What Kohnstamm Instituut does

Kohnstamm Instituut is a Dutch research institute, legally organized as Kohnstamm Instituut UvA BV and operating as a self-standing part of the University of Amsterdam since 1982. It conducts commissioned research (opdrachtonderzoek) and knowledge dissemination across the full Dutch education spectrum, from early childhood care and primary education through secondary, vocational (mbo), higher professional (hbo), and university education, with additional coverage of upbringing and youth care. The institute is based in the Amsterdam metropolitan area and serves educational institutions, government bodies, and practice organizations. Its research portfolio spans basic skills, educational innovation, inclusive education, teacher professional development, equal opportunities, citizenship education, and intervention effectiveness studies, with named programs including NELI evaluations, Amsterdamse Familiescholen, Monitor medezeggenschap MBO, and the Onderwijs Research Dagen conference.

The institute's core technology is its research methodology stack: multi-disciplinary academic teams conducting monitoring studies, evaluations, RCTs, literature reviews, and policy analyses. Outputs are delivered as reports, publications, the Kennisrotonde practitioner Q&A service, podcasts, and conference contributions. The product set is non-software, with no API, no app, and no disclosed AI/ML capabilities. Technology is organizational and methodological rather than platform-based.

The business model is professional-services commissioned research. Revenue is not publicly disclosed and there are no standard published prices; contracts are negotiated with commissioning clients, principally Dutch public-sector bodies such as the Inspectie van het Onderwijs, Gemeente Amsterdam, and the NRO-funded research programs, alongside strategic partnerships with Hogeschool van Amsterdam, SEO Economisch Onderzoek, Verwey-Jonker Instituut, and the Universiteit van Amsterdam. The institute is privately held within the UvA structure, with no external funding rounds, no M&A, and no disclosed headcount trend. Distribution is single-country, Netherlands-only, via direct research delivery to commissioning clients, a website, an archive dating to 1981, a monthly newsletter, and LinkedIn and Facebook channels. ISO 9001:2015 certification has been held continuously since 2006 and is maintained through annual internal and external audits by CIIO.

Name

Kohnstamm Instituut

Legal name

Kohnstamm Instituut UvA BV

Website

https://kohnstamminstituut.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

1982

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Kohnstamm Instituut is a Dutch commissioned-research institute affiliated with the University of Amsterdam that has, since 1982, conducted policy and evaluation research across all sectors of Dutch education, upbringing, and youth care for government, educational, and practice-organization clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Education Research Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Services (61)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742), Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)

akta.pro primary industry

Standards Alignment & Curriculum Mapping (State/National) (EDAJAFAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Teacher Training, Professional Development & Education Leadership (BPADAKAC), Social-Emotional Learning (SEL), Health & Wellbeing Curriculum (EDAGAAAF)

Keywords

• Education research services
• Commissioned policy research
• Youth care research
• Knowledge dissemination services
• Educational evaluation studies

Headquarters

HQ city

Amstelveen

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Commissioned Research (Opdrachtonderzoek): Kohnstamm Instituut conducts commissioned research for various clients including government bodies, educational institutions, and practice organizations. The institute has been operating since 1982 as an independent part of the University of Amsterdam.

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Kohnstamm Instituut conducts commissioned research (opdrachtonderzoek) and knowledge dissemination focused on education, training, upbringing, and youth care in the Netherlands. Its work spans every Dutch education sector — from early childhood and primary education through secondary, vocational (mbo), higher professional (hbo), and university education — and includes monitoring studies, program evaluations (e.g., NELI, Amsterdamse Familiescholen), policy research, and the Kennisrotonde rapid Q&A service for practitioners.

Product overview

Kohnstamm Instituut is a research institute affiliated with the University of Amsterdam, established in 1982, that provides commissioned research and knowledge dissemination services focused on education, training, upbringing, and youth care. The institute offers comprehensive research services spanning all educational sectors (from early childhood through higher education), quick-answer knowledge services via the Kennisrotonde, monitoring and evaluation studies, publications and reports archive, podcasts, and organizes participation in the Onderwijs Research Dagen conference. The portfolio includes thematic research areas such as basic skills, educational innovation, inclusive education, vocational education, teacher professional development, equal opportunities, child care, citizenship education, and youth care. Key offerings include the Nuffield Early Language Intervention (NELI) research, Amsterdam Family School evaluations, MBO participation monitoring, and effectiveness studies of educational interventions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Onderzoek (Research Services) Commissioned research services covering all Dutch educational sectors from early childhood care through higher education, including basic skills, educational innovation, inclusive education, vocational education, teacher learning, equal opportunities, child care, citizenship, and youth care. Sold to government bodies, educational institutions, and practice organizations.
• Kennisrotonde A quick-answer service for practical education questions, where experienced researchers from the institute analyze literature and consult experts to provide evidence-based answers to educators and practitioners.
• Monitor Medezeggenschap MBO Monitoring service examining cooperation between participation councils and governance in vocational education (mbo), and how these councils are facilitated.
• Amsterdamse Familie School Evaluatieonderzoek Multi-year evaluation research on the Amsterdam Family School approach, examining how schools promote equal opportunities for children and families through integrated support.
• Evaluatie Wet Meer Ruimte voor Nieuwe Scholen Evaluation of the Dutch law 'Wet Meer Ruimte voor Nieuwe Scholen' that expands room for new schools, providing evidence on the law's effects.
• NELI Onderzoek in het Gespecialiseerd Onderwijs Effectiveness research on the Nuffield Early Language Intervention (NELI) when applied in specialized (gespecialiseerd) education settings.

