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Scientific culture

The Princess Máxima Center integrates the best possible care with the highest quality research under one roof. The presence of both disciplines strengthens each other for the benefit of children with cancer, both now and in the future. To achieve scientific excellence, we pursue multidisciplinarity and collaboration. This requires an open and transparent scientific culture that takes diversity and equality into account. These are all aspects that we aim for in our scientific culture because we know that this fosters the best science.

We believe that intensifying research on all aspects of childhood cancer is essential for reaching the objectives of the Princess Máxima Center to provide the highest level of care. Therefore, our ambition is to be one of the leading scientific research institutes for pediatric oncology in the world. The center is a strong partner for organizations involved in exploring cancer etiology, progression and treatment. The bundling of various expertises will lead to a comprehensive, well-equipped pediatric oncology institute capable of attracting the best national and international talents.

In the Princess Máxima Center we integrate care and research, but this is only one aspect of multidisciplinarity. Our research groups represent a plethora of different disciplines ranging from biochemistry to genomics, computation to cell biology, psychology to epidemiology and clinical trial management to bioinformatics. In order to achieve multidisciplinarity it is essential that our research groups collaborate. Collaboration is also strongly encouraged between individual clinicians with care specialties and individual research groups, as well as with research groups from other institutes on the campus and abroad.

Gender Equality Plan

The Princess Máxima Center strives to be an inclusive organization for its employees. As such topics concerning Diversity, Equity and Inclusion are important focus areas. The Princess Máxima Centre is therefore, amongst other initiatives and plans, committed to a Gender Equality Plan.

Evaluation

The Princess Máxima Center has opened itself up to evaluation according to the Strategic Evaluation Protocol. The Strategy Evaluation Protocol (SEP 2021-2027) was drawn up by NWO, KNAW and Universities of the Netherlands and aims to evaluate academic research based on an institute’s own goals and mission. 

An external, international committee led by chairman prof. René Medema visited the Princess Máxima Center in November 2021. Over the course of two days, they spoke with 54 people working in and around the research at the Máxima Center. The committee formulated their findings and recommendations in a report.

The SEP report including the recommendations were discussed extensively at the Máxima. A first reaction has been set out in a so-called position document. This will be converted into an action plan to put the recommendations into practice.

Facts and figures

The Princess Máxima Center has opened itself up to evaluation according to the Strategic Evaluation Protocol. The Strategy Evaluation Protocol (SEP 2021-2027) was drawn up by NWO, KNAW and Universities of the Netherlands and aims to evaluate academic research based on an institute’s own goals and mission. 

An external, international committee led by chairman prof. René Medema visited the Princess Máxima Center in November 2021. Over the course of two days, they spoke with 54 people working in and around the research at the Máxima Center. The committee formulated their findings and recommendations in a report.

The SEP report including the recommendations were discussed extensively at the Máxima. A first reaction has been set out in a so-called position document. This will be converted into an action plan to put the recommendations into practice.