Flanders has a number of strategic research centres (SOCSs). These were set up to facilitate the transition from basic research to technical-industrial developments. The SOCs play an important role in the transformation of the Flemish economy, for example through the creation of spin-offs.

The 2016 evaluation of three of these SOCs has been an important milestone during this legislature. Dialogic has evaluated iMinds, Imec and VIB, based on pre-established objectives and performance agreements, and thereby provided answers to such questions as:

• How innovative are the research themes?
• Are the research centres performing well?
• What is the quality of the new 2017-20?? Strategic Plan?

Dialogic, together with Idea Consult, carried out this investigation commissioned by the Flemish Department of Economy, Work & Innovation (EWI).