Most of the Dutch universities have specialised departments carrying out environmental research in the Netherlands and other departments carrying out research related to developments in the South. Apart from these, certain independent or inter-university scientific institutes are specialised in a certain region or in the environment and development research with a focus on the South. Most universities have science ‘shops’ which are service organisations that aim to improve communication between the public and the academic community. Science shops provide a mediating service for non-profit organisations or groups of citizens that need specific scientific information on, for example, environmental laws and legislation, pollution, agriculture or appropriate technology.

The ASC is the only resource and documentation centre solely devoted to the study of Africa in the Netherlands. Its main objectives are to:

1. promote and undertake scientific research on Sub-Saharan Africa, particularly in the field of the social sciences and humanities;
2. function as a national centre in the field of African studies and to contribute to education and teaching in the social sciences and humanities; and
3. promote the dissemination of knowledge and an understanding of African societies in the wider public sphere.

The Library, Documentation and Information (LDI) department of the ASC operates one of the largest specialised African libraries and documentation centres in the world. The LDI department also performs literature searches on request. The ASC offers a regular seminar and conference programme as well as an Africa Cinema programme and runs a fellowship programme for African researchers.

Alterra is the research institute for our green living environment. Alterra conducts a combination of practical and scientific research in a multitude of disciplines related to the green world around us and to the sustainable use of our living environment. Some of the aspects Alterra covers are, flora and fauna, soil, water, the environment, geographical information systems and remote sensing, landscape and spatial planning, man and society.

Alterra is part of the Wageningen University and Research Centre. In research and education it closely co-operates with the department of Environmental Sciences from Wageningen University.

The bulk of Alterra's research is done for the Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality (LNV). Much of the international work is carried out in cooperation with European partners. In developing countries Alterra conducts many projects on water and soil management.

CE is an NGO that was founded in 1978. It specialises in developing innovative and integrated solutions to environmental problems. The solutions are designed to provide a framework for practical policies and feasible implementation. CE is skilled across a wide range of environmental topics and familiar with the associated policy networks: business and industry, government, and NGOs. The work of CE is based on a long-term vision on the role of the environment, the economy and technology, together with the understanding of the social and cultural forces at work in the modern world.

The organisation’s areas of work are economics, energy, industry, materials and transport. In each of these areas CE offers a choice of three products:

1. strategic policy advice;
2. research and advice on instruments; and
3. research on policy building blocks.

The keyword for CML's research is interdisciplinary. Some research projects encompass contributions both from natural and social sciences. Other projects are interdisciplinary within natural sciences or within social sciences. CML has three research departments:

1. environmental biology, dealing with sustainability and biodiversity in rural areas;
2. industrial ecology, dealing with research in the field of industrial ecology; and
3. environment and development, dealing with co-management of natural resources in natural areas in developing countries.

Field research takes place both in North and South.

CML offers a variety of courses, project groups and individual research internships, both at the graduate and postgraduate level.

The CIS is VUA’s (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam) focal point for cooperation on tertiary education with partners in the South and Eastern Europe. This cooperation is aimed at academic capacity building and at strengthening institutional management. Other areas of cooperation are curriculum development, professional development of teachers, organisational development and the use of ICT in administration, teaching and research.

For more than 25 years CIS maintains long-term relations with a large number of partners in developing countries. To fit the often complex local conditions the programmes are developed jointly with local partners. Besides these programmes, other assignments such as exploratory studies, advisory work and consultancies are undertaken for a wide variety of national and international organisations.

CIS acts as a broker between the support requested by its partners and academic expertise of VUA faculties and several other Dutch universities.

The CIDIN was established in 1973 as the Third World Centre. CIDIN is a research and training community. The students carry out fieldwork all over the world, and graduates work with numerous development organisations, social security departments and immigration services abroad, as well as in the Netherlands. The emphasis on multi-dimensionality, multi-locality, comparison and various new research areas applies not only within the Centre’s research programme, but also to the educational programme and the fieldwork of the students participating in the programme. It is CIDIN's task to cooperate intensively with foreign students, lecturers and researchers.

The Copernicus Institute was founded by the board and the faculties of Chemistry and Geography of the University of Utrecht. The Institute wants to make a contribution to the development of knowledge in the field of sustainable development. The institute develops methods and instruments directed towards the sustainable development of society, with special attention to:

1. demand, supply and use of energy and materials;
2. the use of space, the environment and biodiversity; and
3. social management and innovation.

