3 running programs
1. Desinformation research
Kick-off at TNO, May 12
On May 12 TNO hosted the first gettogether to make an inventory on the usefullness and willingness to work together on desinformation. Parties present were TNO, Ministery of Defence, Ministery of Foreign Affairs, ROM Utrecht Region, Hogeschool Utrecht, Universiteit Utrecht, The European Trust Alliance, Terra Lemon, Free Press Unlimited, NATO, Ministery of OCW, The Hague Center for Strategic Studies and Gemeente Rotterdam.
One of the take-outs of that session is that most present parties agree on the usefullness of THETA to organise cooperation and shared insights. And a role in bundling desinformation research, for example.
Kick-off SRA, June 13
Together with Brianne McGonigle-Leyg (UU Institutions for Open Societies), Mario Veen (Hogeschool Utrecht) and Gwenda Nielen (TNO), THETA organised the start of forming a strategic research agenda. The kick-off ignites the following actions to take:
Analyse possible funding possibilities in the Netherlands and EU
Make an inventory of all parties and their specialists involved in Desinformation research and innovation
Bring together parties on the different Desinformation stacks: Political, Factual, Health and Scientific.
2. Rural information distancing and polarisation
In cooperation with the Regional public broadcasters, Hogeschool Utrecht and UvA, THETA is initiating the setup of a cohesive SRA that supports this project. Aim of the project is to combine our knowledge and setup a local information monitor that reveals deeper understanding in the problems that form the foundation of people’s disbelief in information, especially in the rural areas.
Kick-off SRA, August 27
3. NWA ORC: Youth, Digitisation and polarisation
Hogeschool Utrecht leads a consortium to write the proposal for the call in cooperation with Maastricht University, Leiden University, Erasmus University, Utrecht University, Hogeschool Utrecht and Tilburg University.
The delivery sat is scheduled for Februari 2nd, 2026 and the result is expected after summer 2026.
These kinds of calls have a long runway, but THETA will be part of the call, as it fits the research agenda perfectly.
Our research team will be supporting Hogeschool Utrecht for the follow up of the call.
