c. the person concerned has been declared by a court ruling not open to appeal to be incapable of performing juristic acts due to a mental disorder;
d. the person concerned has – through his acts or statements – unreasonably disadvantaged the Academy or damaged its reputation, or acted contrary to the honour and dignity of a scientist/scholar. Such acts or statement are in any case understood to mean significantly violating scientific integrity, significantly engaging in unacceptable behaviour, and being irrevocably convicted of a crime.

5. If there is an interim vacancy on the board as a result of death, dismissal or retirement, a new board member will be appointed as soon as possible after discussions in a joint meeting.In the event of vacancies arising, the remaining members of the board shall constitute the board until the vacancies have been filled.

6. The board appoints a vice-president as referred to in the first paragraph of this article who exercises the authority referred to in Article 4.2, fifth paragraph, of these Regulations as well as the duty referred to in Article 4.4, third paragraph, of these Regulations. The board also appoints a vice-president to act as general secretary.

Article 4.2 Duties and powers

1. The Academy has a board that is charged with managing the Academy as a whole as well as with the Academy’s policy. The board of the Academy also ensures links between the domains, The Young Academy, the Society of Arts, and the Academy’s research institutes.

2. The board has all statutory and regulatory powers in so far as these have not been assigned to a body other than the Academy under or pursuant to the law or these Regulations.

3. The board is authorised to issue mandates and powers of attorney regarding its powers. These must be effected in writing and the resolution must state the nature, term, and scope of the mandate or power of attorney.

4. In so far as necessary, the board can draw up rules to implement the provisions of the WHW and these Regulations, including in relation to the powers, duties and working methods of the board, the board of management, or other Academy bodies.

5. The president represents the Academy at law and otherwise, pursuant to Section 13.1, subsection 6, of the WHW. If the president is absent or unable to act, the president’s representational authority will be exercised by the vice-president designated pursuant to Article 4.1, paragraph 6 of these Regulations.

Article 4.3 Reporting and information

1. The board is responsible for reporting to the joint meeting, particularly regarding the annual report, and including the annual accounts referred to in Article 8.2 of these Regulations.

2. The board will provide the joint meeting and the minister with the information requested.

Article 4.4 of duties and work method

1. Without prejudice to the responsibility of the board as a whole to determine how it fulfils its duties, the board may decide to divide its duties and/or portfolio internally. Notification of this division of duties will be provided at least to the joint meeting, the board of management, and the institute directors.

2. The board will draw up a resignation timetable.

3. If the president is absent or unable to act, the vice-president designated pursuant to Article 4.1, paragraph 6 of these Regulations will act as his substitute, and vice versa.

Article 4.5. Public access

1. If the board so resolves, board meetings and the related meeting documentation will be publicly accessible.

Chapter V The committees

Article 5.1 The committees

1. The Academy will appoint temporary and permanent committees to advise and assist the board.

2. The board will adopt resolutions providing for the tasks, composition, procedures and terms of the committees referred to in the present article.

Chapter VI The board of management

Article 6.1 The board of management

The Academy has a board of management which is charged with the day-to-day management of the entire organisation.

1. The board of management consists of from one to three persons.

2. The board of management is appointed, suspended and dismissed by the board. The board of management is generally appointed for a period of five years, with the possibility of being reappointed once for a period of no more than five years.

3. The board of management prepares, supervises and handles the follow-up to board meetings and has an advisory role at such meetings.

4. The board of management consults with the Works Council.

5. The members of the board of management replace one another in the event of long-term absence or inability to act. The board will appoint at least one officer who will fulfil the duties of the board of management in the event of the long-term absence or inability to act of all the members of the board of management.

Chapter VII The research institutes and the institute directors

Article 7.1 The research institutes and the institute directors

1. The Academy has research institutes devoted to scientific research.

2. Every institute has an institute director who has responsibility within the institute for the direction of research and who is also responsible for the management of the institute.

3. The board appoints, suspends and dismisses the directors of each of the research institutes referred to in the first paragraph. Institute directors are appointed on the recommendation of an appointment advisory committee established as a result of a vacancy. The decision to establish and the composition of this appointment advisory committee, together with a detailed profile, is adopted by the board on the recommendation of the board of management. An institute director is generally appointed for a period of five years, with the possibility of being reappointed once for a period of no more than five years.

4. The mission, objectives and tasks of each of the institutes will be adopted by the board on the recommendation of the board of management and the institute director, within the strategic frameworks of the applicable institutional plans and the Academy budget referred to in Article 8.2 of these Regulations. Before the board of management and the institute director submit their recommendation to the board, they will hear the science committee of the relevant institute as referred to in Article 7.3 of these Regulations.

