ET staff are actively participating in various centres and institutes of the UT. Here you can find an overview.
UT Research Institutes and centres
Our strength lies in the collaboration between the various disciplines. In the research institutes, the University of Twente connects technology (high tech) to human behaviour and social relevance (human touch). These research institutes form an active connection with society. Principal investigators have active participation nationally (Nationale Wetenschapsagenda, Topsectoren) and internationally, for example, by participating in Horizon2020 projects. It is in this context that we are able to contribute to societal challenges.
MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology MESA+ is one of the world’s leading research institutes on nanostructures, nanomaterials, nanosystems and nanodevices. Embracing a cross-disciplinary approach and benefiting from the NanoLab - infrastructure that ranks among the very best on the globe - over 500 researchers deliver high quality, competitive and frequently ground-breaking research. The results are evident in our numerous publications as well as in various high-profile achievements.
The TechMed Centre is a leading Innovation Hub in the health-tech domain with state-of-the-art infrastructure, ranging from research labs, preclinical testbeds and simulated hospital environments up to the actual healthcare system. The TechMed Centre improves healthcare through research & development, education and collaboration in a global network.
Digital Society Institute The Digital Society Institute (DSI) performs scientific research in technology that is essential for digitalization, on methods and techniques for integrating digital technology in our environments, and on how we can come to intelligent, well-informed decision-making. An important aspect of our mission is to conduct research that has an impact on society.
Besides the 3 UT-wide research institutes, various other types of research collaborations exist. Of strategic importance to ET are, at least:
Engineers, designers and behavioural scientists work together in the Design Lab on innovative solutions for perceived problems. They are able to test their concept or prototype immediately, making use of, for example, a 3-D printer or a pair of virtual reality glasses. Research topics are not only provided by the research groups of the university, but also by companies, governments and social organizations.
Fraunhofer Innovation Platform for Advanced Manufacturing The Fraunhofer Innovation Platform for Advanced Manufacturing at the University of Twente (FIP-AM@UT) is an innovation centre that helps manufacturers turn ambitious dreams into reality. FIP-AM@UT is committed to the advancement of the manufacturing industry for the enrichment of our society. Through applied research, technical consulting, and project development, we aim to help develop the technical capabilities and competencies needed to create the future of our industry.
Imagine the birthplace of future robotics professionals and of tomorrow’s robotic solutions in the medical, industry and societal domains. A place where new robotic systems are incubated and designed to improve (human) life. A community of responsible, critical thinkers, making use of all the creativity, knowledge, and facilities at our disposal to create meaningful impact with robots. That place is called: The Robotics Centre!
ThermoPlastic composites Research Center The ThermoPlastic composites Research Center (TPRC) is a research center for thermoplastic composites where experts work together to increase knowledge of materials, their behaviour, product design and processing technologies. Our primary aim is to enable more widespread use of thermoplastic composites by joint research and development.
4TU Centres
The four universities of technology in the Netherlands are united in the 4TU.Federation. 4TU aims to boost and pool technical expertise. The universities of technology plan to educate and deliver plenty of excellent engineers and technological designers, to realise internationally-renowned and societally-relevant research and to promote cooperation between research institutes, businesses and public organisations.
ET staff is specifically involved in the following:
4TU Built Environment Center The 4TU.Built Environment Center is a collaboration between the building departments of the four Dutch technical universities (Delft, Eindhoven, Twente and Wageningen) from which the capacities are utilized in order to make an impact in societal challenges. This is done in via a network of organizations in close cooperation with innovative companies from the building sector.
The mission and strategy of 4TU.Built Environment are based upon three main goals, which are:
- Addressing societal relevant themes by tailoring knowledge and expertise in Domain Acceleration Teams (DATs);
- Stimulation of new and improvement of existing innovations in the building sector;
- Increasing impact by collaborating and co-creating with (inter)national partners.
4TU Centre for High-Tech Materials 4TU Centre for High-Tech Materials (HTM), a concerted effort by four Dutch universities (Delft, Eindhoven, Twente and Wageningen), will function as a nucleus for new materials research and will pave the way to further growth. Prof.dr.ir. Ajran Mol is the scientific director.
4TU Centre for Resilience Engineering The knowledge centre wants to develop, apply and disseminate knowledge, methods and tools for making societies more resilient. Within this area 4TU.RE focuses on engineering solutions (technical solutions and system designs) in interaction with social-ecological systems. Prof.dr. Tina Comes is the Scientific Director of the 4TU.RE Centre, and Stephanie Hessing is the Managing Director of the Centre.
Design United (DU) is the 4TU research centre for design and the leading platform for Design Research in the Netherlands. Design United operates at the intersection of advanced scientific research, fast-moving emerging technologies, and the shifting needs and dreams of our future societies.
Design United actively participates in policy development and serves as a point of contact for industry partners and businesses. Deeply rooted in academia, Design United partners with CLICKNL and the Dutch Design Foundation to disseminate scientific design knowledge.
4TU Energy Research Center 4TU.Energy will connect and build upon the individual strengths of the 4TUs and facilitate coordination and collaboration among researchers in the field of energy to accelerate the transition toward a carbon-neutral future. It provides an environment where researchers in Energy are connected and are offered opportunities to boost collaborations.
