The values and strategic direction areas outlined in the strategy will be brought to life through being operationalised in the different departments and teams within the Institute. They will provide a framework for collaboration, internal processes and resources going forward.
By operationalising the strategy across institutional positioning, education, research, projects and partnerships, professional services, human resources, and finance, we aim to ensure a cohesive and impactful approach to addressing complex urban development challenges.
This strategy will help us guide decisions about changes in courses, curriculum and pedagogy in the coming years. Moreover, this strategy will guide our commitment to support academic staff in their career development to reach high standards in research and teaching, and to support impact-driven development outcomes. Priority will be given to innovative teaching and student engagement, strengthening the Urban Management and Development MSc programme, consolidation of our participation in master programmes with other partners, building academic partnerships, and introducing decolonial academic approaches.
Strengthening academic research and culture at the institute has been a long-term commitment and complex process. In the next five years, we continue to sustain this positive change. In particular, we aim to: i) foster a transdisciplinary research culture at the institute, ii) create academic and societal impact, including through the co-creation of research for and with communities across geographies, iii) be at the forefront of policies by being more closely involved in policy discussions , and iv) make our scholarly achievements and impact increasingly visible. Our strength is in transdisciplinary work in which scholarly research, education and practical advisory work are reinforcing one another.
The Projects and Partnerships pillar (which is central to implementing IHS's advisory work) is a key element of our institutional strategy and shaping how we are perceived by partners, clients, and stakeholders worldwide. The recent establishment of the Team of Projects and Partnerships(ToPP) coordinates decision-making, enhances fund-raising capacity, strengthens management, and streamlines the execution of projects and partnerships. ToPP focuses on building meaningful, equitable partnerships and delivering projects on time, within budget, and to the highest quality by enhancing processes, data collection, and collaboration.
As a central hub for integrating expertise, resources, and innovative approaches, ToPP enables IHS to achieve its mission more effectively and deliver impactful, sustainable outcomes. A key priority is decolonising partnerships by fostering mutual respect, equity, and inclusivity in all collaborations, ensuring that our global engagements reflect shared values and diverse perspectives.
A partnership strategy will be developed to serve as a framework, outlining specific activities for scoping, building, maintaining, and sustaining equitable outcomes. This document will also include a list of priority topics, countries, and partner institutions, as well as more detailed timelines for implementing change.
During the implementation of our previous strategy, a professional services structure was established that includes the Professional Services Department. The current Professional Services department is responsible for a wide range of tasks and activities, including but not limited to corporate communications, educational recruitment and admissions, library services, facilities, educational management, and alumni relations.
Looking at the upcoming period with our core values in mind, this department will continue professionalising and facilitating smooth organisational operations across departments to enhance the mission-driven impacts.
As part of the organisational refresh in 2024, the HR assignment has been redefined, moving away from traditional office assignments to focus on strategic priorities. Achieving our mission relies on our ability to attract, retain, and develop talented and enthusiastic employees who share our core values. The operationalisation of our strategy in HR aims to bring out the best in all employees, enabling them to realise their full potential.
Over the next five years, guided by our core values, we will concentrate on our strategic HR areas: creating a great place to work, professionalisation, culture and values, and strong leadership.
Delivering on the ambitions in this strategy will require effective management of the institute’s financial resources. For many years, IHS has relied heavily on a base subsidy from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which may be reduced in the coming years. Other major sources of income have been fellowships from the Orange Knowledge Programme (OKP), and funding for tailor-made trainings managed by Nuffic – both of which are no longer available.
The first priority for finance in this strategy period is to restore a solid financial basis on which we can deliver our mission and strategy. This will require diversification of funding sources, maintenance and strengthening of organisational reserves, and a clear identification of financial resources for investment in long-term institution building.
IHS recently celebrated its 65th anniversary. Since its formation, our institute has shown consistent dedication to producing and sharing knowledge globally, and to training professionals around the world. Initially operating as a Stichting (Foundation), since 2003 IHS has functioned as a private limited company (Besloten Vennootschap (BV)), wholly owned by Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR), and managed through the EUR Holding. Since then, IHS has made a significant societal impact, both as an institute and in relation to the broader mission of EUR.
However, IHS's BV status increasingly creates significant constraints in our ability to deliver on our mission and meet the aims of this strategy. In the coming strategy period we will actively seek options for positioning IHS formally within the public university as a means of strengthening our ability to extend our educational offerings and to access funding for high quality research.