About SURF
SURF cooperative: the power of the collective
We are SURF, a cooperative of more than 120 Dutch education and research institutions. Together, we share one ambition: to shape the digital future of education and research, and take it to the next level.
Taking control, moving forward together
We believe digital technology helps people, institutions and society to thrive — but only if we set the direction and the rules ourselves. That is why, as a cooperative, we take the lead in the digital transformation of education and research. So we can make the choices that shape the future of education and research.
50 years of collaboration
As a collective, we tackle complex IT and digitalisation challenges. We provide access to reliable technology and services, and we accelerate innovation by exploring new possibilities. We choose solutions that reflect our public values, so institutions remain in control of data, technology and agreements. This is how we have been making an impact together for more than 50 years.
Ground-breaking innovations
Many people know SURF for the digital services that make education and research possible. Think of eduroam for secure Wi-Fi, SURFconext for simple and reliable sign-in, SURFdrive for secure storage, SURFspot for discounted educational software, and the HBO Knowledge Bank for open access to practice-based research. And did you know that SURF has also contributed to Nobel Prize-winning research by providing computing power, high-speed network connections and data storage?
Dutch education and research work together within SURF to address challenges in the technological, societal and economic domains. Central to this are digital autonomy, protection against cyber threats, and the ability to respond quickly and efficiently to developments in a complex environment.
Transparent and state-of-the-art services portfolio
The members work together within SURF to develop or jointly procure reliable, state-of-the-art facilities. Read how we do this, who can use our services, and how to request them.
New developments
We are not caught off guard by new developments — we continuously explore what may soon be valuable for Dutch education and research. We bring together the knowledge and innovation capacity of our members, enabling us to innovate faster and more effectively and make the right choices together.
Shared architecture for optimal support
Architecture and standards help us organise our information management efficiently. This makes it easier to exchange data, enabling institutions to provide the best possible support to their students, staff and researchers. As a cooperative, we share a common IT architecture across the different sectors.
Corporate social responsibility
We keep future generations in mind. By working together and sharing knowledge, we can operate more sustainably as a cooperative. For example, by reducing energy consumption, procuring responsibly, and disposing of hardware in a sustainable way.