Research Impact Centres
Interdisciplinary and cross-disciplinary research initiatives
Our research impact centres work hand in hand with industry and societal partners to generate new knowledge and cutting-edge innovations.
REC Impact's objective is to reference and foster all initiatives set up on the Roeterseiland campus with the purpose of impacting society in a meaningful way. This section features a list of impactful research initiatives on the REC campus: interdisciplinary initiatives (involving several faculties) and initiatives involving external actors such as governmental organisations, companies, or NGOs.
Amsterdam Law School
REC Impact referenced below the research centres and institutes of the Law School presenting interdisciplinary, transdisciplinary and/or collaborative characteristics, with direct contact with society and external organisations and institutions.
Please note that this is not a comprehensive list of the Faculty's research centres and institutes. For an exhaustive list, please click here to go to the UvA website.
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The Amsterdam Centre for European Law and Governance (ACELG) is an internationally recognized research centre that makes high-level contributions to the academic and policy debate on legal and governance processes in Europe. Established as a Faculty Centre of Excellence in 2009, ACELG focuses on mapping, understanding, and critically reflecting upon the constitutional (legal, political and economic) evolution taking place in the European Union. ACELG researchers focus on cross-cutting issues between institutional, constitutional and economic law and joint initiatives, bridging the disciplines of law, political science and economics.
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Research at the ACIL aims at the critical understanding and progressive development of international law. It includes multiple research groups, one of its major ones being ‘The Role of Law in Armed Conflict and Military Operations.’
This research group is part of the LACMO network, a consortium of 20 research centres and groups within universities and military staff colleges and academies based in Europe, North America, Asia and the Pacific.
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ACLE is an interdisciplinary institute created through the collaboration of the School of Economics (FEB) and the Law School. It promotes and encourages research based on the joint efforts and collaboration of law and economics at the University of Amsterdam. ACLE has strong links with the international academic community to foster cooperation and coaction between these two disciplines.
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AIAS-HSI is based on the merger of the Amsterdam Institute for Advanced Labour Studies (AIAS) and the Hugo Sinzheimer Institute (HSI). It conducts independent and innovative scientific research with a strong international orientation and high societal impact and relevance. It is a highly multidisciplinary institute with researchers from disciplines such as law, sociology, economics and political science. AIAS-HSI focuses on international multidisciplinary or interdisciplinary research. Most of its projects are funded by national and international scientific foundations or commissioned by the government or international organisations and social actors, including trade unions and employers' associations.
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The Amsterdam Law Hub serves as a unique incubator where the spheres of legal education, academia, and societal engagement converge. Their core mission revolves around advancing the cause of a more just society, with a particular focus on themes such as climate justice and improving access to legal resources. What distinguishes them is their dual presence within both the academic domain and the wider societal context. This positioning allows them to tap into the wealth of knowledge and talents found among researchers, faculty, and students, while also maintaining strong connections with external partners to gain insight into the real-world legal challenges faced by citizens, businesses, and government bodies. The Law Hub’s initiatives are characterized by collaborative co-creation, a commitment to legal innovation, and a steadfast dedication to addressing societal needs.
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Established in 1986, the Institute for Information Law (IViR) is the oldest research institute of the Faculty of Law, and one of the largest Information Law research centres in the world. The IViR regularly takes part in national and international research collaborations and collaborates with non-legal disciplines such as economics, communication sciences, computer science, philosophy, digital humanities and the arts. The IViR also participates in various research projects funded by national and international governments and institutions, such as the European Union, the Dutch government, the Council of Europe, the European Parliament and the European Commission, and occasionally by non-governmental and private actors.
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The Law Center for Health and Life studies how law, regulation and policy impact on health and, in turn, how health, including environmental health and technological advances in the field of health, impacts law and policy. The Centre’s work impacts multiple levels of society by supporting innovative legal solutions at local, national, European and international levels, that protect vulnerable citizens in the face of public, medical, and industrial powers in the field of health and environmental health challenges. The Law Centre for Health and Life seeks new knowledge using multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary research, and connects with disciplines such as (bio)medicine, environmental sciences, public health and epidemiology, policy and governance, political science, anthropology and sociology and economics. The Center achieves its goals through high impact research, knowledge dissemination, societal connections, and educational excellence through collaboration with UvA programs.
Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences
REC Impact referenced below the research centres and institutes of the Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences presenting interdisciplinary, transdisciplinary and/or collaborative characteristics, with direct contact with society and external organisations and institutions.
Please note that this is not a comprehensive list of the Faculty's research centres and institutes. Please click here to go to the UvA website for an exhaustive list.
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The Amsterdam Institute for Social Science Research (AISSR) serves as the collective hub for all social science research conducted at the University of Amsterdam. It actively promotes the development of research enhancing our practical comprehension of historical as well as contemporary social and policy matters. The institute's focus revolves around four distinct disciplines or research groups: Sociology, Geography, Planning & Development Studies, Political Science, and Anthropology. It strongly encourages collaboration and the pursuit of interdisciplinary research projects among these groups.
