Impact-driven education, the Erasmian way 

The Erasmus University is strongly committed to create positive societal impact by its core activities of research and education. As part of the Quality Agreements with the Ministry of Education, EUR invests the coming years substantially in its portfolio of impact-driven education. All faculties have committed themselves to develop forms of education that help students to have a real impact on society, now and in the future. The project “Impact at the Core” supports this development and works closely together with other projects, aimed at accelerating innovations in our education.

We develop and support initiatives aimed at developing or strengthening impact-driven education, to design them in cocreation with faculty staff and societal partners, and to evaluate and refine them. It is the ambition to organize the transition towards more impact-driven education in an evidence-based way, in which we systematically reflect upon the question which forms of impact-driven education are effective in teaching students how to create impact. By sharing this knowledge, this research project can further fuel the transition towards an impact-driven university. A community of learning will be developed to foster processes of learning and knowledge exchange. We are looking for a postdoctoral researcher who will investigate the societal impact of education.

The Impact of Impact-Driven Education

Impact-driven education is aimed at learning students to help solve todays challenges. It prepares students to create impact during their careers. But it also enables them to have an impact during their studies when they do their internship or are involved in design assignments or challenges submitted by companies, public or societal organizations, community service learning or in any other form of impact-driven education.  

The question than is: what constitutes the societal impact of impact-driven education, which conditions contribute to this impact and how can this impact be maximized? This research project has the aim to investigate the societal impact that is generated when students are involved in impact-driven education, to unravel the factors (related to the educational approach that is used)  that explain this impact and the interventions that can enhance this impact.

We look for a researcher who is able to combine active involvement in evaluating (experiments of) impact-driven education with a keen eye to analyze in a systematic way what it delivers (and in what way) and how its impact can be strengthened. He or she is committed to contribute to the transition towards impact-driven education, and to substantiate this transition with sound research and practical applicable insights.

This project will be executed in close cooperation with the EUR strategic project “Evaluating Societal Impact” which aims to develop a set of tools and methods to systematically assess the societal impact of the core activities of EUR: research and education.

The researcher we look for:

• Has a Ph.D. in a discipline related to innovation in education and teaching, evaluation, innovation or science studies, or affinity/experience with impact-driven education;
• Is able to work in a complex project environment, has a strong hands-on mentality, and is able to collaborate with people on various levels in our organization and from different disciplines;
• Has excellent research and analytical skills, and is able to conduct scientific research in an action-oriented and co-creative way;
• Is able to combine research activities with educational design activities and has the ambition to contribute to our mission to become an impact-driven university by evaluating best practices and help to refine them;
• Has excellent communication skills, in English. Dutch is considered a plus;
• Is able to communicate research findings for different target audiences and thus in various ways (research papers, workshops, professional publications, policy briefs et cetera).

Fixed-term contract: 1 year.

We offer an employment contract for 1 year, with the possibility of extension till the end of the project (end of 2024). Depending on your experience you will receive a competitive salary from a minimum of € 2.790,- to a maximum of € 5.127,- for a full working week of 38 hours in accordance with the Collective Labor Agreement Dutch Universities (scale 10-11).

In addition, we offer:

• 8% holiday allowance;
• a structural year-end bonus of 8.3%;
• excellent training opportunities and secondary employment conditions;
• flexible working hours and holidays can possibly be determined in consultation so that an optimal balance between work and private life is possible;
• excellent pension plan through ABP;
• 232 vacation hours, the option to purchase extra and good supplementary leave schemes;
• a flexible working time: the possibility to work a maximum of 2 hours per week extra and thereby to build up extra leave;
• a choice model to put together part of your employment conditions yourself, such as a bicycle plan.

Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR)

The Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR) is an internationally oriented university with an outspoken social orientation at the core of its education and research. EUR provides excellent education to students and is part of the international top in certain research areas. Erasmus University is not only an internationally oriented university, it is also well embedded in the city of Rotterdam and the region.

EUR, named after Rotterdam-born humanist and theologian Erasmus, is a research university with a strong international orientation and a pronounced social focus, both in its education and research activities. On the lively, modern campus, more than 28.000 students and scholars of more than 100 nationalities are constantly encouraged to develop their talents and meet their ambition. Our more than 2700 scientists and employees work together with all our students to solve challenges faced by global society, drawing their inspiration from the consistently dynamic and cosmopolitan city of Rotterdam. The academic education offered at our faculties is intensive, engaging and strongly focused on practical application. We increasingly perform our research in multidisciplinary teams, which are closely interwoven with international networks. In terms of research impact and the quality of its degree programmes, EUR can compete with the foremost universities in Europe, which is reflected in its consistent top-100 position in most major universities rankings. Erasmus University Rotterdam’s key values are daring, curiosity, social involvement, breaking new ground and striving for success.

www.eur.nl

The General Management Directorate (ABD)

The General Management Directorate (Algemene Bestuursdienst, ABD) is the central staff organisation responsible for the organisation and support of EUR’s policy and administration at the institutional level. ABD supports the Executive Board in fulfilling its responsibilities with regard to the quality, accessibility and financing of EUR’s education and research programmes. ABD handles the joint design of integrated policy, ensures the timely submission of policy within decision-making procedures and the implementation of the adopted policy measures and constantly monitors and evaluates developments in the interest of further improvement. ABD comprises the departments of Academic Affairs (AZ) including D&I Office, Corporate Planning & Control (CPC), Administrative Affairs (BZ), Legal Affairs (JZ) and the Chief Information Office (CIO). The independent university publication Erasmus Magazine also falls under ABD in organisational terms. The management directorate is headed by the Director of the General Management Directorate, who also serves as Secretary of the Executive Board.