Research & Results
Our mission is ‘to explore the potential of nature to improve the quality of life.’ Our knowledge supports government, the trade and industry sector and civil society in facing their challenges. We achieve synergy by combining education with fundamental and applied research.
Focus WUR-research
The focus and direction of our research are mapped out in a 4-year Strategic Plan. For the period 2019-2022 WUR has identified five scientific research programmes and three investment programmes.
More on scientific research and investment programmes
Societal fields of interest / Research themes
Based on our mission, we offer knowledge and expertise in the fields of climate, biodiversity, food production, healthy and safe nutrition and circular economy. We aim to share this knowledge with society at large in an understandable way, online through stories, news, video and MOOCs, and offline by means of events such as tedtalks, dialogues and so on.
Read and learn more about developments in our living environment:
Biodiversity
Biodiversity is a comprehensive concept. It includes the diversity of all life on earth, from flowers and bees to bacteria and tropical forests. Biodiversity is essential to humankind, for it is the foundation for our food, clean air, soil quality and other ecosystem services. Biodiversity and nature also benefit our well-being: green is good for us. Moreover, biodiversity has intrinsic value: who are we to decide whether a panda or tiger deserves to live?
Climate change
Climate change is one of the biggest challenges of our time. Although a global problem, the causes and solutions of climate change are often local. Wageningen University & Research (WUR) explores the impacts on society and ecosystems, and develop evidence-based, integrated solutions and technology: the Wageningen Climate Solutions.
Circular & Biobased Economy
The call for a circular, biobased economy is getting louder and louder. An increasing number of citizens, businesses, and politicians are realising that the reuse of products and reclaiming of natural resources is of great importance for ourselves and for the planet on which we live, if we want to move forward towards a sustainable future. Wageningen University & Research is working on solutions to make the circular, biobased economy a reality.
From hunger to food security
The world population is growing steadily and is projected to reach 9 billion by the year 2050. In less than forty years, 2 billion more people will need housing, jobs and food. Furthermore, wealth is -fortunately- expected to increase, which means that diets will change as well.
Nutrition & Health
You are what you eat. It’s a saying with lots of meaning, because to a large extent our nutrition determines our health.
Artificial intelligence
Developments within artificial intelligence are rapid. When it comes to healthy nutrition and a healthy environment, artificial intelligence is an indispensable part of WUR’s research and education. It is already being used in camera footage that recognises the quality of food, in fully automatic farming under differing local conditions, in the remote monitoring of the health of livestock, and in determining which hereditary characteristics lead to fertile and resistant varieties and crops. The list of applications is almost endless.