The special characteristic of the Institute is the combination of in-depth knowledge and experience in the fields of technical and scientific questions and of processes of change and innovation. The Institute also offers a Masters programme in Sustainable Development.

The Department of Environmental Studies at the University of Nijmegen, founded in 1991, has three main tasks:

1. to coordinate the undergraduate school of 'Environmental Science';
2. to perform scientific research; and
3. to provide services to society on environmental science. The department of ES, which takes part on international scientific networks, focuses on the interaction between the natural environment and the human society.

From 1995 onwards the department is concentrating on river basin oriented research: ecological quality (i.e. water- and sediment quality and habitat quality) and ecological restoration of river basins.

ECDPM works to improve international cooperation between Europe and countries in Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific (ACP). Its overriding aim is to encourage the autonomous development of the ACP countries by facilitating a more effective use of development policies and instruments offered by the EU and its Member States. The Centre has two basic objectives:

1. to enhance the capacity of public sector and private sector actors in the ACP and other low-income countries; and
2. to improve cooperation between development partners in Europe and the ACP region. It has the commitment to long-term involvement with key stakeholders in policy processes.

The Centre plays a role as an independent broker and integrates practical experience with academic theory. It operates in, and builds bridges between language communities.

An important initiative of the ECPDM is capacity.org (http://www.capacity.org). Capacity.org aims to encourage experiences from the South and supports capacity development and exchange of information by providing easy access to development-related information on a virtual platform.

ECN is the largest research centre in the Netherlands in the field of energy. ECN moves between fundamental research on universities and the appliance of knowledge and technologies in practice. Together with the government and the industry, ECN works to achieve (and maintain) sustainable energy resources. Through research and development the Centre contributes to the efficient use of energy, the accelerated implementation of renewable energy and the cleaner use of fossil fuels. ECN's work concentrates on technologies and research knowledge that will be applied within several years. This bridges the gap between research and development, universities and the application of knowledge.

ECN Policy Studies offers public authorities, companies and civil society independent advice with respect to energy and environmental issues. The multidisciplinary project teams provide consultancy services at the national, European and global level.

The FEM Group of the Wageningen University deals with fundamental and applied ecological issues such as forest ecosystem dynamics, environmental influences on tree growth and forest development, and sustainable silviculture systems. Guidelines for sustainable forest resource management are derived from a sound understanding of the growth and development of forest ecosystems, and the ecological processes underlying forest ecosystem dynamics in relation to species properties and environmental conditions.

The focus is on forest ecosystems worldwide, with an emphasis on Dutch forestry, European forest resources, and tropical rainforest conservation. Teaching takes place within the MSc programme on Forest and Nature Conservation and includes courses in forest ecosystem analysis, forest resources and sustainable management, and silviculture systems. As part of the Forest and Nature Conservation curriculum, MSc specialisations on tropical forestry are offered.

Globus, an inter-faculty institute of three faculties at Tilburg University, is an expertise centre for multidisciplinary research in the areas of globalisation and sustainable development. Founded in 1998, Globus aims to be a platform for critical debate among researchers, policy makers, decision makers, and other interested parties. To carry out these tasks, Globus initiates and organises research projects, conferences, seminars, workshops, training programmes, and debates. Research results are published in international scientific journals, in books and as reports in a special Globus series.

InDRA was established in 1990 to promote and coordinate multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary education and research concerned with development issues at the University of Amsterdam (UvA). InDRA evolved from the Work Group on Development Studies. Now, InDRA's curriculum falls under the C.M. Kan Education Institute, while InDRA's research programme has been merged with that of AGIDS (Amsterdam Research Institute for Global Issues and Development Studies). However, InDRA retains its explicit interdisciplinary identity and objectives. Its mission remains to create links among scientists at UvA who are developing activities in the field of development studies, and thus create a place for interdisciplinary education and research.

IVM was founded at the Free University Amsterdam (VUA) in 1971. Since 2002, IVM has been a part of the newly formed Faculty of Earth and Life Sciences (Dutch acronym FALW), together with Earth Sciences and Biology.

Being the oldest environmental research institute in the Netherlands, the IVM has built up considerable experience in dealing with the complexity of environmental issues. Its purpose is to contribute to the sustainability of societies and the rehabilitation and preservation of the environment through academic research. IVM addresses challenging environmental problems and offers both pragmatic and innovative solutions.

