Speaking the language of science

In the early nineties, the Dutch government developed the idea of so-called Leading Technological Institutes (LTIs) in key areas of the Dutch industry, which were to be established as public-private-partnerships, i.e. collaborations between industry and academic institutes. Among the first four proposals for such institutes approved and realised in 1997 was the Dutch Polymer Institute, DPI. From the very beginning, this virtual institute has been open to non-Dutch companies and institutes as well, addressing the international industrial and academic polymer research community.