R&D expenditure by sector of performance and field of science
In short
- Companies mainly carry out R&D in the technical sciences and natural sciences.
- In higher education and research institutions, the fields of science are more evenly distributed.
- In general, between 2013 and 2018, investments in natural sciences increase slightly more than the other sciences.
Humanities | Social sciences | Agricultural sciences | Medical sciences | Technical sciences | Natural sciences | |
Business | 53 | 309 | 847 | 1050 | 5882 | 2857 |
Higher education | 399 | 877 | 206 | 1541 | 827 | 735 |
Research institutes | 41 | 148 | 217 | 64 | 130 | 370 |
Total | 493 | 1334 | 1270 | 2655 | 6839 | 3962 |
Humanities | Social sciences | Agricultural sciences | Medical sciences | Technical sciences | Natural sciences | |
2013 | 404 | 1188 | 1184 | 2206 | 6109 | 3149 |
2014 | 424 | 1252 | 1152 | 2296 | 6162 | 3310 |
2015 | 440 | 1274 | 1148 | 2385 | 6030 | 3534 |
2016 | 492 | 1312 | 1199 | 2389 | 6254 | 3590 |
2017 | 495 | 1376 | 1269 | 2500 | 6700 | 3740 |
2018 | 493 | 1334 | 1270 | 2655 | 6839 | 3962 |
Analysis
Companies: mainly technical and natural sciences
Within the Dutch business sector, 53% of R&D expenditure goes to the technical sciences and 26% to the natural sciences. In higher education, the largest share is focused on the medical sciences: 34%. In research institutes, the natural sciences are at the forefront with 38%.
Total: technical sciences at the forefront
In 2018, 41% of R&D expenditure in the Netherlands went to the technical sciences and 24% to the natural sciences. This was followed by the medical sciences (16%), social sciences (8%), agricultural sciences (8%) and the humanities (3%). The large share of the technical sciences and natural sciences is mainly due to the weight of business.
Between 2013 and 2018: slight increase in natural sciences
Between 2013 and 2018, the distribution of total R&D expenditure shows a fairly constant picture. The share of natural sciences increased slightly: from 22% in 2013 to 24% in 2018.
For an international comparison we refer to the factsheet R&D expenditure and capacity by field of science.
For an explanation of the used definitions and acronyms we kindly refer to the web page Definitions for Science in Figures.
Related publications
- Government support for R&D in the Netherlands - by type of funding
- Private non-profit research funding
- R&D expenditure in the Netherlands by funding source and sector of performance
- Total R&D in the Netherlands by sector of performance and source of funds, R&D activity type and type of costs
- R&D expenditure in the Netherlands by sector of performance
- Government funding of R&D
- Funding and performance of R&D in the Netherlands
- Two and a half percent