1. The Institute focuses on the following four core programmes:
2. measurement techniques and strategies;
3. analysis and management of the spatial component of the environment;
4. industrial transformation; and
5. international environmental agreements within the North-South relationship.

The IIAV is the source, the intermediary and the supplier of information and documentation for all those who occupy themselves with the position of women, whether it concerns books, periodicals, data, addresses, archives, visual materials, current or historical, national or international. Through far reaching cooperation with women's information centres throughout the world, the IIAV provides access to information on the position of women to researchers, women's organisations, policy makers and the media.

The International Cooperation department of the IIAV is responsible for developing and implementing tools and services with partner organisations worldwide.

The organisation is part of the Gender and Water Alliance. Its task within the Alliance is to collect information on the successes and failures in gender mainstreaming in integrated water resource management.

The IIAS is a postdoctoral research centre based in Leiden and Amsterdam. Its main objective is to encourage the study of Asia and to promote national and international cooperation in this field. The geographical scope of the Institute covers South Asia, South East Asia, East Asia, and Central Asia. The IIAS focuses on the humanities and the social sciences and, where relevant, on their interaction with other sciences. The IIAS organises seminars, workshops and conferences, publishes a newsletter and has set up various academic publications series. It has established a database that contains information about researchers and academic institutes in the field of Asian Studies within Europe and worldwide.

Established in 1989, the IIUE concentrates on human settlements as the key factor towards sustainability. To make cities better places to live in, the institute combines in its approach public administration and policy development with science and technology. Based on a sound knowledge of urban planning methods and techniques, this approach always incorporates social dimensions as well as economic/financial aspects. IIUE has three main areas of activity:

1. awareness raising projects;
2. research studies and consultancy; and
3. regional/urban strategic planning and demonstration projects, which put theory into practice.

Project areas include: management of natural resources, energy, water and waste, transport planning, healthy building scenarios and indicators for sustainable urban development. Workshops, conferences and training programmes are the awareness raising tools used by the institute - often held within the framework of European projects in which cities exchange information. The institute collects examples of good practice in sustainable urban development.

The Centre originates from the International Soil Museum. In 1995 ISRIC became a foundation with statutes and a board of governors.

The mandate of the ISRIC is:

1. to collect, store and analyse scientific knowledge about the soils of the world, with an emphasis on those of the developing world;
2. to provide a better understanding of the formation, characterisation, classification and distribution of the soils of the world; and
3. to promote sustainable use of the land at local, national, regional and global level.

The objectives of the Institute are to contribute to the challenge of providing sufficient food for the growing world population, to preserve the biophysical potential of natural resources, and to minimise environmental degradation.

IVAM is an environmental research agency and consultancy with its origins in the University of Amsterdam's Interfaculty Department of Environmental Science. Since 1993 IVAM has been an independent agency, though it continues to be affiliated to the University of Amsterdam (UvA). IVAM carries out research and provides advice and training in the area of sustainable housing, work, production and recreation.

IVAM’s advice focuses on ethical aspects, occupational health and safety, and financial feasibility as well as on the environmental issues. It produces comprehensible analyses and appropriate solutions, which are cost-efficient and feasible in practical terms. IVAM conducts environmental (and occupational health and safety) programmes in the EU, Asia, Eastern Europe, Africa and Latin America.

Laka is a national documentation and research centre in the field of nuclear energy and the resistance against it. Recently, its orientation is becoming more international. Some issues are: accidents, depleted uranium, dismantling, enrichment, industry and lobby, history and present status of the anti-nuclear movement, nuclear energy and human rights, radiation, reprocessing, transport and waste storage. Based on its library and extensive archive Laka provides information on nuclear energy to anyone who is interested in the subject and to conduct independent research on the topic.

The objective of Clingendael is to promote the understanding of international affairs. Special attention is devoted to NATO, the EC, the UN and other international organisations. Established in 1983 Clingendael is widely recognised as one of the leading European think tanks in the field of international relations.

Clingendael seeks to achieve its objective by means of research, the publication of studies, the organisation of courses and training programmes, and the provision of information. It acts in an advisory capacity to the government, parliament and social organisations, organises conferences and meetings, maintains a library and documentation centre, and publishes a monthly journal.

