RSA CE&C 2015-2021

41 6. Strategy for the next six years 6.1. SWOT ANALYSIS During the last decade, the academic landscape and its interactions with the environment have largely changed. Since the previous research evaluation, the department has invested in its two scientific domains, as defined back in 2015: Molecular Systems & Materials Chemistry and Chemical & Process Technology. These investments have now resulted in critical mass over different length scales, from molecules to materials and processes (Table 1 in Chapter 1). Simultaneously, with the increasing importance of science to society, our research has naturally converged towards a focus on the grand societal challenges of energy, circularity and health. At TU/e level, the organization has changed from a central board and several departments focusing on specific scientific disciplines to an organization with departments and research institutes in which researchers from different disciplines (i.e., departments) join forces and collaborate on multidisciplinary topics directly connected to societal challenges, often in collaboration with other academic universities and universities of applied sciences, industrial partners and societal organizations. At a national level and globally, strategic alliances and partnerships are essential in contributing to solving complex societal challenges as this requires highly multidisciplinary approaches. At the same time, there is a strong battle for talent, impacting the attraction of top talent and support staff needed to stay at the forefront of science and technology. The SWOT analysis in Table 9 builds on these perspectives.