What does the University of Groningen have to offer PhD candidates?

Groningen is a vibrant student city surrounded by green countryside. The city is easy to reach from the Randstad/Schiphol airport (approx. 2 hours by train) and offers plenty of living space, both in the city itself and in the surrounding area.

In Groningen, there is an International School for school-age children (in primary and secondary education) which provides English-language education.

The University of Groningen is keen to ensure that its staff members maintain a good work-life balance. We are an inclusive academic community, for everyone. There are a number of things we do to cultivate this inclusive culture:

• As a PhD student, you can manage your own diary; you have the freedom to organize your time in a way that suits you. Thanks to our digital work environment, you also have the option of working from a location other than your workplace at the University.
• As a University staff member, you are also entitled to paid and/or unpaid parental leave, and may be eligible for sabbatical or special care leave.
• Finally, the University can also assist your partner in finding a job in the Groningen area through our Dual-Career Support service. Your HR advisor can tell you more about this.

At the University of Groningen, your talent is highly valued. As a PhD student, you are supported throughout your PhD programme by your supervisor. Your supervisor helps you to connect with the international academic community and supports you with the next steps in your (academic) career. In addition to support from your PhD supervisors, you can also benefit from the many training courses offered by the University’s Corporate Academy.

• Corporate Academy: The Corporate Academy offers a wide range of courses, such as language courses, and courses on how to supervise thesis students, how to achieve a good work-life balance as a PhD student and how to give presentations with an impact. The Corporate Academy also offers career development courses and it has its own career advisors who are happy to offer ideas and advice on how to further develop your career once you have completed your PhD programme.
• R&O interview: In the annual Results and Development interview (R&O interview), you can discuss and evaluate your development with your supervisor, as well as look to the year ahead and come up with a plan as to how you can get the most out of your talents. This development interview is based on the principle of reciprocity – you also have the opportunity to give feedback to your supervisor.

We want you to feel at home here. We are an inclusive and open academic community. We safeguard this inclusiveness through a range of initiatives. We regard a diverse, inclusive organization as a precondition for sustainable success in an international environment, as well as for recruiting and retaining highly talented people. As such, we always strive to create an inclusive environment in which staff and students of all talents actively participate and in which their input is valued, regardless of nationality/ethnicity, gender, age, sexual orientation, life principles and occupational or functional impairment.

• International cooperation requires cultural sensitivity, both within and outside the University. It is precisely for this reason that the University of Groningen invests in the development of intercultural competences among all its staff members.
• The University has a dual language policy: all online communication is available in both Dutch and English. English is also often spoken in the workplace since the University employs people from all over the world.
• The University has a zero-tolerance policy when it comes to inappropriate behaviour. Workshops are organized for staff members so that everyone knows which steps to follow if they observe or experience inappropriate behaviour.
• International staff members are supported throughout their immigration process by HR staff and the International Welcome Centre North, a central point that handles all issues relating to immigration.
• The University of Groningen is committed to gender diversity. One of the initiatives introduced at the University to increase the number of women in academic positions is the Rosalind Franklin Fellowship programme, which offers academic positions for talented female scientists.

Current Issues

The University of Groningen is a socially involved university, whose academics contribute to the debate on current issues in society. This is reflected in the University’s three research spearheads:

• Energy
• Healthy Ageing
• Sustainable Society

The University contributes to resolving current issues in society by studying these three themes from the perspective of a variety of disciplines.

Sustainability

The University of Groningen is the most sustainable university in the Netherlands. It has reached place 7 of the worldwide UI Greenmetric Ranking of World Universities 2020. Sustainability is emphasized in the University’s teaching and research, as well as in its business operations and in the construction of new buildings. Read more about sustainability.

Apprenticeships

The University also demonstrates its social involvement in other ways, for example by offering apprenticeships to students in senior secondary vocational education (MBO) and universities of applied science (HBO). In November 2010 the ECABO knowledge centre held a satisfaction survey among the 28 MBO students who were following a professional training course in the field of administration via a University of Groningen apprenticeship. On a scale of 1 to 10, as an employer they gave the University an 8+ mark. Read more about apprenticeships.

Green Office

Green Office Groningen is a department of the university lead by students and staff members. The Green Office coordinates and initiates projects related to sustainability at the University. We connect, inform, and inspire students and staff members about how to act more sustainable and show them why this is important.

Would you like to know more about our Green Office, please visit our website.

The University of Groningen promotes health and fitness among its staff.

BALANS

The University’s Health, Safety and Environment department (AMD, Arbo- en Milieudienst) has developed the BALANS lifestyle programme.

More information about the BALANS lifestyle programme can be found on their website.

SPR Sports

Sports enthusiasts are welcome to join the SPR, the joint sports association of the University of Groningen and Hanze University of Applied Sciences Groningen, where they can play sports individually or participate in activities such as football and tennis tournaments.