Talent policy & Tenure Track
The VU invests in talent. After all, excellent research and education depends on the quality of its staff. In research, for example, highly promising master’s and doctoral students are headhunted and supervised within the interdisciplinary research institutions. This can be done when submitting a research proposal with the VI (innovation incentive) supervision procedure or the VI support scheme, to prepare students for internal and external talent programmes such as the NWO innovation incentive and ERC Ideas. These programmes provide financial support to young, talented researchers to assist them in their career and development. Researchers judged to be excellent receive funding to invest in the research project and to attract new research talent.
Doctoral students
As a doctoral student you occupy a special position in the academic world. In the initial phase you must familiarise yourself with your area of research in a short space of time and learn how to plan your research path independently. This demands effective and efficient working: it certainly also demands cooperation and the ability to defend your point of view. The VU provides doctoral students with individual supervision and courses:
-success in achieving your doctorate and personal effectiveness
-successful participation in conferences
-writing research proposals
-coaching
-careers advice for doctoral students
-careers supervision
Postdocs
The VU organises a wide variety of workshops, training programmes and courses to improve the prospects of young talent. The university is currently carrying out a detailed analysis and developing a package of measures to improve the career prospects of postdocs.
Tenure track
For a number of academic posts the VU offers a tenure track.
In a tenure track, clear agreements are made on performance and associated promotion opportunities, usually for a period of 5 years. In the event of good performance, the tenure track offers a permanent employment contract, or ‘tenure’.
