In the Dutch knowledge-based economy, the government, universities, knowledge institutes and industry are connected by a common cause. All work together to strengthen the Dutch knowledge system. What is the current status of the knowledge system? Are the Netherlands at the front or are we lagging behind on competing countries? The Dutch Foundation for Science and Technology (NOWT) lines up a number of developments. ECN emerges as an organisation with a high impact score: no less than 150 percent above world average.
The Dutch ‘knowledge base’ is doing well, especially according to international standards. A high labour productivity and good achievements on the international market are partially caused by the efforts of highly educated and capable employees who possess relevant data, techniques, expertise en skills. In specific areas, the Netherlands belong to the world top, such as in the area of scientific research.
International cooperation
Dutch universities belong to the best in Europe regarding research, certainly when it concerns the extent to which publications are being used and quoted. In the edition of 2008 of NOWT’s series Science and Technology Indicators reports, the impact scores of scientific publications from the Netherlands are studied. In this international benchmarking of publications, the Netherlands are being compared to the most prominent countries world wide on numerous aspects. The R&D achievements and publications are central in this.
Quotations and figures
The average quotation impact is the number of times a research result or report is quoted. The Dutch contribution in international projects results in a quotation impact 55 percent above world average. With this score, the Netherlands are in the top-3 of best performing countries in the world.
The graphic shown above compares the impact scores for the
years 1993-1996 and 2003-2006. The impact scores of ECN
reports show a strong increase when compared to the nineties.
Impact scores research institutes
The impact scores for ECN can be considered to be very high. These are approximately 95 percent or more, higher than the world average. ECN publishes in magazines that are among the most highly noted in their field. Striking is the development of ECN: in the second part of the nineties, the impact of ECN was just under or on world average, in the period 1997-2000 the impact of ECN rises strongly, up to 150 percent above the world average.
Positioning
Because of the wide range of research, ECN has a very unique position in Europe in the area of energy technology. The strength of ECN lies in accomplishing new generations of technologies that are necessary for realising the aims of the government concerning sustainable energy. Considering the results of this international benchmarking, and the high impact rates, ECN is clearly on the right track.
Information:
The NOWT is a co-operational bond between the Centre for Science and Technology Studies (CWTS) of the University of Leiden and the Maastricht Economic & Social Research and Training Centre on Innovation and Technology (UNU-MERIT). Background information and figure material on the Impact scores is available on the website of the NOWT. Here you can also download the report Science and Technology Indicators 2008.