Article 7.2 Quality assurance and evaluation committee of an institute

1. With regard to the quality assurance of the institutes, as referred to in Section 1.18 of the WHW, the Standard Evaluation Protocol (SEP) adopted by the Academy, the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research and the Association of Universities in the Netherlands, will apply. The board of management may impose other rules in this regard, after hearing the board.

2. Every six years, each institute is evaluated by an evaluation committee established by the board of management, which committee works based on the SEP procedure. The board of management appoints (or reappoints) the members of this evaluation committee having heard the board. Before the board of management makes a recommendation to the board, the board of management will consult with the institute director and the science committee of the relevant institute.

Article 7.3. The science committee of an institute

1. Each institute has a science director who advises the institute director, the board of management, and the board about, amongst other things, the institute’s multi-year work programme.

2. The board of management, after hearing the board, may establish and/or amend rules arranging issues such as the composition, duties and work method of the science committees.

3. The board of management, after hearing the board, will appoint or reappoint the members of the science committee, including the chairperson. Before the board of management appoints of reappoints the members it will consult with the institute director and the science committee of the relevant institute.

Chapter VIII Institution plan and funding

Article 8.1 Institution plan and annual address

1. Every four years, on the proposal of the board of management, the board adopts an institution plan as referred to in Sections 2.2 and 2.2a of the WHW and sends it to the minister immediately after its adoption. The plan describes the substance and specifics of the Academy’s proposed policy for that period. The board will make the institution plan publicly accessible, as provided in Section 2.2 of the WHW.

2. Each year, the president will give an annual speech in public.

Article 8.2 Budget, annual report, annual accounts and audit

1. Each year, the board, on the recommendation of the board of management, adopts a budget relating to the institutional plan. In any event, the budget contains an estimation of all income and expenses of the Academy and complies with the provisions under or pursuant to the WHW.

2. Every year before 1 July, the board adopts a report on the recommendation of the board of management, consisting of the annual accounts and the annual report, which complies with the provisions under or pursuant to Section 2.9 of the WHW.

3. The financial accounts are submitted for auditing to a committee of five members, the audit committee, with the current committee appointing one external member and the chairpersons of the domain boards jointly appointing four members. This audit committee reports to the joint meeting.

4. The adoption of the report, as referred to in paragraph 2 of this article, will not take place until after the audit committee has issued a report in accordance with paragraph 3 of this article and until after the board has rendered an account concerning the report during the joint meeting, which is held no later than in May.

5. The Academy’s financial statements are audited by a registered accountant that complies with the provisions under or pursuant to Sections 2.9 and 2.10 of the WHW.

Chapter IX Personnel and employee participation

Article 9.1. Employment terms and the legal status of staff

1. The board determines the personnel policy and manages the staff. In doing so, it complies with the requirements under or pursuant to the law and the requirements of the duty of care.

2. The board regulates the legal status of the staff with due observance of Section 4.5 of the WHW.

3. The board may issue a written mandate delegating its powers under this article to the board of management.

Article 9.2. Employee participation

1. The employee participation relationships with respect to personnel employed by the Academy are arranged in the Dutch Universities Collective Agreement (CAO NU) and the corresponding 2006 KNAW parallel agreement [Volgersconvenant].

Chapter X Special provisions

Article 10.1 Reimbursements

1. The board will adopt an arrangement for reimbursements to be paid to ordinary members or their employers pursuant to the management tasks carried out by those members.

2. The board will adopt an arrangement for reimbursements to be paid to ordinary members of the Academy, as well as to members of the boards, councils and committees of the Academy, for travel and accommodation expenses for meetings they attend at the request of the Academy.

3. The board of management may grant a reimbursement to external parties for travelling and accommodation expenses in connection with a meeting of the Academy at which they contribute at the Academy’s request.

Article 10.2 Public access to the board

1. The Academy’s board supplies, if so requested or on its own initiative, information about the Academy as a whole or about matters that go beyond a single institute, to stakeholders and interested parties. An institute director supplies, if so requested or on his own initiative, information about his institute to stakeholders and interested parties.

2. The Dutch Open Government Act [Wet open overheid] establishes the cases in which information will not be made accessible.

3. The board of management will adopt rules on the calculation of fees associated with requests for information.

Chapter XI Final and transitional provisions

Article 11.1 Unforeseen cases

1. The board is empowered to take a decision in all cases not provided for in these Regulations. Prior to taking a decision, the board may submit the issue to be decided to the members of the Academy for a vote.

Article 11.2 Title for purposes of citation and effective date

1. These regulations may be cited as ‘Regulations of the Academy’.

2. These Regulations will take effect on 1 January 2017 and will replace the ‘Regulations of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences’ as adopted on 21 June 2016.


These Regulations were adopted by the joint meeting on 10 November 2016 and amended on 24 October 2019, 12 March 2020, and 27 May 2024.
 

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