Harnessing the power of higher education institutions by Statistics Netherlands
Statistics Netherlands (CBS) is a NSI that provides relevant statistics on a wide range of societal issues. This requires a high degree of flexibility, and whether the issue is climate change, sustainability, the housing challenge or poverty, CBS aims to respond to the need for transparent and accessible information.
To enhance the quality of the statistics produced, CBS sought to collaborate with academia. The primary aim of collaborating with the academic world is to bring in knowledge and expertise from academia. Knowledge and expertise in the field of data, research, education, employment and innovation, that CBS needs to realize it’s strategic agenda.
Other relevant goals of the cooperation with academia are:
recruit new staff
further professionalise and challenge current employees
share data and generate additional resources for data/research
promote the use of official statistics
benefit from outside perspective/curiosity.
With this aims in mind, CBS developed partnerships with many Dutch universities, managed by a dedicated team, the Expertise centre CBS and Higher Education Institutions (ECHO). The ECHO-team supports strategic relationship with academia in many ways. The activities also translate into the development of concrete instruments. One of these instruments is realizing bilateral framework-agreements with universities, in which general agreements are made on the collaboration between both parties. Various specific project or secondment agreements are placed ‘under the wings’ of such a general framework agreement. Another one is establishing special chairs at universities.
CBS employs a number of senior researchers who are also (special) professors or lecturers at a university or university of applied science. These academics contribute to the scientific grounding of CBS research. They also maintain important internal and external knowledge networks. In January 2024 there where 12 chairs at eight universities - funded by CBS. The chairholders work in methodological as well as other scientific fields at CBS.
In addition, CBS welcomes many PhD students and interns. In 2024, about 20 PhD-students with at least a co-supervisor from CBS (usually one of the professors) were working on their dissertation. Part of them were employed by CBS, others by university.
CBS furthermore welcomes about 100 interns each year, among which EMOS-students can be found. As a member of EMOS, CBS offers students courses taught primarily by CBS employees. Students prepare and write their theses under the supervision of CBS. There are also various programmes in which research is carried out together with PhD candidates and/or students as part of dissertation programmes, dual programmes or internships.
A fruitful collaboration
CBS's partnership with academia clearly demonstrates the potential of collaboration in producing high-quality official statistics. By working with higher education institutes, CBS has shown that these partnerships can significantly improve and innovate its statistical practices. This collaboration not only boosts the knowledge and skills of current staff, making their work more effective, but it also serves as a vital source of new talent.
Moreover, universities and universities of applied sciences provide an important pool of new personnel. Maintaining close connections with these institutions can help CBS in recruiting new staff.
Lastly, these partnerships enable CBS to contribute to new insights and scientific knowledge in the Netherlands, further enhancing its role in the academic and research community.
Last update: January 2025