You are invited: 12th of November, 2026

Room for everyone’s talent: Taking the stage

It is time to take the stage.

Six years ago, a motivated coalition of knowledge institutions and research funders embarked on an ambitious movement to fundamentally renew the system for recognising and rewarding academics. With one clear ambition: talent in academia is diverse and deserves broader recognition. An ambition that still leaves room for groundbreaking, high-quality research. An ambition in which we shift the focus from a one-sided emphasis on quantitative research performance towards a richer recognition of the qualities of science, from individual achievements to team collaboration, personal development and societal impact.

This ambition has led to visible changes in policy, frameworks and instruments. At the same time, we know that real change only becomes meaningful when academics experience it in their daily practice: in their career paths, in the opportunities for development, and in how quality and quantity are balanced. The translation from system to workplace is in full motion and requires time, a learning mindset and shared ownership.

This Recognition & Rewards Festival is therefore more than a milestone marking six years of the programme. It is a moment to take the stage together. To show what has changed. To make experiences from practice visible. To learn from one another. We celebrate the successes achieved and look ahead without concealing that there is still work to be done. Recognition & Rewards is not a completed programme, but a learning movement that continues to evolve in thinking, practice and leadership.

By taking the stage together, we enter a new phase in which new policies and instruments are becoming increasingly visible in academic practice, and everyone is given the space to further develop their talent.

Register now to secure your place at the festival.

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12th of November, 2026 (09.30 – 17.00h) at the Leerhotel Het Klooster, Amersfoort