Doctoral education

In the Netherlands, research universities are the only institutions authorised to award PhD degrees. A PhD at a Dutch research university generally takes four years. While PhD students also attend courses, in particular at the beginning of a PhD programme, the focus of a PhD in the Netherlands lies on research.

Ways of funding a PhD

Doctoral candidates in the Netherlands are often employed by their universities. Such PhD positions are salaried positions with four-year contracts, the rights and duties of which are established in the Collective Labour Agreement of the Dutch research universities. Salaried PhD positions are funded by money from all three flows of funds.
It is also possible to pursue a PhD at a Dutch research university with a fellowship or grant, or to do a PhD next to a job (with the PhD student neither employed by the university nor receiving a grant).

Graduate schools and research schools

The training and supervision of doctoral candidates is organised in graduate schools. Over the past few years, they have been established at all Dutch research universities with a view to professionalising doctoral training. Research schools (onderzoekscholen) are cooperations between Dutch research universities providing research training in specific subject areas.

Reforming the doctoral education system

Doctoral research at the Dutch research universities is of high quality. However, the VSNU believes that there should be 500 salaried PhD positions more available each year, for the number of doctorates in the Netherlands lags behind that of comparable countries.

In its position paper Hora Est! Reforming the Research Training System, the VSNU posits that in the light of developments such as the introduction of the three cycle structure of Master, Bachelor and Phd, the entire doctoral training system needs to be reformed. The position paper makes recommendations for reform in the areas of the objectives and qualifications of doctoral training, intake and progress, organisation and quality assurance, and the legal status of doctoral candidates.