Oberon

What Oberon does

Oberon onderzoek en advies is an independent Dutch research and advisory bureau specializing in education and welfare policy, headquartered at St. Jacobsstraat 12 in Utrecht. Founded around 2000 and operating for approximately 25 years, the firm connects educational practice, policy, and science by conducting commissioned research, evaluations, monitoring, and advisory work. Its service portfolio is organized across six thematic areas: education and youth policy, care and inclusive education, quality and governance, staff and professionalization, teaching and educational process, and educational careers. Notable delivered products include the "Dislocaties gelokaliseerd" report mapping 711 non-recognized primary education locations, the evaluation of SBB's legal tasks covering 2020-2024, and the biannual Monitor Medezeggenschap Hogescholen en Universiteiten.

The firm's core technology is methodological research expertise combining desk research, interviews, questionnaires, surveys, and data analysis, rather than software or proprietary platforms. Its work is delivered through a portfolio of thematic research reports and a training program (Gemeentelijke Onderwijswerkplaats) launched in 2026 for municipal policy advisors.

Oberon operates a sales-led professional services model, generating revenue through commissioned research and advisory engagements acquired via direct client relationships and Dutch public-sector procurement. Pricing is per-engagement and not publicly disclosed. Clients are concentrated in the Dutch public-sector education ecosystem: the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science (OCW) as a primary commissioning party, municipalities (including Gemeente Amsterdam), school boards, sector councils (MBO Raad, PO Raad, SBB), and higher education associations (ISO, UNL, VH). The firm holds AVG/GDPR compliance and adheres to the VBO Gedragscode voor Statistisch Onderzoek 2023, and is privately held with no external investors or parent company.

Name

Oberon

Legal name

Oberon onderzoek en advies

Website

https://oberon.eu

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Oberon onderzoek en advies is an independent Dutch research and advisory bureau in Utrecht that conducts commissioned research, evaluations, and policy advice on education and welfare for the Ministry of OCW, municipalities, school boards, and national sector organizations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Education Policy Research & Consulting

NAICS

Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (541720), Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services (5416)

SIC

Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)

akta.pro primary industry

Education Policy Research Institutes & Think Tanks (EDADADAA)

Keywords

• Education policy research
• Educational advisory services
• Policy evaluation consulting
• Education sector research
• Government education advisory

Headquarters

HQ city

Utrecht

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Commissioned Research and Advisory Services: Oberon generates revenue through commissioned research and evaluation studies for government clients including the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science (OCW), municipalities, school boards, and national educational organizations. The organization conducts policy evaluation, development, monitoring, and advisory work across the education sector.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Oberon is an independent research and advisory organization that conducts commissioned research, policy evaluation, monitoring, and advisory work for government clients in the education sector. It connects educational practice, policy, and science through tailored research solutions covering thematic areas such as education and youth policy, care and inclusive education, quality and governance, staff professionalization, teaching process, and educational careers.

Product overview

Oberon is an independent research and advisory organization providing tailored research solutions for the development, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of educational policy. The company operates a portfolio-based service model organized by thematic areas (Onderwijs- en jeugdbeleid, Zorg en Inclusief onderwijs, Kwaliteit en goed bestuur, Personeel en professionalisering, Lesgeven en onderwijsproces, Schoolloopbanen) and delivers specific research reports and evaluations such as Dislocaties gelokaliseerd, Evaluatie Wettelijke Taken SBB, and Monitor Medezeggenschap Hogescholen en Universiteiten. The core offering is advisory and research services rather than a software product, serving clients at local, regional, and national levels including municipal councils, the Ministry for Education, Culture and Science, schoolboards, and national associations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Research and Advisory Services (Onderzoek en Advies) Independent research and advisory services connecting educational science, policymaking, and practice across various sectors including education and welfare. Offered to government ministries, municipalities, school boards, and national educational organizations.
• Dislocaties gelokaliseerd (Dislocations Localized) Research mapping non-recognized educational locations (dislocations) in primary education, commissioned by the Ministry of OCW. Identified 711 dislocations and analyzed their characteristics and challenges, achieving a 76% survey response rate from school boards.
• Evaluatie Wettelijke Taken SBB (Evaluation of SBB Legal Tasks) Evaluation of SBB's (Samenwerkingsorganisatie Beroepsonderwijs Bedrijfsleven) legal tasks for the Ministry of OCW, assessing effectiveness and efficiency of the organization's role in connecting vocational education with the labor market (2020-2024).
• Monitor Medezeggenschap Hogescholen en Universiteiten (Higher Education Co-determination Monitor) Biannual monitor surveying co-determination in higher education (hbo and wo), tracking time allocation, facilities, training, influence, and functioning of student and staff representatives.
• Medezeggenschap ondersteund (Co-determination Supported) Research on external support used by co-determination councils in primary and secondary education, commissioned by the Ministry of OCW.
• Studentenparticipatie in het mbo (Student Participation in Vocational Education) Research on student participation and co-determination in vocational education (mbo), supported by JOB (Jongeren Organisatie Beroepsonderwijs), with Oberon researcher Marjolein contributing.
• Marktwerking op de leermiddelenmarkt (Market Dynamics in Educational Materials) Evaluation of market dynamics in the Dutch educational materials market, with focus on the Wet Gratis Schoolboeken (Free School Books Act), jointly conducted with Dialogic.
• Gemeentelijke Onderwijswerkplaats (Municipal Education Workshop) Training and development program for municipal policy advisors working on educational and youth policy, providing structure and deepening knowledge on educational disadvantage policy, youth policy, and local educational agendas.
• Evaluatie subsidies Stichting Platforms vmbo (Evaluation of Subsidies for Vmbo Platforms) Joint evaluation with Kohnstamm Instituut of the effectiveness and efficiency of subsidies to Stichting Platforms Vmbo for developing vmbo vocational education and coordinating continuing education offerings for teachers across ten vmbo profiles.

