New Physics Vision 2026-2035: Investing in Science, Innovation, and Talent

The Dutch Physics Council has published its new Vision for Physics 2026-2035. The vision report, written with input from the entire Dutch physics community and a wide range of stakeholders, highlights the crucial role of physics in strengthening the Netherlands’ scientific excellence, economic competitiveness, technological sovereignty, and societal resilience. Physics is at the basis of many strategic technologies and is a key driver of long-term innovation, sustainability, health, security, and high-tech industry development.

The vision identifies seven priority research focus areas: origins of matter, space and time; quantum physics; electronics and photonics; computing and AI; soft and bio-matter; fluids and health; and sustainable energy and climate physics. Together, these fields advance fundamental knowledge while enabling future breakthroughs in computing, communications, healthcare, climate solutions, and energy technologies.

The report emphasizes that sustained investment in fundamental physics is essential for innovation ecosystem, strategic autonomy, and sustainable development. It also stresses the importance of training highly skilled talent for industry, education, government, and research. Key priorities include stronger links between academia and industry, greater integration of AI and data science into education, increased diversity, and measures to address the shortage of physics teachers.

The vision provides advice to the Ministries of OCW and EZK, NWO, universities and industry to work together on long-term talent development, innovation programs, and strategic research initiatives, ensuring that fundamental physics remains a cornerstone of the Netherlands’ future prosperity and resilience.

Key recommendations are:

• Initiate long-term national research programs in the seven focus areas, supported by stable funding for PhD students, postdocs, and research infrastructure.
• Increase investments in advanced research facilities, technical support, high-performance computing, and AI-driven research methods.
• Stronger interdisciplinary collaboration across the sciences and closer alignment between fundamental research, innovation, and societal challenges.
• Expanded outreach efforts to improve public understanding of physics and its contribution to jobs, prosperity, sustainability, and security and enhance contributions to the public and political debate.

In the coming time, the DPC will set up a strategy to follow up on the recommendations, in consultation with the physics community and the stakeholders to whom the vision report provides advice.

The physics vision was written by writing team established by the DPC, with advice from many stakeholders, and input from the entire physics community at town hall meetings that were held at universities and institutes in December 2025 and January 2026

Many thanks to the writing team and everyone that gave advice on this new Vision report!

Download Physics Vision 2026-2035 here.