Furthermore, the AISSR maintains affiliations with various interdisciplinary research centers, such as the Amsterdam Centre for European Studies (ACES), Amsterdam Research Centre for Gender and Sexuality Studies (ARC-GS), and the Centre for Sustainable Development Studies (CSDS).
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ASCoR, situated within the Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences, is the University of Amsterdam's prominent research institute in the field of Communication Science. It is the largest research institute of its kind in Europe and ranks among the world's largest. ASCoR includes a dedicated team of over 80 senior researchers who are permanently associated with the institute. Additionally, its PhD program, conducted in English, accommodates 25 students.
ASCoR is affiliated with numerous research centres, such as ComLab, NeSCoR, and the Amsterdam Center for Health Communication. Furthermore, ASCoR maintains collaborative partnerships with international organizations like the International Communication Association and the European Communication Research and Education Association, among others.
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The research carried out at PsyRes is strongly oriented towards an empirical approach to the major themes in psychology, and mainly focuses on processes underlying various forms of normal and abnormal human behaviour.
The Psychology Research Institute counts 6 research groups: Brain and Cognition; Clinical Psychology; Developmental psychology; Psychological methods; Social psychology; and Work and Organizational Psychology.
PsyRes possesses a comprehensive laboratory infrastructure, including the Behavioral Science Lab and Stats Store. These resources enable the establishment of both intra- and interdisciplinary connections, fostering collaborative research programs with fields such as (neuro-) biology, medicine, environmental sciences, mathematics, and social sciences.
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The RICDE leads scientific research on parenting, child development and education with a societal impact.
It includes several research programmes. The Education research programme studies how education contributes to the development of cognitive and social-emotional skills.
The Research Programme Child Development studies variations in typical and atypical child development and preventive and clinical intervention programs that support child development.
Many innovative and constructive studies come out of the Institute’s activity, and those programmes include multiple PhD Projects.
The Research Institute for Parenting, Child Development, and Education (RICDE) spearheads scientific investigations into the realms of parenting, child development, and education, with a strong focus on generating societal impact.
Within the RICDE, multiple research programs are pursued. The Education research program examines the role of education in fostering the development of cognitive and social-emotional skills. In parallel, the Research Program for Child Development explores the diverse trajectories of typical and atypical child development. It delves into both preventive measures and clinical intervention programs aimed at supporting optimal child development.
The institute consistently produces innovative and constructive studies, often culminating in numerous PhD projects associated with these research programs.
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The Urban Cycling Institute is committed to empowering urban professionals by providing education, inspiration, and resources to promote safe, inclusive, and active mobility. They cultivate a global network of leaders from diverse backgrounds to drive local initiatives and turn ideas into action. Through a blend of academic inquiry and practical application, they facilitate knowledge exchange and learning opportunities across various academic levels.
UvA Economics and Business
REC Impact referenced below the research centres and institutes of the UvA Economics and Business, consisting in the Amsterdam Business School and the Faculty of Economics and Business, presenting interdisciplinary, transdisciplinary and/or collaborative characteristics, with direct contact with society and external organisations and institutions.
Please note that this is not a comprehensive list of the Faculty's research centres and institutes. Please click here to go to the UvA website for an exhaustive list.
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ACLE is an interdisciplinary institute created through the collaboration of the School of Economics (FEB) and the Law School. It promotes and encourages research based on the cooperation of law and economics at the University of Amsterdam. ACLE has strong links with the international academic community to foster connections between these two disciplines.
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Founded in 1998, the Amsterdam Institute for Advanced Labour Studies (AIAS) conducts, facilitates and promotes multidisciplinary research and teaching at the UvA, focusing on labour market analysis. AIAS combines a broad range of approaches from sociology, law, economics, medical sciences and political sciences, drawing on the expertise of the Faculties of Law, Social and Behavioural Sciences, Economics and Business, and Medicine. The Institute's main topics include labour markets, social security incomes, institutions and governance.
To the website of the Amsterdam Institute for Advanced Labour Studies (AIAS)
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The UvA Amsterdam School of Economics and Nationale-Nederlanden initiated the Center for Longevity Risk. It studies the evolution of the population's survival rates and life expectancy (in the Netherlands and abroad) and how various factors influence these. The centre provides valuable insights into the economic and social consequences of increasing life expectancy to initiate public debates and prepare a sustainable future for pensions and health care, among other related matters.
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The CeNDEF is a multidisciplinary research centre researching the fields of behavioural macroeconomics and behavioural finance. Established in 1998, the centre brings together researchers from various fields, including economic theory, finance, mathematics, physics, statistics, econometrics and psychology. It conducts independent research projects funded by the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) or the European Commission (EC). CeNDEF's research topics include behavioural macroeconomics, evolutionary finance, endogenous fluctuations, heterogeneous interacting agents, bounded rationality, expectation formation and learning, evolutionary dynamics, complex non-linear systems and agent-based modelling.
