history

35 Years NVG – Its Origins, Development, and Future

The Dutch Society for Behavioural Biology (NVG) was founded in 1991 at a time when the organisation of animal behaviour research in the Netherlands was undergoing major change. What began as a small initiative among researchers in Groningen quickly developed into a national platform for Behavioural Biology that continues to play an important role today.

At the same time, interest in animal behaviour (at that time, called Ethology) was expanding well beyond this specific academic community. Ecologists, physiologists, psychologists, psychiatrists, educators, and secondary-school biology teachers increasingly recognised the relevance of behavioural research, while public interest in the subject was also growing. In 1991, discussions among Dutch behavioural biologists, on the initiative of the Groningen ethologists Carel ten Cate and Ton Groothuis and involving the reknowned Professor Gerard Baerends, led to the idea of establishing a broader society that could bring these diverse communities together.

These discussions culminated in the formal establishment of the NVG on 12 December 1991, with Jan van Hooff serving as its first president. The society was founded to promote research and education in Behavioural Biology, foster interdisciplinary exchange, and strengthen communication with wider audiences. The term Ethology was deliberately replaced by Behavioural Biology to reflect the increasing breadth of the field, encompassing levels of analysis from molecular mechanisms to whole-organism behaviour, across species ranging from insects to humans.

The NVG also launched its Newsletter, which reported on meetings, highlighted PhD research, and served as a platform for discussion within the growing community. By the mid-1990s, membership had expanded to around 200 members, establishing the NVG as a vibrant and inclusive network for Behavioural Biology in the Netherlands.

NVG and WGM: transition and merger

The early 1990s brought major changes to the Dutch research funding landscape. As NWO reorganised its life-sciences structure, the Werkgemeenschappen (WGMs) and their umbrella organisation BION were gradually phased out. Their role in evaluating grant proposals disappeared, and researchers were encouraged to reorganise themselves into formal scientific societies that could represent their fields and advise on research priorities.

For the WGM Ethology, this raised the question of how Behavioural Biology should be organised in the future. Although a merger with the NVG seemed a natural option, other initiatives were also considered, including a larger organisation bringing together all animal-science disciplines. As a result, the WGM and the NVG continued to coexist for several years while closely coordinating their activities.

By 1996 it had become clear that the alternative plans would not materialise. Supported by the Stichting Levenswetenschappen Foundation for the Life Sciences (SLW), the WGM Ethology therefore merged with the NVG. Under the presidency of Serge Daan, the restructured NVG became the formal representative of Behavioural Biology in the Netherlands and an important partner in discussions on research policy and funding. The merger strengthened the visibility of the field and helped connect behavioural research to broader national research programmes.

The Autumn Conferences

Already in the early years following the NVG’s founding, its members were invited to participate in the annual WGM Autumn Conference, which became an increasingly important meeting place for the Behavioural Biology community. Following the merger of the WGM and NVG in 1996, the conference expanded further, with thematic sessions and invited speakers reflecting the growing breadth of the field.

In the years after the merger, the programme continued to grow in scope, with increasing participation of international researchers and guest speakers. The language of the meeting gradually shifted from Dutch to English as the number of non-Dutch speaking PhD students and postdocs increased. Flemish research groups were also invited to participate, contributing to the conference’s increasingly international character. New elements such as the Gerard Baerends Lecture and the Brill Lecture introduced high-profile international speakers to the Netherlands and highlighted excellence in the field. The addition of PhD workshops further strengthened the conference’s role in supporting early-career researchers.

Today, the annual meeting remains the most important gathering point for Behavioural Biology in the Netherlands.

International perspective

From its beginning, the NVG has been part of a broader European and international landscape. Established societies such as the Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour (ASAB) and the Ethologische Gesellschaft (EG) provided important links to wider research communities and opportunities for collaboration.

Dutch researchers have played active roles in these networks, including hosting major international meetings in Leiden and Groningen. This cooperation also contributed to the establishment of the European Conference on Behavioural Biology (ECBB), first held in 2002. Groningen hosted both the second and tenth editions, and the conference continues to alternate with other major international conferences in the field.

From past to future

Over the past 35 years, the NVG has developed into a stable and vibrant platform for Behavioural Biology. It has helped strengthen collaboration across the field, supported education and early-career development, and provided visibility for a diverse and inherently interdisciplinary area of research.

At the same time, the visibility of Behavioural Biology within broader scientific and public arenas has become less prominent. This makes it increasingly important to actively communicate the relevance and strengths of the field, both within science and beyond. The interdisciplinary nature of animal (including human) behaviour research continues to open up many opportunities for collaboration with other fields including the Behavioural Sciences, Theoretical Biology and Modelling, Language Studies, Neurogenetics and Neurosciences, and Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. It can also greatly contribute to help to address societal challenges such as climate change, ecosystem adaptability, behavioural disorders, and animal welfare. Embedded across universities and still attracting strong interest from students and the wider public, the field remains both lively and relevant.

Looking ahead, the strength of the NVG lies not only in maintaining a strong scientific community, but also in serving as a visible and proactive hub for behavioural expertise. With its interdisciplinary foundations and solid research base, Behavioural Biology in the Netherlands is well placed to remain both scientifically influential and socially relevant.

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