Universities of applied sciences and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are collaborating in order to boost innovation in the SME sector. This will be done via the Innovation Traineeship scheme that was officially launched today. As part of this scheme, students of universities of applied sciences will first complete a research placement before being employed by an SME as a researcher. Throughout the whole traineeship, a professor will also be involved in the research conducted by the innovation trainee. The students will also be trained in entrepreneurship and management skills.

In the next few months, regional universities of applied sciences will be seeking business owners who would like to take on an innovation trainee. Upon approval of their research plans, the first trainees will start in January 2021 and there will be capacity for around 200 trainees over the next few months. A budget of €3.9 million has been made available for the scheme.

The innovation traineeship is part of the Knowledge and Innovation Covenant that was submitted to the Lower House of Parliament on 11 November 2019 by State Secretary of Economic Affairs and Climate Mona Keijzer. The initiative was created by the Top Sectors of Chemistry, Logistics and Agri & Food and is being executed by the innovation incentives foundation Regieorgaan SIA (part of the Netherlands Association for Scientific Research (NWO)).

State Secretary Mona Keijzer said “Innovation is turning a smart idea into a new product that is useful to people and can earn money. To do this, we need entrepreneurs, and entrepreneurs need talented individuals. For this reason, we devised and set up the Innovation Traineeship scheme together with Regieorgaan SIA, universities of applied sciences and the Top Sectors. This scheme will give SMEs fresh ideas to stimulate growth in line with the demands that time and customers place on them as well as giving students a fantastic opportunity to gain work experience. It will also demonstrate what innovation means to our country: new products for our businesses and employment opportunities for talented professionals.”

Maurice Limmen, Chair of the Netherlands Association of Universities of Applied Sciences: “When it comes to innovation, universities of applied sciences are a natural partner to the SME sector. After all, the main focus of our practically oriented research is to achieve results in the short term, which is exactly what SMEs need. The Innovation Traineeship will allow us to fulfil our role even more effectively as the universities’ research groups will be involved throughout the entire process.”

More knowledge for the SME sector

The SME sector does not benefit as much as it could from the knowledge available at universities of applied sciences and other knowledge institutions. The Innovation Traineeship’s goal is to change this by conducting practically oriented research within an active business. Within the scope of the Knowledge and Innovation Covenant 2020-2023, innovation incentives foundation Regieorgaan SIA (part of the Netherlands Association for Scientific Research) will make 3.9 million euros available to allow lecturer-researchers from the universities in question to supervise the innovation trainees for a year and a half. Trainees will also have access to research facilities at their universities. In this way, business owners will have ample opportunity to implement vital and valuable innovations.

Universities and SMEs making plans

Over the next few months, universities of applied sciences and their affiliated Centres of Expertise will be seeking SME partners in their region who wish to take on an innovation trainee. Their plans for the traineeship, which must include how the university will structure the trainee’s supervision and what the focus of the research will be within the SME(s), will be assessed by Regieorgaan SIA in December 2020. Regieorgaan SIA will then provide funding for the research supervision process. Provided the trainee proves him/herself worthy, the SME must also be prepared to offer the trainee a one-year employment contract following completion of the traineeship. The first innovation trainees are expected to start at the beginning of 2021 and finish their traineeship in mid-2022. A total of around 200 trainees will start their traineeship over the next two years.

Want to get involved in the Innovation Traineeship scheme?

Currently, 13 universities of applied sciences are drawing up plans to participate in the Innovation Traineeship as of January.