Strategic Plan for Astronomy in the Netherlands 2011-2020

TL;DR

The paper presents a comprehensive strategic plan for Dutch astronomy from 2011 to 2020, detailing scientific priorities, instrumentation, funding, and outreach, with reflections on past achievements and future directions.

Contribution

It provides a coordinated national roadmap for astronomy development in the Netherlands, integrating scientific goals, technological innovation, and educational outreach.

Findings

Defined key scientific priorities for Dutch astronomy.

Outlined instrumentation and technological development strategies.

Summarized achievements since 2000 and future outlook.

Abstract

Strategic Plan for Astronomy in the Netherlands 2011 - 2020, written by the Netherlands Committee for Astronomy (NCA), on behalf of the excellence research school in astronomy NOVA, (combining the university astronomy institutes of the universities of Amsterdam, Groningen, Leiden and Nijmegen), the NWO division of Physical Sciences, the Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy ASTRON and the Netherlands Institute for Space Research SRON. The Strategic plan outlines the scientific priorities for Dutch astronomy in the next decade; the instrumentation effort required to address these priorities, and the connection between astronomical instrumentation and technology development and fundamental technological R&D; the financial contours needed to realise the priorities; and the role of Dutch astronomy in education and outreach. The Strategic Plan also includes a retrospective on the achievements since the last Strategic Plan (2000) and a forward look beyond 2020.