R&D personnel and researchers in the Netherlands, by sector

The indicator shows the number of total R&D personnel in the Netherlands and the share of researchers as a category within R&D personnel, differentiated by various sectors.

14 December 2020

Export Table Data

	Research institutes	Higher education	Business
2000	13,7	25,6	47,5
2001	13,9	26,4	48,4
2002	13,7	26,9	47
2003	14,3	27,5	44,5
2004	13,6	28,4	50
2005	12,7	28,9	48,6
2006	12,8	28,6	52,8
2007	12,1	28,6	49,2
2008	12,2	29,1	48
2009	11,4	29,5	42,3
2010	11,4	30,2	54,1
2011*	11,2	32,2	74
2012	13,5	32	76,8
2013*	8,2	32,3	95,1
2014	8,3	33,2	94,6
2015	8,3	33,6	97,4
2016	8,6	33,3	102,6
2017	8,6	34,4	107,5
2018	9,3	34,7	112,8
2019	9,3	35,1	115,8

Data: Download as CSV file

Source: CBS, Statline (Statistics Netherlands)/Eurostat

Notes: Between 2010 and 2011 there is a break in the trend because from 2011 onwards, the business sector also comprises companies with fewer than 10 employees. Based on new register information, the categorisation of business companies and research institutes has been revised from 2012 (statistical year) onwards. As a result, the level of R&D expenditures by the business sector has been revised downwards and R&D expenditures by research institutes has been revised upwards. Similar consequences apply to the data concerning R&D personnel. There is also a trend break between 2012 and 2013. Statistics Netherlands has revised the R&D statistics so that it is in line with international guidelines. The 2017, 2018 and 2019 figures are preliminary.

Export Table Data

	Research institutes	Higher education	Business
2000	6,6	14,9	20
2001	7,4	15,5	22,4
2002	7,3	16	20,4
2003	7,7	16,3	19,4
2004	7,8	17,1	23,2
2005	7	17,7	22,9
2006	7,1	17,9	28
2007	7	18,2	26
2008	7	18,5	24,9
2009	6,8	19	20,5
2010	7	19,4	26,6
2011	6,8	21	33,6
2012	8,6	21	43,7
2013	8,6	21,2	46,8
2014	8,6	21,9	45,7
2015	9	22,3	47,9
2016	8,7	22,2	50,2
2017	9,1	22,8	51,3
2018	5,9	22,8	66,9

Data: Download as CSV file

Source: CBS, Statline (Statistics Netherlands)/Eurostat

Notes: Between 2010 and 2011 there is a break in the trend because from 2011 onwards, the business sector also comprises companies with fewer than 10 employees. Based on new register information, the categorisation of business companies and research institutes has been revised from 2012 (statistical year) onwards. As a result, the level of R&D expenditures by the business sector has been revised downwards and R&D expenditures by research institutes has been revised upwards. Similar consequences apply to the data concerning R&D personnel. There is also a trend break between 2017 and 2018. The reason for this is that Statistics Netherlands has revised the R&D statistics, so that it is in line with international guidelines. The figures for 2013 to 2017 are also expected to be revised in the course of 2020. The 2017 and 2018 figures are preliminary.

Export Table Data

	Business	Higher Education	Research institutes
2000	42,1	58,2	48
2001	46,3	58,7	53,1
2002	43,4	59,5	53,1
2003	43,6	59,3	53,7
2004	46,5	60,2	57,1
2005	47,1	61,2	55,3
2006	53	62,6	55,9
2007	52,7	63,6	57,5
2008	51,9	63,7	57,5
2009	48,4	64,3	59,7
2010	49,1	64,2	60,9
2011	45,4	65,1	60,2
2012	56,9	65,7	63,6
2013	60,5	65,6	63,9
2014	59,6	66	61,1
2015	59	66,5	62,4
2016	59,9	66,7	62,6
2017	59,4	66,5	64,4
2018	58,9	66,5	62,4

Data: Download as CSV file

Source: CBS, Statline (Statistics Netherlands)/Eurostat

Notes: The 2017 and 2018 figures are preliminary.

Analysis

In recent period, there is a continuous growth in the amount of R&D personnel. From 2013, R&D staff for companies, higher education institutions and research institutions is growing steadily. In 2019, 72% of R&D staff in the Netherlands work in the business sector, 22% in higher education and 6% in a research institution.

We see a similar picture among researchers, who form a large part of the R&D staff.

The share of researchers has increased in all sectors between 2000 and 2017. The growth in the share of researchers is the largest in the business sector. Growth of this share in the higher education sector is rather gradual. The other two sectors experienced more erratic growth in the share of researchers, in particular the business sector.

For an explanation of the used definitions and acronyms we kindly refer to the web page Definitions for Science in Figures.

Analysis

Gerelateerde datapublicaties