Results of the VU-UT Internal Call 2025: 14 proposals awarded, one pending approval

The results of the Internal Call VU-UT 2025 are in: 14 proposals have been awarded funding, with one additional project approved pending confirmation.

Results of the Internal Call 2025: 14 proposals awarded, one pending approval

The results of the Alliance VU-UT Internal Call 2025 are in. The VU-UT Steering Group has awarded funding to 14 out of the 39 submitted proposals, with one additional project approved pending confirmation. Twelve of these were put forward by the Alliance’s impact coalitions and align with shared research ambitions. In addition, three promising health-related projects have been awarded funding outside the coalition themes – a strategic decision by the Steering Group for this year. 

About the Internal Call

Once again, the Internal Call has led to inspiring new collaborations between researchers from VU Amsterdam and the UT. Since 2022, the Steering Group has launched this annual call to stimulate joint research between the two universities. To date, over 65 collaborative projects have been initiated; in some cases, research groups have now formed long-term partnerships. Researchers could apply for Seed Grants (€35,000) to explore new ideas or Spark Grants (€10,000) to deepen existing collaborations. This year, the review process was again successfully completed within two months. The awarded projects will run until 1 September 2026. The impact of the call will be evaluated later this year. 

Working on solutions together

The funded proposals are as diverse as the societal challenges they address. Within the Secure Societies impact coalition, for example, researchers will evaluate the Hersteltafel in Amsterdam Zuidoost – a restorative justice initiative led by and for young people. A project under Smart Societies focuses on developing chatbot teams with a sense of human connection, using support services for Creative Technology students as a testbed. Meanwhile, Responsible Societies is developing an integrated approach to humanitarian crises in vulnerable regions, in collaboration with partners such as the Red Cross.  

Curious about the projects?

Find out which proposals received funding and what VU Amsterdam and UT researchers will be working on together in the coming months: 

Seed Grants

1. In vitro diabetic dental implant model 
   Dr. Jianfeng Jin (VU Amsterdam) & Dr. Gülistan Koçer (UT) 
2. A couple in recovery: VU-UT evaluation of the Recovery Table 
   Mr. Esther van Voorst (VU Amsterdam) & Prof. Mr. Arno Akkermans (VU Amsterdam) 
   Dr. Jiska Jonas (UT) & Prof. Dr. Sven Zebel (UT) 
3. In silico modelling of complex neuronal cultures to develop targeted treatment for neurodevelopmental disorders 
   Stephanie Dooves (VU Amsterdam) & Nina Doorn (UT) 
4. Responsible chatbot teams for humane digital interactions 
   Tessa Beinema (VU Amsterdam) & Dorothé Smit (VU Amsterdam) 
   Andrea Papenmeier (UT) & Janina Schaumann (UT) 
5. Modelling future outbreaks risk of West Nile virus in the Netherlands under changing climate 
   Maurizio Mazzoleni (VU Amsterdam) & Yanchao Cheng (UT) 
6. Towards AI-driven livability change detection models for Global South cities 
   Alex Levering (VU Amsterdam) & Caroline Gevaert (UT) 
7. Developing an immune competent liver model for toxicity assessment: Human hepatocytes-Kupffer cells organoids-on-a-chip 
   Dr. Thaís Silva Pinto (VU Amsterdam) & Dr. Ir. Kirsten Pondman (UT) 
8. Serious gaming for household disaster resilience 
   Nathan Clark (VU Amsterdam) & Eefje Hendriks (UT) 
9. Operationalising the prototyping of ethical voice agents for children -- in practice and in education 
   Asst. Prof. Emma Beauxis-Aussalet (VU Amsterdam) & Asst. Prof. Dorothé Smit (VU Amsterdam) 
   MSc. Ezgi Çakır (UT), Asst. Prof. Armağan Karahanoğlu (UT), Assoc. Prof. Dennis Reidsma (UT) & Prof. Geke Ludden (UT) 
10. Bridging research and practice: Advancing multi-risk approaches for humanitarian crises 
    Alessia Matanó (VU Amsterdam) & Catalina Jaime Sanchez (UT) 
11. Enhancing fairness in HR management through bias detection and mitigation in large language models using knowledge bases 
    Jieying Chen (VU Amsterdam) & Maarten Renkema (UT)

Spark Grants

1. Transdisciplinary education for future social entrepreneurs and engineers tackling planetary health (NEXTGEN4PH) 
   Ayse Seda Yalcin-Muftugil (VU Amsterdam) & Jairo da Costa (UT) 
2. Volcanic hazards in a multi-hazard world: Spatio-temporal trends in exposure to natural hazards 
   Marleen de Ruiter (VU Amsterdam) & Elinor Meredith (UT) 
3. Caught in transition: Exploring a research collaboration to investigate the socio-technical space of assisted reproductive technology treatments 
   Dorothé Smit (VU Amsterdam) & Aslı Günay (UT) 

The impact coalitions of the Alliance VU-UT

The three impact coalitions within the Aliance VU-UT are the driving force behind many of the funded research projects. They connect science, practice and policy to develop solutions for urgent societal challenges. 

Secure Societies focuses on strengthening social safety by addressing issues such as polarisation, crisis management and cybercrime. Working with governments, businesses and civil society organisations, the coalition contributes to an inclusive society where everyone can feel safe. 

Responsible Societies contributes to a resilient future in which people, the environment and the economy are in balance. Focusing on themes such as the circular economy, energy transition and climate adaptation, researchers turn knowledge into practical applications for a sustainable society. 

Smart Societies develops smart technologies that promote health, sustainability and social justice. From inclusive digital tools and smart healthcare to sustainable urban development, this coalition drives impactful technological innovation through cross-sector and interdisciplinary collaboration. 

Together, these coalitions enable innovative, interdisciplinary research that addresses societal challenges at local, national and international levels. You can find more information about the three impact coalitions here.