Summary.
Description of the Fontys ICT research groups and the vision of applied research (and its assurance).

Fontys ICT's basic principle is that its study programmes must be able to provide society with an unambiguous guarantee of high quality at all times. Inextricably linked to this is applied research.

Fontys ICT wants to fulfill its social role and bring about innovative developments in the work field. It achieves this through the allocation of research groups and applied research. The strong link between applied research, vocational education and the work field gives Fontys ICT a key position in the valorisation process. Partly because of this, Fontys ICT can position itself as a knowledge and innovation partner amidst various social organizations and companies and is part of the 'economic engine' in the region, but also beyond. Fontys ICT has the ambition to involve every student in and/or benefit from new insights resulting from the connection with the work field, research and innovation of research groups and participation in expertise centers. Due to the intensive cooperation between study programmes and the work field, the traditional boundary between learning and working environments is shifting and increasingly merging. The study programme of a professional independent ICT bachelor or master is thus at the center of professional practice.

The research groups and research carried out by Fontys ICT are in line with developments anticipated in the work field. Research applications are developed in consultation with the work field. The initiative for a research or research groups can come from a company or the work field, but also from the institute.

Fontys ICT locates the role and responsibility of lectors within Fontys ICT to education and also conducts research outside of research groups. We connect a meaningful research environment to each course phase and direction. Lecturers work intensively with each other, with students, lecturers and the work field.

In doing so, we connect the research activities (of the research groups) to the research curriculum and research activities in the curriculum. Students and lecturers are actively involved in research and can, for example, participate in a research group.

All this should lead to the ultimate goal: creating meaningful research environments for all involved. Fontys ICT thereby chooses to set up research groups, but sometimes also other manifestations (such as expertise centers) to link its connection to professional practice and innovation needs to applied research. Currently, 3 research groups are directly connected to Fontys ICT and Fontys ICT participates in a large number of Knowledge Centers (KC) and Centers of Expertise (CoE) within Fontys.

Fontys ICT has the following research groups.

• Research group Interaction Design
• Research group AI and Big Data
• Research group High Tech Embedded Software.

Research at Fontys ICT is applied research as defined by Daan Andriessen, professor of methodology of applied research at Utrecht University of Applied Sciences. Together with the Arnhem Nijmegen University of Applied Sciences (HAN), Fontys ICT has developed its vision on HBO-ICT research which has now become the national HBO-ICT standard. The strength of this system is that in 'acting as ICT professionals do in professional practice' the research component is recognized, named and made explicit in a research framework.

This vision is firmly anchored in the education and research of Fontys ICT and guiding the design of the Mid-level Teaching Qualification (MKO) and SKO for Fontys ICT lecturers. At lecturer level, the quality is evidenced by, among other things, proven Mid-level Teaching Qualification (MKO) for research skills, media literacy and didactics and assessment for every lecturer who has been in service for 3 years or more. Students are required to demonstrate their research skills in both the propaedeutic phase and the main phase, making it an integral part of education.

For more information about research groups and research, please consult the following resources:

• Research and Innovation within Fontys
• Fontys Research Policy.