The Deltaplan was the national STEM strategy of the Dutch government and direct response to the Lisbon goal of increasing the number of STEM graduates by 15% by 2010 (reference year: 2000) and targets related to increased R&D spending. The Deltaplan was formally launched in 2004 and included the formation of an independent national STEM platform (Platform Bèta Techniek). Its headline target was increasing the number of STEM graduates by 15% by 2007.