Quantifiable outcome

• Contributing to evidence-based educational policy and practice across all Dutch education sectors
• +1 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Hogeschool van Amsterdam (lectoraat Armoede Interventies)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Joint evaluation research on Amsterdamse Familiescholen, combining expertise in poverty interventions with educational research capabilities.
• Universiteit van AmsterdamcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParent institution; Kohnstamm Instituut is an independent part of the UvA for commissioned research and knowledge dissemination.
• Kennisrotonde (NKO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFast-track Q&A platform for educational practitioners; Kohnstamm Instituut participates as experienced researchers answering practitioner questions.
• Netwerk Effectief Jeugdstelsel (NEJA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork focused on effective youth systems; listed as a collaborative partner in the education sector.
• SEO Economisch OnderzoekcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEconomic research institute collaborating on educational research projects such as monitoring educational care arrangements.
• Verwey-Jonker InstituutcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch institute partnering on multi-year research into educational care arrangements and other educational studies.
• Nederlands Centrum JeugdgezondheidcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on educational care arrangement research combining education and youth health expertise.
• Oberon onderzoek en adviesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch and advisory firm collaborating on education research such as RCT studies in education.
• Stichting School en VeiligheidminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommissioned research on social safety in educational settings including literature studies and practical guidelines.
• Gemeente AmsterdamcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor commissioning client for Amsterdamse Familiescholen research, with multiple ongoing multi-year evaluation projects.
• Inspectie van het OnderwijscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDutch Education Inspectorate commissioning research on educational transitions and student pathways.
• Samenwerkingsverband vo Amsterdam-DiemenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational cooperation partnership involved in Amsterdamse Familiescholen expansion.
• Expertisecentrum NederlandsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on literacy intervention research including Lezen met de Bliksembende project.
• Universiteit TwenteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partnership on RCT research in education context at the Onderwijs Research Dagen conference.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Kennisland: Amsterdam-based knowledge organization focused on education innovation and evidence-based practice. Operates in the same Dutch education-policy ecosystem as Kohnstamm and addresses overlapping practitioner and policymaker audiences.
• ECBO (Expertisecentrum Beroepsonderwijs): Dutch expertise center dedicated to vocational education (mbo) research and knowledge dissemination. Directly comparable to Kohnstamm's vocational-education research stream (e.g., Monitor Medezeggenschap MBO) and competes for the same mbo-policy commissions.
• Oberon onderzoek en advies: Utrecht-based research and advisory firm specializing in education, youth, and the labor market. Collaborates with Kohnstamm on RCT studies in education and competes head-to-head for Dutch education-research tenders.
• Verwey-Jonker Instituut: Dutch applied research institute focused on social issues, youth, education, and welfare. A documented partner on multi-year educational care arrangement research and a direct competitor for the same government commissions in education and youth care.
• SEO Economisch Onderzoek: Amsterdam-based applied economic and social research institute that, like Kohnstamm, conducts commissioned research for Dutch ministries, municipalities, and educational organizations. Already a documented collaboration partner, SEO is the most direct competitor for the same public-sector research tenders.

Broad incumbents

• NRO (Nationaal Regieorgaan Onderwijsonderzoek): Dutch national body that funds and coordinates education research. Functions as both a major commissioner and agenda-setter in the same domain Kohnstamm serves, shaping the demand landscape for commissioned education research in the Netherlands.
• TNO (Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research): Largest Dutch applied research organization with broad portfolios including youth, education, and societal innovation. Larger and broader than Kohnstamm, but competes for similar government and EU applied-research commissions.
• CPB Netherlands Bureau for Economic Policy Analysis: Government-funded economic policy analysis bureau. While broader in mandate, CPB commissions and conducts research that informs Dutch education and labor-market policy, overlapping with Kohnstamm's evidence-based policy work.

Emerging players

• Nivel (Netherlands Institute for Health Services Research): Dutch applied research institute conducting research on healthcare, youth health, and related social domains. Comparable to Kohnstamm in its commissioned-research model and its overlap with Kohnstamm's youth-care and youth-health commissions.

Others

• Inspectie van het Onderwijs: Dutch Education Inspectorate, which both commissions research from Kohnstamm and conducts its own evaluations. Included as an ecosystem participant whose own research agenda directly shapes demand for Kohnstamm's services.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/kohnstamminstituut
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kohnstamm-instituut

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Kohnstamm Instituut