R&D personnel and researchers in the Netherlands, by sector
In this data publication we show 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.
In short
- Over the past period, there has been a continuous growth in the size of the R&D personnel.
- More than 70% of R&D personnel in the Netherlands are employed at companies.
- More than 20% of R&D personnel are employed in higher education institutions.
| 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 | 36 | 115,1 |
| 2020 | 9,6 | 38,4 | 118,4 |
| 2021 | 9,6 | 40,4 | 123,6 |
| 2022 | 9,1 | 40,5 | 134 |
| 2023 | 9,7 | 43,2 | 140,1 |
| 2024 | 9,2 | 43,2 | 145,8 |
| 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* | 5,6 | 21,2 | 56 |
| 2014 | 5,4 | 21,9 | 56,4 |
| 2015 | 5,5 | 22,3 | 55,6 |
| 2016 | 5,7 | 22,2 | 59,7 |
| 2017 | 5,6 | 22,8 | 62,7 |
| 2018 | 5,8 | 23 | 66,6 |
| 2019 | 6,1 | 23,8 | 67,8 |
| 2020 | 6,3 | 25,2 | 70,6 |
| 2021 | 6,2 | 26,7 | 73,2 |
| 2022 | 5,8 | 27 | 79,6 |
| 2023 | 6,2 | 28,6 | 83,5 |
| 2024 | 5,8 | 28,6 | 86,3 |
| 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* | 58,9 | 65,6 | 68,1 |
| 2014 | 59,6 | 66 | 65 |
| 2015 | 57,1 | 66,5 | 66,4 |
| 2016 | 58,2 | 66,8 | 66,2 |
| 2017 | 58,3 | 66,3 | 65 |
| 2018 | 59 | 66,3 | 62,7 |
| 2019 | 58,9 | 66,1 | 65 |
| 2020 | 59,6 | 65,6 | 65,6 |
| 2021 | 59,2 | 66 | 64,8 |
| 2022 | 59,4 | 66,6 | 64,1 |
| 2023 | 59,6 | 66,2 | 64,1 |
| 2024 | 59,2 | 66,2 | 63,2 |
More R&D personnel in all sectors
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 2024, 73% of R&D staff in the Netherlands work in the business sector, 22% in higher education and 5% in a research institution.
Share of researchers is increasing
We see a similar picture among researchers, who form a large part of the R&D staff. Researchers (fte) in the business sector in particular have grown rapidly since 2013: by 54%. Researchers (fte) in higher education increased by 35% while the share in research institutes grew by 5%.