6. Strategy for the next six years In the fall of 2019 Amsterdam Neuroscience adopted the slogan, ‘Connecting the people, the science and the brain.’ To direct Amsterdam Neuroscience’s activities during the second half of its accreditation period, it was decided the institute should focus on seven points of attention for the years 2019-2021 (see Section 3: Strategy, p. 13). Investments, activities and efforts from the research institute were mainly geared towards these points in order to bring the new strategy in line with its campaign to reach a wider community of stakeholders (see Figure 5, p. 12). With this strategy, Amsterdam Neuroscience has created a solid foundation for its researchers and has established itself as an important connector between the Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and UvA knowledge institutes, and their strategic plans for the coming years (see VU Amsterdam Strategy 2020-2025; see UvA Strategy 2021-2026; and Amsterdam UMC Strategy 2021-2026 is available on request). Steps going forward When the 2016-2021 period under review here came to an end last year, the new board of directors continued with these achievements, taking them into 2022 with a fresh perspective: that of the next six-year period and on the grand challenges in our field. As a first step, and as a follow-up of the 2019 evaluation, we performed an internal SWOT analysis in dialogue with the directors, management team and program leaders. Figure 14 (p. 26) shows that both internal and external factors are likely to contribute to what can be seen as strongholds and points on which the organization needs to improve.
Self-Evaluation Report 2016-2021
As a second step, we asked all program leaders (see Appendix 1, p. 33) to perform a SWOT analysis for their respective research programs (as shown in Appendix 2, p. 37). Strongholds, focus areas for research for the coming years, and points of specific focus are addressed for each of the nine research programs. Thirdly, the new board of directors of Amsterdam Neuroscience – in dialogue with the management team – proposes to focus on seven Grand Challenges, three internal operational organization objectives and four external strategic goals.
In doing so, Amsterdam Neuroscience wants to become a ‘future-proof’ institute, with an entrepreneurial mind, with the aim of providing a healthy and fruitful academic world for the neuroscientists of today and tomorrow. A network organization in Amsterdam where young talents can flourish, with sustainable research programs and projects, and where collaborations are formed to improve our understanding of the human brain and nervous system in health and disease.
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