For any innovative company, research and development is a key success factor for sustainable and profitable growth. However, research comes at a considerable cost and usually has a relatively long payback period. A company’s research is usually narrow-scoped, as it is driven by current business needs and limitations, while university research has a more scientific approach with a broader scope. It is led by the absolute top in their respective fields and carried out objectively, complying with the latest standards and insights. Our corporate partners not only have the advantage of having ‘first eyes’ on relevant research, but are even encouraged to actively contribute in its purpose and setup. In that way, they can use early insights in scientific research as a complementary tool for their own research, or even avoid in-house research projects which would require a considerably higher investment. It is also an option to sponsor a chair.

For any growing company, or companies with growth ambitions, the 'war for talent' is a considerable challenge. Any manager with some experience understands and appreciates the tremendous difference a talented employee can make. Embedded in the culture of the University of Amsterdam, and the central part of our positioning as a university, is the fact that we foster independent minds that make a difference in business and society. Our students are encouraged to occasionally deviate from the paved path and think outside the box. This is one of the factors that makes them different from ‘average’. Corporate partners are offered the opportunity to actively approach students for internships or company visits, hence creating an early relationship with talented potential future employees.

Interaction with scientific staff from the ASE may stimulate critical reflection on a company's own activities and organisation. An example concerns the question which data to collect for the analysis of business activities and opportunities and how to organise these data. Our researchers have substantial insight into the data requirements to enable scientifically sound analysis.

Research results will usually be published in international scientific journals. Besides this, non-technical spin-offs may be published in more popular, but usually wider-read, outlets. Quite often research leads to position papers or op-eds in newspapers.

A Named Chair carries the name of the partner that funds the Chair. The Chair may be installed for a specific reason. For example, to promote research in a specific field of expertise or to stimulate teaching in a specific area. To guarantee adherence to the high scientific standards applied by the Amsterdam School of Economics, the envisaged holder of the Chair will go through a regular appointment procedure, while a curatorium will monitor work progress on a regular basis.

The rules for a Special Chair are essentially the same as those for a Named Chair. Its aim is to promote the dissemination of knowledge from practice into the teaching and research conducted at the ASE. The holder of the chair is usually a person who holds a doctorate and who occupies a senior position in a major organisation in the relevant field. Obviously, the holder of the Chair needs to have an intrinsic interest in academic work.

Joint research can benefit both partners and the university. Partners often avail of relevant data and are very much aware of the specific practical questions they run into, while university research staff have the methodological knowledge and research experience to analyse those questions in a scientifically solid way.

This is a clever way for the partner to advertise itself to the students, hence to potential employees. If the scientific standards are ensured, the partner may also provide input into the course or programme itself.