• innovative practical projects
• scientific projects
• knowledge projects

Innovative Practical Projects
TransForum works practically. Questions from the world of practice provide the point of departure for the Innovative Practical Projects (IPs). The IPs bring together knowledge institutes, governments, NGOs, businesses and intermediaries in order to realise concrete and sustainable value propositions. Participants in IPs regularly run into issues calling for in-depth research. This is where the Scientific Projects come into their own.

Science Projects
TransForum works on Science Projects the results of which must have direct social importance, usability and applicability. The questions generated by the practical projects provide the agenda for the scientific projects.
Defining a good knowledge question is not however something for each and every entrepreneur. Similarly, setting up an actual practically-oriented research project is not something that will suit every researcher. It is also often incorrectly held that entrepreneurs and researchers must do everything together, or that demand must be wholly directed. It is clear that the various parties not only speak different languages but also have different interests. Where entrepreneurs are driven by the profit motive, researchers are looking in particular for scientific recognition, while governments are seeking power and NGOs are looking for influence. All this makes it even more clear that there are no simple solutions but that we face a complex challenge: the challenge of beginning to learn each other's languages and recognising each other's interests and on that basis developing new incentives that do justice to common interests and genuine cooperation.

Knowledge Projects
Both the Practice Projects and the Science Projects not only generate output but gradually build up a considerable body of knowledge and experience as to how that output has been achieved. This concerns dealing with helpful and other differences, risks and new problems, etc. The TransForum Knowledge Projects are aimed at learning from this body of knowledge and experience and converting this into transferable forms. The learning takes place at three levels: 1) within projects, 2) between projects, and 3) for all projects combined.
The Knowledge Programme is aimed at organising reflection and learning at these three levels so that the competencies and skills needed for the realisation of innovations become visible and transferable.