PhD position with the StudentLines initiative: educational pathways and socio-economic background – barriers and opportunities

The Faculty of Spatial Sciences at the University of Groningen offers a four-year PhD position on the StudentLines initiative which is fully funded by Nationaal Programma Groningen.

The candidate will join a lively and highly multidisciplinary project team consisting of PhD candidates and (senior) researchers, spanning the University of Groningen, Hanze University of Applied Science and vocational education institutes in the region.

StudentLines is a large-scale, collaborative and student-centered research and data infrastructure project co-developed by the University of Groningen and the Hanze University of Applied Science. The ultimate goal is to contribute to the quality of education through research, promote educational innovation, monitor interventions and map the interconnections between educational institutions and the professional field (educational careers, progression paths). The project features PhD projects which will contribute, through pilot studies, on key elements of this infrastructure of data and people. They will investigate how StudentLines can engage researchers, educators, policymakers, regional stakeholders and above all, students, to transform how data is used to support students across their entire learning journey.

What are you going to do?

In this PhD position you will help to develop a longitudinal mixed-methods framework to analyze educational trajectories in vocational and higher education of students with a low socio-economic status (SES) in the Northern Netherlands, combining large-scale quantitative analysis with targeted qualitative inquiry.

The project will involve quantitative longitudinal mapping of students’ educational trajectories using the StudentLines survey and study-success data, enriched with preloaded administrative data from DUO or Statistics Netherlands (CBS) on socio-economic background and labor-market outcomes.

Insights from this quantitative analysis will inform the design of a focused qualitative study (e.g., diary study using experience sampling methods) among students with low SES at the University of Groningen, Hanze University of Applied Sciences, and affiliated vocational education institutions. The qualitative study will provide in-depth insight into the (psychological) experiences, choices, barriers, and contextual mechanisms underlying the quantitatively identified patterns of educational trajectories, with specific attention to the northern regional context.

Together, the aim is to generate robust, policy-relevant evidence to support interventions aimed at reducing educational inequality and improving student success.

The project works with local government, employers, students and staff from Hanze and University of Groningen. The project will be supervised by prof.dr. Anneke Timmermans (professor (adjunct) Educational Sciences, in particular Educational Trajectories, Faculty of Behavioral Sciences, UoG), dr. Elanor Kamans (lector Talent Development in Higher Education, Hanze University of Applied Sciences) and dr. Viktor Venhorst (associate professor in the demography of education and the labour market, Faculty of Spatial Sciences, UoG).

The candidate will be required to:

• Design, plan and conduct a programme of investigation, in consultation with the three supervisors.
• Produce a PhD thesis, written in English, consisting of four empirical chapters, an introduction and discussion at the level of international scientific journals.
• Disseminate the research through publication in leading peer-reviewed journals, presentations at international conferences, outreach, social media etc.
• Collaborate interdisciplinarily with other researchers in the StudentLines project.
• Contribute to the goals of the wider StudentLines project.
• Contribute to teaching 15% of their time, by supervising BSc and MSc students, and assisting on courses.

We are looking for a candidate who:

• Holds a (Research) Master degree (or will graduate before appointment date) in the fields of social sciences (e.g., educational sciences, sociology, psychology) or geography, demography, and / or economics.
• Is curiosity-driven and passionate about fundamental research in the context of the Dutch education system.
• Has strong quantitative skills (analyses of long-term data, modelling and statistical analyses, ideally in the R environment), and is demonstrably open to qualitative methods.
• Has demonstrably good writing skills.
• Availability to work on site in Groningen.
• Is proficient in English and meets the university’s English language requirements.

The ideal candidate will also have:

• Strong communication skills, and is motivated to disseminate results to both scientific peers and a broad audience.
• Excellent teamwork skills, and is willing to work with a diverse group of researchers and technicians, and can also work independently.
• Has a working knowledge of Dutch or is willing to learn.

• 232 vacation hours per year, based on a 38-hour workweek (1.0 FTE). You can also work more or fewer hours in exchange for more or fewer free hours. For example, with a 40-hour workweek, you save 96 extra free hours, and with a 36-hour workweek, you lose 96 hours.
• End-of-year bonus of 8.3% and 8% holiday allowance.
• Extensive opportunities for personal and professional development.

At the University of Groningen (UG), researchers from all fields of academia and technology are working on academic challenges and societal questions. Lecturers prepare their students for meaningful careers within or outside the academic world. Interdisciplinary research and teaching, sharing of knowledge, collaboration with businesses, government institutions, and societal organizations are aspects that are of the utmost importance to this European top university. The UG aims to be an open academic community with an inclusive and safe working climate that invites you to add your value.

The Faculty of Spatial Sciences (FRW) is an interdisciplinary faculty that makes a significant impact on societal issues such as climate, broad prosperity, population decline, healthy ageing, and sustainable energy. With approximately 100 staff and over 100 PhD students, we engage daily in up-to-date and relevant teaching and research in the fields of planning, demography, and geography. Through our research programme TRACE (Transformations, Communities, and Environments), we are committed to internationally oriented, interdisciplinary research. With two Bachelor's and seven Master's programmes, the Faculty offers broad educational opportunities to about 1,100 students from around the world. The Faculty of Spatial Sciences plays a crucial role in understanding and shaping the living environment of the future. We work for and with society. Our motto is: we are making places better together. If you would like to learn more, visit rug.nl/frw. 

The Department of Economic Geography, in which the position will be based, is one of the four departments in the faculty and it offers an open and friendly academic environment with an international staff. The department has about 20 members of staff and 25 PhD researchers. The University of Groningen has a very strong reputation as one of the main centers in regional science globally. In terms of teaching, the department of Economic Geography contributes to the bachelor Human Geography and Planning and it is responsible for the master’s programme in Economic Geography, which includes the tracks ‘Regional Competitiveness and Trade’ and ‘Sustainable Rural Futures’, and the master of Real Estate Studies. Our research is directed towards issues related to regional labour markets, migration, entrepreneurship, happiness, socio-spatial inequalities and real estate applying quantitative, qualitative and mixed research methods.

Do you have any questions or need more information?

Questions about the content of the job?
Viktor Venhorst (Associate Professor): V.A.Venhorst@rug.nl

Questions about your application process?
Henriette van Ingen (Human Resources Adviser): H.L.van.Ingen@rug.nl