As a professor you are engaged in the study of Buddhism and you profile yourself as a leading scholar within both Dutch and international Buddism. As such, you are an authority on Buddhism, especially Classical Asian as well as global Modernist forms. In this position you are also the head of the official training for Buddhist spiritual care and you work together with the assistant professor to be appointed. The full professor has an academic role that focuses on research that is relevant to the (further) development and institutionalization of Buddhism in the West and in particular for the Netherlands. You also contribute to the profiling of the Texts and Traditions department within FRT, as well as to the whole of the faculty community.

Your duties

• Research focusing on one of the main disciplines of Buddhism, both classical and modern, that is relevant to the social practice of Buddhism in the West. You will start an attractive research line in one of these fields
• Teaching in the various subjects of Buddhism, both in bachelor- and in master-courses
• Leading the track "Buddhist spiritual care" and for that reason also participating in the so-called seminar council
• Contributing to valorisation
• Acquisition of research grants
• Contributing to administrative tasks

• Doctorate in a relevant field
• The candidate not only possesses in-depth knowledge of the classical sources of Buddhism, but also has experience with the translation of Buddhism into the world of today. She/he is familiar with the institutionalization of Buddhism in the West, preferably also in the Netherlands
• High ranking scientific publications that demonstrate the above, as well as relevant networks and editorial membership (s) of scientific journal (s)
• Proven success in applying for research grants
• Shows social involvement in her / his career, preferably in the field of Buddhist spiritual care
• Team player within the Buddhist Spiritual Care team, in addition to a slightly coordinating task
• Experience in supervising PhD students
• Experience in university education
• Willingness to learn professional Dutch within a reasonable time (3 years)

A challenging position in a socially involved organization. On full-time basis the remuneration amounts to a minimum gross monthly salary of €5,749 (H2)
and a maximum €8,371 (H2), depending on your education and experience. The job profile is based on the university job ranking system and is vacant for 0.5 FTE.

The initial employment contract will affect a period of 5 years, with the possibility of extension. Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam offers excellent fringe benefits and various schemes and regulations to promote a good work/life balance, such as:

• 8% holiday allowance and 8.3% end-of-year bonus
• solid pension scheme (ABP)
• contribution to commuting expenses

The ambition of Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam is clear: to contribute to a better world through outstanding education and ground-breaking research. We strive to be a university where personal development and commitment to society play a leading role. A university where people from different disciplines and backgrounds collaborate to achieve innovations and to generate new knowledge. Our teaching and research encompass the entire spectrum of academic endeavour – from the humanities, the social sciences and the natural sciences through to the life sciences and the medical sciences.

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam is home to more than 26,000 students. We employ over 4,600 individuals. The VU campus is easily accessible and located in the heart of Amsterdam’s Zuidas district, a truly inspiring environment for teaching and research.

Diversity
We are an inclusive university community. Diversity is one of our most important values. We believe that engaging in international activities and welcoming students and staff from a wide variety of backgrounds enhances the quality of our education and research. We are always looking for people who can enrich our world with their own unique perspectives and experiences.

Faculty of Religion and Theology
The Faculty of Religion and Theology is the leading academic centre of expertise for religion in society. Students, lecturers and researchers focus on the major questions in society and in religious communities. They study religious traditions, sources and contemporary expressions of the religious experience. The faculty practises ‘engaged scholarship’ as expressed in cooperation with governments and partners in civil society on themes such as war and peace, sustainable development and inter-religious dialogue. We are the most comprehensive theological faculty worldwide, with ten seminaries for all world religions and many Christian denominations.

Working at Religion and Theology means contributing to excellent research and education through personal commitment, philosophical/religious involvement and social responsibility. We employ more than 100 staff.
Embedding of the chair
This chair is established by the BZI and belongs to the joint responsibility of the Buddhist 'sending agency' and the FRT.

The Buddhist Sending Agency (BZI), on behalf of the Buddhist Union of the Netherlands (BUN), provides the mission of Buddhist spiritual counselors as a government-funded function within education, justice and defense. To support the BZI monitors the professional quality of relevant Buddhist education and other professional knowledge. It does this in order to be of service in reducing suffering and promoting tolerance and a good life together.