From pioneering phase to established institute: former directors Andries de Grip and Rolf van der Velden look back

The 1990s and 2000s marked a period of intellectual expansion and organisational growth for ROA. The labour market forecasts became a major success: the predictions proved remarkably accurate, and ROA gained increasing visibility within government ministries. At the same time, new lines of research emerged. Rolf further developed the graduate survey research and saw how ROA became increasingly adept at using data from Statistics Netherlands (CBS), Dienst Uitvoering Onderwijs (DUO) and other organisations. “That requires a long-term vision,” he says. “You work with data that only really come into their own after ten or fifteen years.”

During the same period, Andries focused on themes such as bottlenecks in workforce supply, the impact of technological developments and the training of employees. In the late 1990s, he became a professor and his research shifted towards broader issues relating to lifelong learning and sustainable employability, partly based on the Lifelong Learning Survey developed by ROA in 2004. In 2008, this was followed by an influential project on the necessity of working longer, carried out in collaboration with ABP. “We discovered how differently the abolition of early retirement affected people born around 1950,” he explains. “That had enormous policy relevance.”

Under Rolf’s leadership, ROA expanded further into multidisciplinary research. The Education Lab was established, in which experiments were designed in collaboration with schools. New themes such as AI and the impact of technological change on work also found a place within the institute. “That fits ROA’s strength,” he says. “We never think in terms of a single project, but in terms of research lines. The question is always: does this help us move forward?”

Growth also brought challenges. Balancing scientific output with policy reports and strict deadlines required constant attention. “Some people saw contract research as second-rate,” says Rolf. “But the art lies in making that tension productive.” Andries adds: “It has always been a team effort. We never pursued acquisitions alone; it was always a shared responsibility.”

When Andries and Rolf look at ROA today, they see an institute that has grown considerably, while still retaining its original values. “I’m proud that Didier is such an excellent successor,” says Andries. “The values have remained the same: attention to people, enjoyment in the work, and a strong intellectual direction.” He mentions the social activities, after-work drinks and the sense of family that was already being spoken about in the 1990s. “When someone left, people would often say: what you have at ROA is hard to find elsewhere.”

What stands out most to Rolf is that people genuinely enjoy working at ROA, even if they have to travel long distances to do so. “That says a lot,” he believes. The institute’s growth does not surprise him, although he does note how organically it has developed: the Education Lab, AI research, new collaborations. “It all fits within the line that was there from the very beginning.”

Both still recognise the strong sense of collaboration, the critical yet open-minded attitude of colleagues, and the close bond within the management team. They also cherish the small rituals that gave colour to their working lives. “We used to go for a walk every afternoon,” Andries recalls. “Many decisions were made in that relaxed atmosphere.” Rolf laughs: “Sometimes that was more productive than a management team meeting.”

When asked what advice they would give to the current generation of researchers, they remain modest. “Just keep going,” says Rolf. Andries adds: “And make sure to support PhD candidates and junior researchers properly. Those are wonderful collaborative journeys between younger and more experienced researchers.”