Since its foundation in 1614, the University of Groningen has established an international reputation as a dynamic and innovative university offering high-quality teaching and research. Its 35,000 students are encouraged to develop their own individual talents through challenging study and career paths. The University of Groningen is an international center of knowledge: it belongs to the best research universities in Europe and is allied with prestigious partner universities and networks worldwide.

The Graduate School for the Humanities is the home for all PhD candidates of the Faculty of Arts (circa 200), and is committed to creating and maintaining excellent conditions for PhD research in all fields of the humanities. In addition to organizing local courses, the GSH works closely with 16 national research schools which offer regular courses and seminars by national and international top researchers.

The Graduate School for the Humanities offers 3 PhD positions (for 4 years) in the Groningen Research Institute for the Study of Culture (ICOG). As a PhD candidate, you are committed to conducting independent and original scientific research, to report on this research in international publications and presentations, and to present the final results of the research in a PhD dissertation. We invite you to design your own research project related to the research in one of ICOG’s five research centres.

For further details on their research expertise please consult:

The Research Centre for Historical Studies: https://www.rug.nl/research/icog/research/research-centres/research-centre-for-historical-studies/
The Research Centre Arts in Society: https://www.rug.nl/research/icog/research/research-centres/artsinsociety/
The Centre for International Relations Research: https://www.rug.nl/research/icog/research/research-centres/centre-for-internatlonal-relations-research-/
The Centre for Media and Journalism Studies: https://www.rug.nl/research/icog/research/research-centres/centre-for-journalism-and-mediastudies/
The Research Centre for the Study of Democratic Cultures and Politics: https://www.rug.nl/research/icog/research/research-centres/democratic-cultures-and-politics/

Before you apply you should have gained the signed approval from an intended supervisor, i.e. a full professor or an associate professor with ius promovendi at the Faculty of Arts of the University of Groningen. By signing this form s/he agrees to supervise you, based on your CV and research proposal. This is a necessary precondition for considering your application.

We are looking for talented and ambitious researchers in the relevant focus areas within ICOG.

Your qualifications are:

• a completed master's degree related to one of the five focus areas mentioned above, with an excellent academic record (MA thesis grade: min. 8/10 or very good/excellent)
• proven research abilities and affinity with the research topic
• being result-oriented
• excellent command of English and excellent academic writing skills
• the ability to work both independently and as part of a team, with good organizational and communication skills
• willingness to participate actively in the activities of one of ICOG’s five research centres.

Fixed-term contract: 48 Months.

In accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities, the University of Groningen offers you:

• a salary of € 2,541 gross per month in the first year, up to € 3,247 in the fourth year
• a holiday allowance of 8% gross annual income
• an 8.3% end-of-the-year allowance
• a temporary 1,0 FTE appointment for a specified period of four years. The candidate will first be appointed for twelve months. After six months, an assessment will take place of the candidate’s results and the progress of the PhD project, in order to decide whether employment will be continued.

This PhD project offers a unique opportunity to work in an international research environment as well as to acquire valuable teaching experience: the PhD candidate is expected to conduct 0.3 FTE teaching during the second, third and fourth year of their appointment (0.1 FTE yearly).