INNOVATION STRATEGY: HIGH AMBITION, HIGH TRUST, HIGH PERFORMANCE

Abstract

In 2004, The Netherlands formulated theirambition to become a prominent knowledge economy, aleader in the areas of education, research and innovation:15% more STEM-graduates and an increase in youngpeople choosing a STEM-career. Since then, the DutchPlatform Science and Technology (Platform Bèta Techniek)has been successful in obtaining these goals: polytechnicssaw an increase of 15%, at universities the growth was 62%!The main grow was because more girls choose STEMnowadays. Introducing a revolutionary high-trust innovationstrategy, the Platform made performance-innovationagreementswith schools and institutions, defining their ownambition and approach. This means that the Platformapproach doesn’t revolve around project plans orsubsidization of projects. Not all schools participate, onlythose who choose to make a real effort. Participatingschools and institutes earn their grants by successfullyinnovating their STEM-education resulting in moreyoungsters choosing STEM.Index Terms ⎯  allocation, innovation, national strategy,policy.