The Netherlands wants to accelerate development in ten key technologies that are crucial for our economy and societal resilience. On Monday, 26 January 2026, the ten action agendas for the National Technology Strategy (NTS) were officially presented during a high-level event, titled Action Agendas for the National Technology Strategy - Innovation in action for our future . The event was organised by the Knowledge and Innovation Agenda Key Enabling Technologies (KIA ST). UT is involved in all ten agendas. As a knowledge partner, as an educator of future talent and as a developer of technology that moves beyond the lab, but is tested and applied in practice.
This broad involvement reflects UT’s long-standing focus on research and innovation in health, safety, climate and chip technology for years. In the NEMO Science Museum, industry representatives, knowledge institutions and the government came together to help shape the next phase of technological innovation in the Netherlands. The action agendas now provide a national framework to accelerate and scale up collaboration.
Strengthening the Netherlands’ technologically position
The ten action agendas have been developed in close collaboration with industry, knowledge institutions and government: more than a thousand parties contributed. Together, they describe how the Netherlands wants to build technological breakthroughs and new economic activity by 2035, through 53 large-scale innovation programmes representing a total investment of more than ¤14 billion.
In addition to its research and educational expertise, the UT was also involved in the creation of the agendas. Arend Zomer represented UT and 4TU on the core team of the Knowledge and Innovation Agenda Key Technologies (KIA-ST). On that core team, he worked with TNO, NWO, the Ministry of Economic Affairs, and Holland High Tech.
Zomer: "As a country, we have to make choices. This strategy brings focus to technologies that determine our future. But ambitions will only get off the ground if sufficient public and private funding is available."
Chips, cybersecurity and imaging
The UT provides knowledge and technology on all ten NTS action agendas.
Through this work, the University of Twente helps the Netherlands make targeted choices in key technologies that will determine our future earning capacity, our safety and our social resilience. The action agendas Semiconductor Technologies, Cybersecurity and Imaging Technologies are just three examples.
Semiconductor Technologies
In the field of semiconductors, the UT has been a leading hub in the Netherlands for decades. With the MESA+ NanoLab, the largest academic cleanroom in the Netherlands, researchers conduct research ranging from chip design and new materials to photonics, lithography and high-precision engineering.
The UT plays a visible role in national programmes such as PhotonDelta, QDNL and NXTGEN and is co-founder of ChipNL and the ChipNL Competence Centre. In the region, the UT is building ChipTech Twente together with companies and partners, including Saxion. This is an ecosystem in which knowledge and infrastructure come together. This combination accelerates the transition from lab to application.
Cybersecurity Technologies
Cybersecurity is a strategic priority at UT and firmly embedded in the Digital Society Institute. Researchers focus on analysing digital vulnerabilities and (partially) automated solutions with a focus on technology, but also human factors, governance and ethics.
Through (inter)national collaborations and with education and lifelong learning in the region, the UT wants to contribute to digital autonomy: not only a stronger market, but also a more resilient society.
Imaging Technologies
Within Imaging Technologies, the University of Twente has a strong position in the healthcare domain through medical imaging and image-guided interventions, with expertise in ultrasound, optics, multimodal imaging (such as photoacoustics) and low-field MRI. Robotics also plays an important role in this.
Imaging at UT extends well beyond healthcare. The university also has leading knowledge in the field of radar technology, geo-imaging and satellite data, including through the ITC faculty. In this way, the UT and its partners contribute to applications for safety, infrastructure and monitoring of our living environment.
A special UT share: Remke Burie was chair of the Imaging Technologies working group and also spoke at the event at NEMO. Burie: "We are moving towards a world with many more sensors and imaging, spread across society. Think of portable diagnostics in primary care or in home care, but also smaller radar systems for the detection of drones and satellites that together form a network. This can greatly improve productivity in healthcare and guarantee our safety, but it also brings challenges: how do you process large amounts of data in a compact system, how do you integrate data from multiple imaging sources, how do you make systems reliable and easy to use, and how do you ensure that they are used in a socially responsible way?"
Cooperation with the business community
The action agendas are not only about research. The goal is to develop, test, scale up and implement innovations faster. Cooperation with the business community is extremely important in this regard. From start-ups and SMEs to large industry. The knowledge base and collaborations are in place. The next step is to accelerate implementation.