Save the date: NWO SHIFT – Shaping Society in Uncertain Times
Dear reader,
Do we have your attention?
On Monday 16 November 2026, NWO (in collaboration with SSH-raad) will host the first edition of NWO SHIFT at FIGI, Zeist.
NWO SHIFT is a new congress where research, policy and society come together around the choices that shape our shared future. In uncertain times, we believe that knowledge does not merely observe change, it helps inform and shape it.
Starting in the Social Sciences and Humanities, but never stopping there, this conference brings together researchers, policymakers, societal organisations and businesses around a shared concern: attention.
The central theme of 2026: Attention
In a world shaped by constant stimuli and fierce competition for visibility, attention is not a neutral resource. It shapes authority and influence, affects how we understand ourselves and others, and ultimately determines whose voices are heard and whose are overlooked. In our hyper-connected lives, many of us feel it ourselves: fragmented attention, constant distraction, and the growing difficulty to truly focus, listen, and be present.
With attention as a central theme, NWO SHIFT invites attendees to explore its role in power and decision‑making, its psychological and existential dimensions, and its broader societal consequences.
What NWO SHIFT is about
NWO SHIFT is organised to bring research into the heart of societal challenges, strengthening its visibility, relevance and impact across disciplines and sectors. Together with attendees, we will explore the contributions of SSH research to urgent societal challenges and innovation, including AI, disinformation, democracy, diversity and mental health.
We will also focus on strengthening cooperation between science, policy and practice, fostering new collaborations, generating societal impact, and putting inter- and transdisciplinary research into practice.
A shared programme
As a first edition, NWO SHIFT is something we are shaping together. The congress will feature fascinating speakers and offer ample space for dialogue and exchange.
Registration will open this summer. Would you like to be the first to know? Sign up to receive a notification when registration opens.
And please feel free to share this Save the Date within your network. NWO SHIFT thrives on diverse perspectives and voices.
While the programme is already taking shape, we warmly invite you to share suggestions for possible speakers or research projects, and to get in touch if you are interested in exploring possibilities for collaboration. Your ideas help shape NWO SHIFT.
NWO SHIFT – Shaping Society in Uncertain Times
Date: Monday, 16 November 2026, 09.30 – 16.30
Location: FIGI, Zeist (The Netherlands)
Kind regards,
Guda van Noort
Domeinvoorzitter Sociale en Geesteswetenschappen (a.i.) – NWO
Mirjam van Praag
Voorzitter klankbordgroep NWO SHIFT