The OtherWise Foundation was founded by students and alumni of Wageningen University and Research Centre (WUR), working on the interaction of science and society. The aim of the Foundation is to create a dialogue on development between science and society, based on sharing knowledge and to make socially embedded scientific knowledge accessible for NGOs and community based organisations in the South and Eastern Europe. OtherWise has three areas of activity:

1. public debate: encounters on the interface of science and society with the aim of creating a dialogue on development by means of discussion, lectures and a documentary festival;
2. participatory action research: active mediation of research questions, theses, projects and internships between students from Dutch universities and NGOs in the South and in Eastern Europe working on environment and development; and
3. education: participation in the debate on development education at the WUR and making a practical contribution to problem-oriented education on environment and development issues.

RISQ was founded in January 2002. Currently, there are about 30 RISQ Associates, each with its specific expertise, concerns and research interests. RISQ Associates contribute articles, edit submissions, co-decide which articles are published, and are available for seminars, debates, and research assignments. Based on its in-house expertise and extensive experience with online services and applications, RISQ is keen to help others in taking full advantage of the Internet. The services RISQ currently offers include:

1. research: from ‘quick scans’ and inventories of online resources to fully-fledged dossiers and policy reports;
2. online publicity for NGOs: from forum hosting and campaign publicity to the development of complete websites; and
3. the course Using Internet as a Research Tool.

The CTA was established in 1983 under the Lomé Convention between the ACP (Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific) Group of States and the EU member states. Since 2000, CTA has operated within the framework of the ACP-EC Cotonou Agreement. CTA's tasks are to develop and provide services that improve access to information for agricultural and rural development, and to strengthen the capacity of ACP countries to produce, acquire, exchange and utilise information in this area.

CTA's programmes are organised around the following principal themes: developing information management and partnership strategies needed for policy formulation and implementation; promoting contact and exchange of experience; providing ACP partners with information on demand; and strengthening their information and communication capacities.

TME is an independent, international operating research and consultancy group specialising in the economics and management of the environment and natural resources issues. The research and consultancy is provided to governments, companies and NGOs. The basic philosophy is that each party has to play its own role in the society's quest to generate economic development in balance with environmental qualities. The Institute provides support in the areas of policy support; policy instruments; market development and cleaner production.

TME has extensive experience with strategic policy studies in sustainable development and with the translation of stakeholders’ demands into business opportunities. The Institute strives for innovative approaches towards environmental economics in cooperation with research institutes, consultancy and engineering groups.

The TNI was founded in 1974 as a worldwide fellowship of committed scholar-activists. It was one of the first research institutes established to be transnational in name, composition, orientation and focus. In the spirit of public scholarship, and aligned to no political party, TNI seeks to create and promote international cooperation in analysing and finding possible solutions to such global problems as militarism and conflict, poverty and marginalisation, social injustice and environmental degradation.

At the heart of TNI lies the committed core of current fellows and advisors. They include journalists, independent researchers, and senior scholars from similar institutes in the South, North America, Eastern and Western Europe.

An extensive international network is mobilised to find the most appropriate people to design and participate in study groups, international conferences, and in the production and dissemination of research results. This generally takes the form of specifically targeted working and policy papers, as well as easy-to-read books, often translated into a number of languages.

The Tropenbos Foundation was founded in July 1988 to continue and expand the international Tropenbos Programme set up by the Dutch government in 1986. In 2001 the name was changed into Tropenbos International to reflect the international orientation of the programmes. Its main objectives are:

1. to contribute effectively to the conservation and wise use of tropical rainforests through generating relevant knowledge, deepening insights and developing and testing methods for forest policy and management; and
2. to involve local research institutions and to strengthen research capacity in tropical rainforest countries.

TBI facilitates the formulation and organisation of participatory, objective-oriented and multi-disciplinary research and development programmes. TBI is currently operating and developing research sites in Colombia, Ghana, Indonesia, Suriname and Vietnam through international cooperation between research institutes, local people and governments. The bonds with the former programmes in Cameroon, Guyana and Ivory Coast are still maintained and provide important inputs to the current programmes.

The WIMEK was founded in 1993 and executes a broad multi-disciplinary environmental research programme at Wageningen University to solve complex environmental problems. Characteristic of the institute’s research programme is its combination of natural and social science research. WIMEK's fundamental research contributes to a sound understanding of processes in soil, water, air and ecosystems that involve nutrients, environmental pollutants and greenhouse gases. The Institute's strategic research is focused on developing socio-economic, technological and spatial solutions for environmental problems and the sustainable recovery and management of ecosystems and the environment.

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