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Two UM professors appointed member of Royal Holland Society of Sciences and Humanities

The Royal Holland Society of Sciences and Humanities (KHMW) has appointed Professor Hylke Dijkstra and Professor Ron Heeren as two of its new scientific members. Hylke Dijkstra is Professor of International Security and Cooperation at Maastricht University and Ron Heeren is University Professor there, specialising in Molecular Imaging.

The Koninklijke Hollandsche Maatschappij der Wetenschappen (KHMW; Royal Holland Society of Sciences and Humanities) is the oldest learned society in the Netherlands. Since its establishment in 1752, the goal of the KHMW has always been twofold: to promote the sciences (in the broadest sense, including the “arts”), and to build bridges between the realm of science and society at large. Today, the organization comprises of approximately 550 scientific members and 400 societal members. In 1841 the KHMW moved into the palatial Hodshon House on the river Spaarne in Haarlem, where it continues to meet to this day.

Commenting on his appointment, Professor Dijkstra notes that “it is a rare honour to become member of the KHMW. For almost three centuries, the KHMW has sought to improve relations between the academy and society. This is also central to my own research, in which I seek to answer fundamental questions about geopolitics and international cooperation, but also extensively engage with policy-makers, officials and experts to contribute to policy practices in The Netherlands and Europe. It is significant to me that the KHMW has recognized my work and that I can now contribute myself to this learned society”.

In December 2025, Ron Heeren was also appointed Fellow of the Netherlands Academy of Engineering. In that context, we published this article about his work.

Prof. Dr. Hylke Dijkstra is Full Professor of International Security and Cooperation at Maastricht University, The Netherlands. He is an expert in global governance, multilateralism and international organizations. He studies how increasing geopolitics and the deteriorating relations between states affect prospects for international cooperation. He is the Project Coordinator of the Horizon project ENSURED and serves as the Director of the Research Programme "Europe: Society, Politics and Global Order” (ESPO) at Maastricht University. He is a member of the Standing Committee on European Integration of the Advisory Council on International Affairs. 

More information: https://khmw.nl/over_ons/

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