Quantifiable outcome

• 711 dislocations identified in primary education research
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• KWINK groepcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Collaboration partner for evaluating the legal tasks of SBB (Samenwerkingsorganisatie Beroepsonderwijs Bedrijfsleven). KWINK groep and Oberon jointly conducted the evaluation covering the period 2020-2024.
• Ministerie van OCW (Ministry of Education, Culture and Science)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary client and strategic partner for commissioned research on educational policy. Oberon conducts evaluations and research assignments for the ministry, including studies on dislocations in primary education and evaluation of educational legislation.
• Kohnstamm InstituutcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner for evaluation projects. Oberon collaborated with Kohnstamm Instituut on evaluating subsidies for Stichting Platforms Vmbo.
• Nationaal Kennisinstituut Onderwijs (NKO)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational knowledge institute for education as a client and stakeholder in the educational research ecosystem.
• DialogiccoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch collaboration partner. Oberon and Dialogic conducted joint research on market dynamics in educational materials and digital twinning in education research.
• Universiteit Twente (University of Twente)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic research partner for digital twinning research in education, exploring opportunities for supporting students with language development disorders (TOS).
• JOB (Jongeren Organisatie Beroepsonderwijs)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with JOB on student participation research in MBO (secondary vocational education). Oberon researcher Marjolein supported JOB in this research initiative.
• ISO (Interstedelijk Studenten Overleg)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommissioning client for the Monitor medezeggenschap hogescholen en universiteiten (Higher Education Co-determination Monitor).
• UNL (Universiteiten van Nederland)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommissioning client for the Higher Education Co-determination Monitor.
• VH (Vereniging Hogescholen)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommissioning client for the Higher Education Co-determination Monitor.
• LSVb (Landelijke Studenten Vakbond)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommissioning client for the Higher Education Co-determination Monitor.
• LOVUM (Landelijk Overleg Universitaire Medezeggenschap)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommissioning client for the Higher Education Co-determination Monitor.
• VMH (Vereniging van Medezeggenschapsraden van Hogescholen)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommissioning client for the Higher Education Co-determination Monitor.
• LOF (Landelijk Overleg Fracties)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommissioning client for the Higher Education Co-determination Monitor.
• Hbo MedezeggenschapminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommissioning client for the Higher Education Co-determination Monitor.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Bureau Bartels: Dutch research and advisory bureau active in education, youth, and social-policy domains. Competes for municipal and ministry commissions in the same evaluation and monitoring work Oberon performs.
• SEO Amsterdam Economics: Amsterdam-based research firm conducting economic and policy evaluations, including education-sector studies for Dutch ministries. Competes with Oberon on education policy research and program evaluations.
• Dialogic: Dutch research and advisory firm active in education, innovation, and digital policy. Collaborated with Oberon on the leermiddelenmarkt (educational materials market) evaluation and on digital-twinning research, serving the same ministry and sector-council buyer base.
• KWINK groep: Dutch public-sector consultancy focused on evaluation, oversight, and policy research. Jointly delivered the SBB legal-tasks evaluation with Oberon and competes for similar ministry and supervisory-body mandates.
• Cebeon: Dutch consultancy specializing in public finance and education economics. Works with Dutch ministries and municipalities on education-policy evaluations and competes with Oberon in policy advisory mandates.
• ResearchNed: Dutch research firm specializing in education and labor-market studies. Competes directly with Oberon for ministry commissions and municipality research assignments in the Netherlands.
• Kohnstamm Instituut: Dutch educational research institute affiliated with the University of Amsterdam. It is both a competitor and frequent partner of Oberon on ministry-commissioned evaluations (e.g., Stichting Platforms vmbo subsidies), targeting the same Dutch ministry and sector-council clients.
• Panteia: Dutch research and consultancy organization covering education, labor, and social policy. Operates in the same ministry-tendered research space as Oberon and offers overlapping evaluation and monitoring services.

Broad incumbents

• Ecorys: Large European research and consulting company with a substantial Dutch education-policy practice. Competes for the same ministry and EU-funded education evaluations at greater scale and with broader geographic reach.

Regional players

• ITS (Institute for Applied Social Sciences): Radboud University-affiliated Dutch research institute conducting social and education research. Operates in the same Dutch education-research ecosystem and bids on overlapping ministry and sector-council commissions.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/oberon-onderzoek-en-advies

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Oberon