Partner organization and Corporate Identity
The Neuroscience Campus Amsterdam gathers more than 400 professionals in the field of Integrative Neurosciences of the VU/VUmc. Such campus-wide integration in the field of Integrative Neurosciences is unique in the Netherlands. The 'partners' in this network organization are the investigators, gathered in interdisciplinary research teams. All our research activities are essentially interdisciplinary and incorporate the newest theoretical, methodological and application paradigms currently available. Our strongholds and international reputation come from previous work on the molecular biology and genetics of the brain, synapse function and neuronal networks, as well as from clinical studies on the development and aging of the brain.
Our research institute works like a "meshwork" or an 'atomium', where we created a so called corporate identity that is attractive to both MDs and PhDs, students and patients and in particularly also to society. Our mission can only be achieved through collaboration and due to the surplus value of the organization as a whole. Initially, in 2008, in the early phase of reorganization of the institute, we retraced our steps, recognized the complementary strength of the individual partners and listened carefully to what putative program leaders had to say, and how they viewed the research potential of new liaisons on our campus. In doing so, each and every professional was in the position to help shaping the new direction of the institute.
Quality
The partners in our organization work on the basis of mutual understanding and trust; therefore they will behave as responsible, representative and self organizing professionals. We select on quality of previous research output, but also on research potential. Therefore we invest in research training both at the level of master and PhD education. We installed honors programs for excellent students, in exchange with Erasmus Medical Center and the Netherlands Institute for Neurosciences. We select on clinical potential and scientific excellence when it comes to patient-based research. We select on the innovative power of the research activities. Frontier research in a interdisciplinary environment, without the restriction of faculty-boundaries. We select on translational potential of ideas and initiatives, and try to support these with funding, acquisition and setting up the infrastructure that is required to embed such often unusual and exciting new collaborations.
The strategy of our organization was (and still is) achieved through transparency and democracy when making decision. And this was simple, cause we all 'care about the brain'.
