Look and think one step ahead

Young Talent Best Practice – Leiden University

The University of Leiden’s Science Faculty aims to excel internationally in research and education. One way to achieve this is by pursuing a comprehensive career development policy for doctoral candidates and postdocs. An important part of this policy is offering appropriate competencies based on a skills programme.

This provides young researchers ongoing development opportunities, enables them to take up an appropriate position and maximise their potential. The dean and the scientific director of the relevant institute performing the research are responsible for career development policy in conjunction with the HR Department and the Graduate School Office.

What does the career development policy involve?

The career development policy comprises several components:

Apply a clear talent policy vision
The university's career development policy is based on the following principles:

• Doctoral candidates are talented staff who make a key contribution to knowledge renewal. They perform research independently and are full-fledged members of a team (Human Resources).
  
  
• Doctoral candidates contribute to generating income for the faculty based on their output and external funding.
  
  
• Throughout their careers, doctoral candidates will continue to make an essential contribution to society, either through science or the community. Investing in the future means investing in their development and education.
  

Provide clarity on expectations
Postdocs are clear about the fact that they will be a postdoc for no more than three years and will leave after completing their postdoc period, or will move to the position of tenure tracker and become associate professor.

Offer a skills programme
Throughout all the career stages of young talent, the faculty obliges scientists to invest in themselves by pursuing training and education. For postdocs, the individual budget is used for this purpose. This provides young scientists a broad focus and employability skills as a result of which they can be employed in wider areas, rather than only in science. Since only one third of doctoral candidates find employment in science, the faculty aims to provide doctoral candidates a broader education.

The programme comprises goal-oriented, practical training in all career stages, such as goal-oriented work, planning, personal coaching, holding presentations, peer reviews and career development interviews. A course on ‘How to manage my professor’ is also available, the central theme of which is the relationship between a doctoral candidate and a professor.

Conduct an open dialogue between doctoral candidates and the university
A great deal of focus is placed on clarifying each other’s expectations and performance. A performance development review (PDR) session is therefore held each year with doctoral candidates, in which both the science director and the professor take part. The review mainly focuses on making performance and criteria tangible. A clear performance evaluation is used for this purpose.

A great deal of attention is also devoted to graduating students as well as researchers who fail to complete the programme. They are regarded as faculty ambassadors and the university assists them in finding appropriate work.

What makes the career development policy successful?

The policy is successful because of its integral character; it is transparent, offers a skills programme, a performance and development cycle and it incorporates the role of the scientific director. The dean is inspiring and shapes, implements and controls policy. The programme’s success moreover is attributable to looking one step ahead in respect of strategy for both the university and the doctoral candidate.

Whom and what do you need for the programme?

Apart from policy and tools, you need people to steer the programme. They are the relevant professors who serve as the link to the doctoral candidate and scientific director.

Why is it important to invest in young talent?

The university thrives on young talent. Since the elimination of chairs for which suitable candidates were sought, the university is increasingly driven by the research accompanying new talent. For that reason it is vital to provide talented students an environment where they can develop their potential. Such an environment goes hand in hand with a clear career development policy.

Why was the PhD programme structured in this manner?

As a result of the increasing mobility within the university, it is key that researchers continuously examine and consider the location where they have the opportunity to develop. The supply and demand of research positions does not always match seamlessly. It is therefore essential that a researcher has the option to consider a career outside the world of science. Looking ahead and investing in the right competencies ensures that people continue to develop their potential.

What are the future plans?

Apart from PhDs and postdocs, tenure trackers will receive this type of coaching. This means that the same culture of looking ahead and considering requirements, opportunities and competencies will be cultivated at all levels.

How is this best practice programme organised?

• Clearly communicate the importance of the policy to all those involved.
• Ensure clear communication with the doctoral candidate from day one.
• Ensure that career development policy is always discussed during PDR sessions and at all other times when looking ahead.