Understanding Society

Top research and innovation

World-class scientific research provides the foundation for all our activities. In keeping with our university philosophy, social relevance is the red thread throughout our work – the development of insights that essentially hold a mirror up to society, enlightening us with new approaches to social dilemmas.

In national assessments and international reviews, the research carried out by Tilburg University achieves good to very good scores time after time. Some of our research work ranks among the very best in Europe. In order to safeguard the high quality of our research, it is subject to periodic tests, conducted by external national and international committees consisting of leading academics. We very deliberately invest in an outstanding research climate that includes tenure tracks for talented academics.

A feature of the research carried out at Tilburg University is the innovative multi-disciplinary approach. There are more than twenty centres in which scientists from a wide range of fields work together. Research groups from Tilburg participate in dozens of European and global research networks. In spite of this, however, the voice of social and economic sciences does not always get through to influential political and policy circles. For that reason, Tilburg University has initiated the setting up of an international network of higher-education institutions specialized in the arts and social sciences. The network is known as RISE : Raising the Impact of the Socio-Economic sciences.

As a university, we believe very strongly in the importance of valorization – that is how it gains its value for society. We assess our research on the basis of its relevance to everyday reality, and help transfer knowledge. Collaboration is embodied in Knowledge Click and through various activities like academic workshops, congresses and providing advice. We also seek to establish links with politicians, administrators and policy makers via the UvT Society. Another important form of knowledge transfer is that of post-academic education, which at Tilburg University is organized in the TiasNimbas Business School The school offers a continual interaction between science and everyday practice. In a very short time, TiasNimbas has grown into an organization with more than 6,000 alumni from upwards of 45 countries.