The Hub for Impactful and Engaged Research (HIER): Turns engaged research from an ambition into everyday practice
Research becomes more meaningful when working with society, not just for it. HIER brings together five knowledge institutions in South Holland and connects researchers, educators, professional services and civic partners who want to work in more open, engaged and impactful ways.
Join the network
What we do: Connecting people and expertise
Many of today’s societal challenges cannot be understood from one perspective alone. They ask for research that is shaped together with the people, communities and organisations it affects.
Across South Holland, many researchers and civic partners are already practicing this kind of collaboration. These initiatives recognise that valuable knowledge also exists outside academia: in people’s experiences, communities, professional practice and everyday life. But these efforts are often spread across different institutions, teams and short-term projects.
HIER exists to connect these efforts, make them easier to find, and to help initiatives grow in a more sustainable way. The Hub supports people and organisations who want to build stronger relationships between research and society, share knowledge, learn from each other and work together on societal questions.
In that sense, HIER means being “here”: visible, approachable and connected to the people and places around us.
Across South Holland, many researchers and civic partners are already practicing this kind of collaboration. These initiatives recognise that valuable knowledge also exists outside academia: in people’s experiences, communities, professional practice and everyday life. But these efforts are often spread across different institutions, teams and short-term projects.
HIER exists to connect these efforts, make them easier to find, and to help initiatives grow in a more sustainable way. The Hub supports people and organisations who want to build stronger relationships between research and society, share knowledge, learn from each other and work together on societal questions.
In that sense, HIER means being “here”: visible, approachable and connected to the people and places around us.
How we work: Embed - Strengthen - Connect
Institutional Embedding
HIER embeds civic engagement in partner institutions by making these practices a more regular, recognised and supported part of research and education. This means creating the conditions for participatory research to be valued, supported and included in the way knowledge institutions work.
Capacity Building
HIER strengthens researchers and educators by helping to develop their knowledge, skills and confidence to work with communities and civic partners in responsible and meaningful ways. This includes training, tools, peer learning and advice on how to design and support engaged research.
Regional Ecosystem Development
HIER connects knowledge institutions, local communities and civic partners across South Holland. By bringing people and initiatives together, the Hub helps build the regional network this landscape needs: a place to share knowledge, develop partnerships and work on societal questions together.
Five institutions, one regional network
HIER is a collaboration between five connected knowledge institutions in South Holland: Erasmus University Rotterdam, Erasmus MC, TU Delft, Leiden University and Leiden University MC. Together, these organisations bring academic, medical and civic engagement expertise into one shared regional network.
More information
Looking for more information about HIER? Explore the dedicated HIER pages of Erasmus University Rotterdam, TU Delft and Leiden University. You can also visit our Zenodo community for additional resources, publications and materials.
Join HIER!
Are you a researcher, educator or civic partner in South Holland? Join the HIER network to stay informed and connected with others working on civic engagement, citizen science and engaged research across the region. After signing up, you will receive a confirmation message and be included in HIER’s quarterly updates, with information about the Hub, relevant events, opportunities to contribute and calls to action from within the network.
We use Microsoft Forms to load this form. Please accept Preferences cookies to view it here, or open the form externally.