Become a member

Each academic year the Young Academy organises a selection procedure for up to seven new members. All scientific staff members of the University of Groningen and UMCG who fulfill the following criteria are eligible for membership:

• The applicant has received his/her first PhD degree less than 10 years before applying for Young Academy membership (measured from the date of the call). This period may be extended up to a maximum of 2 years in case of pregnancy (12 months per child), illness or childcare (formal reduction in working hours), or training in a clinical specialism (total aggregated time spent on training).
• The applicant exhibits academic excellence.
• The applicant is an independent researcher pursuing his/her own research topic.
• The applicant is an ambassador for the University and for science.
• The applicant has a proven track record in at least one of the following areas: science policy, societal challenges and knowledge transfer, outreach initiatives, diversity and internationalisation, interdisciplinarity.

In line with the international character of the University of Groningen, the Young Academy conducts its business in English and therefore knowledge of the Dutch language is not required for membership.

University of Groningen/UMCG Members of the Dutch Young Academy (De Jonge Academie) do not need to apply for membership as they are selected as members of the Young Academy Groningen by virtue of their DJA membership.

In selecting new members, the Young Academy Groningen will seek a fair representation of the University’s different faculties, disciplines, Dutch and international staff, an even “time after PhD defence” and gender distribution. Members are elected for five years (non-renewable).

Read more about our missions, and our rules and regulations.

Belonging of the Young Academy Groningen provides members with many benefits, including:

• Meet excellent young scientists from all over the university to forge interdisciplinary ties and set up joint projects
• Extend your network and profit from peer-to-peer support
• Develop and voice your views on science policy in all its aspects and become involved in the University’s science policy
• Prepare for membership in national and international science organisations and boards
• Set up interdisciplinary research projects with the Young Academy’s PhD positions
• Put your ideas for research and research-related activities in practice with the Young Academy’s budget and with your own personal budget.

The University supports the Young Academy by providing a budget for these and other projects and activities, a budget per member, and three PhD positions for interdisciplinary research. Young Academy members are free to set up and pursue their own projects and activities while furthering the goals of the YAG.

Young Academy members also have the opportunity to participate in a Media Training and Communications Course offered through HR Experts and Hakuna Matata Training. We also offer assistance for career and talent development initiatives, leadership and professional development training, coaching, mentoring, or other personal development requests.

Listen to what our members themselves say about their membership by wathcing our Lustrum video!

Every academic year up to seven new members will be selected to join the Young Academy Groningen.

Members are academic researchers who have obtained their PhD within the last 10 years (see eligibility criteria above) and are selected based on both their excellent academic achievements and their enthusiasm towards developing broader academic perspectives, such as science policy, outreach, diversity and internationalization, and interdisciplinary research.

Selecting new members will involve an open call for applications which includes submitting two documents as PDFs:

1. A CV of no more than 500 words* (submitted as PDF) detailing your academic career excellence, including:

• past research performance success indicators (eg: your top publications, grants you have obtained, research awards you have received, outreach, examples of societal impact, etc.),
• teaching performance indicators (eg: teaching or lecture awards, teaching innovations, etc.),
• invited presentations or lectures at conferences or other notable events in your field,
• other indicators you feel exemplifies your academic career excellence.
• be creative with your CV and do take the opportunity to make use of hyperlinks to any material that you feel exemplifies your most notable career contributions.

2. A Letter of Motivation  of no more than 500 words* (submitted as PDF) including answers to the following questions:

1. What makes you an excellent candidate for membership to the Young Academy Groningen?
2. How would you contribute to the Young Academy Groningen?
3. How is your broad interest in interdisciplinary research, research policy, diversity and internationalisation and/or outreach exemplified?

*Do not forget to mention your name and word count in the header of your submitted documents. This will NOT be counted in the word count. Please note that applications not mentioning word count will not be considered.

The call for new members to join the Young Academy Groningen in 2024 is open. You may apply for this position until Thursday 23 November 11:59pm / before 24 November 2023 Dutch local time (CET) by means of the application form.

See our Eligibility requirements to see whether you are eligible for membership to the Young Academy Groningen.

Are you wondering: what is an early career researcher exactly? Do you identify yourself as an ECR?

If you have obtained your PhD within the last ~10 years and are pursuing independent academic research (ie: are a postdoc, a tenure, tenure-track or non-tenure track academic staff member at the RUG or UMCG) you are considered an early career researcher (ECR).

As an ECR at the UG or UMCG, would you enjoy being involved with the Young Academy or with a peer network of researchers at the University who are in a similar career stage?

If the answer is yes, there are two ways to connect with the Young Academy Groningen:

1.Each year we seek new enthusiastic ECRs to join the Young Academy. The call for new members is open each year in November. Please see our website for more information on how to apply and eligibility criteria.

2. Since ECRs are from diverse faculties and disciplines at the University, it can be quite challenging to reach out and connect with all of you. We as the Young Academy Groningen want to create a peer network of ECRs at the University. If you would like to be involved, please join our mailing list to find out about events and happenings, membership calls, and policy related matters where we welcome your input as an ECR. To join our mailing list, please click here.

I hear about all these great organizations, YAG, YARN, YoungRUG, but what exactly are they?

We are the Young Academy Groningen (YAG), a group of early career researchers from all Faculties at the UG and UMCG. We are modelled after the Dutch National Young Academy but at the local University level. YAG members are academic early career researchers employed at the UG or UMCG and have obtained their PhD within the last 10 years. Each year we hold a round for selecting new members.

YARN is the Young Arts Network, specifically for junior faculty within the Faculty of Arts. For more information about YARN you can email Martijn Wieling .

YoungRUG is an initiative for young support staff (OBP staff) with a focus on networking, professional development, and institutional knowledge sharing. For more information about YoungRUG, please send them an email.

What if I only have a short-term contract with the University/UMCG? Am I still eligible for membership to the Young Academy Groningen?

Yes. The criteria for membership is that you have received your PhD within the last 10 years and are employed at the University of Groningen or UMCG at the date of application deadline. Membership in the YAG is for 5 years, but this does not necessarily mean you must have a contract that covers the duration of your time in the YAG should you be selected as a member.

(Note: members who no longer have a contract with the University are automatically given YAG Alumni status. Membership in the YAG does not ensure that any University employment contract will be continued).