MISSION AND key values
Mission
Netspar works to continually enhance the environment in the Netherlands for financing retirement.
We do this through:
- Knowledge development in the form of initiating and executing scientific research programs;
- Knowledge sharing through education, publications, events, and webinars, including efforts; and
- Network development.
Key Values
Our key values are independence, accessibility, and openness.
Independence
Netspar does not represent any interests or assume any particular position in policy matters. Our role is to develop and productively disseminate the findings from scientific research to public policymakers, the academic community, and professionals and executives working at financial institutions and pension funds.
- Following the code of conduct for Dutch universities;
- Having all research proposals evaluated by an independent, international scientific council;
- Shining a spotlight on a wide range of academically grounded visions through our research, events, and publications;
- Giving our partners a say in prioritizing research topics (what research issues are important?), without allowing them to influence the research methodology or the results to be published;
- Making the results of our research publicly accessible through our website; and
- Having a broad network of partners that reflects the diversity of the industry and all the various interests.
Accessibility
We welcome newcomers, actively approaching researchers from various disciplines for new research themes. We also strive to maintain a network of industry partners that reflects the diversity of the industry and the range of interests represented. In addition, we ensure that policy-relevant research is widely publicized through publications, one pagers on our public website, as well as through social media (Twitter and LinkedIn) and other media coverage, webinars, and events.
Openness
Both within our network and beyond it, different, often opposing, interests exist. The added value of Netspar is that we seek out common research questions and attempt to provide an answer for them. Netspar facilitates an open dialogue and interaction between the various stakeholders: academics and policymakers and executives working in government and the pensions and insurance industry. As part of this effort, we hold regular gatherings of all sorts. These events are an opportunity to give the diverse visions a podium. We attempt in our activities to explicitly outline and connect different viewpoints, so as to clarify what exactly people are for or against and enable a more targeted search for solutions.