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CREED focuses its research on the behavioural analysis of actors, and the consequences of individual behaviour on policies, the economy, and other areas. Its research programmes are structured around the following three themes: Economics and policy-making, Bounded rationality and institutions and Experimental economics.
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A Sustainable Future (ASF) is a research platform integrating the research of the Amsterdam School of Economics and the Amsterdam Business School on societal and sustainable themes. ASF aims to promote the potential of Economics and Business research and scholarships to contribute to addressing the most pressing and challenging societal issues. Based on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), ASF's research is grouped into three areas: Sustainable Economy, Sustainable Society, and Sustainable Planet.
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The Amsterdam Center for Business and Innovation conducts fundamental and commissioned on subjects related to innovative ways of doing business and managing companies in the contemporary digitalized era. The centre's research range from management innovation to digital innovation and has led to numerous publications. It works hand in hand with its clients, among whom the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs, Siemens, and more.
The Amsterdam Digital Transformation Lab (ADTL) is part of the Amsterdam Centre for Business Innovation.
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Founded in 2020, the Amsterdam Center for Behavioural Change (ACBC) seeks to understand the mechanisms of human behaviour in economic decision-making, and to use them to assess the effectiveness of behavioural measures aimed at solving societal problems. An important theme is to study how nudging (the practice of encouraging individuals to adopt sustainable, eco-responsible actions) can be used to create a better world.
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The Amsterdam Centre for Corporate Finance (ACCF) is a think tank specialising in the financial management of corporations and the operations of the financial sector. The ACCF promotes high quality research at the point where financial theory and corporate policy intersect. The ACCF is supported by major financial and industrial corporations and affiliated with the Amsterdam Business School.
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The Amsterdam People Analytics Center (APAC) helps facilitate partnerships between industry and academia in the area of people analytics. People analytics is a data-driven approach to people management, focused on systematically identifying and quantifying people drivers of important business outcomes.
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The Amsterdam Centre for Responsible Consumption provides a platform for behavioural researchers, companies and policymakers to exchange ideas with the aim of finding new ways to achieve a more responsible consumption model. The ACRC also organizes events, stimulates public debate and translates behavioural knowledge into policy.
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The Amsterdam Centre for Responsible Leadership (ARLead) strives to help organizations and leaders meet the contemporary ethical challenges facing organizations. Drawing on academic research and business practice, the centre facilitates individual and organizational leadership capabilities to responsibly balance organizational performance with the well-being of people, society and the environment.
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Founded in 2014, Amsterdam Data Science (ADS) is a networked organization of academic and industrial partners dedicated to establishing a strong data science and AI ecosystem in the Amsterdam region. ADS exists to facilitate the growth and international standing of this ecosystem. It does so by connecting knowledge institutes and bridging academia, industry and society, providing a platform for collaboration and engagement.
ADS is the initiative of Amsterdam's four knowledge institutes: CWI, HvA, VU and UvA.
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The Amsterdam Research Centre for Health Economics (ARCHE) studies complex challenges in healthcare through the lenses of economics, business administration and health science. The institute aims to be a bridge between research and healthcare practice. It facilitates the adoption of research and innovation in the field.
The ARCHE was founded by Amsterdam UMC (Amsterdam University Medical Centers), UvA-EB (Faculty of Economics and Business of the University of Amsterdam) and SEO (SEO Amsterdam Economics). The institute serves as a hub for collaborations with organisations in the Dutch healthcare system.
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AI4FinTech is a community in which AI expertise is combined with Financial Technology expertise. AI4FinTech is open to anyone working in academia, the financial industry, government institutions and anyone else interested in the subject.
AI4FinTech does, among other things: academic research on AI methods specifically developed for Fintech, their use and regulation - published in leading academic journals and conferences; knowledge dissemination; development of new insights, products and services, useful to industry, startups and government; courses and masterclasses.
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Analytics for a Better World strives to apply analytics’ potential to contribute to humanitarian and societal challenges, and contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals. ABW is a joint collaboration between UvA, MIT and ORTEC.
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RCSII is a joint initiative of ASR Nederland N.V. (a.s.r.) and the Faculty of Economics and Business (FEB) at the University of Amsterdam (UvA).
The centre aims to answer questions related to sustainable investment and insurance. UvA scientists are researching various sustainability issues in the financial sector, and developing knowledge in the field of environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues. Research will focus, for example, on the quantification of climate risks for investors and insurers, as well as on the possibilities for detecting 'greenwashing'. RCSII thus aims to contribute to the search for innovative solutions to sustainability issues of interest to insurers, financial institutions, regulators and society.
Are you facing a challenge involving societal impact, social change or sustainable innovation? Become a UvA partner organisation.
Consistently ranked among the world’s top 100 universities, the University of Amsterdam (UvA) excels globally in all its research fields, with expertise in fundamental research across various disciplines. External organisations can collaborate with the UvA through research, educational programmes, courses, challenges and other initiatives.