The business proposal of the second Delft Cluster programme bases the size of the programme on a BSIK contribution of 70 million euros. A further 22 million euros was awarded following evaluation of the programme. Drawing on considerations and comments from this evaluation, including from the Advisory Committee, KNAW and CPB, the decision was taken to proceed further with the two topics that had been judged most highly (“water” and “dry infrastructure”). Each of these topics has been divided into three underlying themes in the current programme.
The scale of the Delft Cluster-BSIK programme is approximately 44 million euros, of which 20.5 million euros is from BSIK, 19 million euros is the institutes’ own contributions, and 4.5 million euros comes from trade and industry. Associated with the DC-BSIK programme, activities also take place totalling some 17 million euros. Although these activities are not part of the DC-BSIK programme, they are steered and implemented by Delft Cluster. The contents will also be presented in reports in this context.

6 sub-projects

The Delft Cluster programme is divided into 6 sub-projects (also known as key themes) that jointly reflect questions from the sector. These six key themes are as follows:

Managed utilisation of the subsoil
Low-maintenance infrastructure
Technology and decision-making
High water and flood risks
Spatial planning with water
Urban water management.

This division of the programme is essential to ensure maximum coordination with the sector and the issues that arise there. Each of the themes incorporates part of the sector, which in turn participates, is included in discussions, and influences the programme contents. In themes 4 and 5, there is considerable overlap between sector issues, and the division has been selected on the basis of programme manageability. To maintain focus and to guide in a coherent way, the DC programme has a maximum of 4 subsidiary-projects per theme.