Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research

The Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) comprises several units. Eight Divisions for Sciences develop new research programmes, assess subsidy requests and monitor projects that NWO finances. This also applies to the NWO Foundation WOTRO, though its focus lies with research in aid of developing countries. For the use of large scale research facilities NWO often operates as an intermediary. In 1990 the Netherlands National Computing Facilities Foundation, a.k.a. NCF, was founded to mediate for computing power. To meet new trends in science and society, NWO has also set up various Temporary Task Forces. These task forces are aimed at speeding up the development of promising technologies. Furthermore, NWO encompasses nine Research Institutes with years of research expertise and hightech large scale instruments for research into earth's oceans, outer space, man, society, nature, technology, the smallest building blocks, and the bedrock principles of science.