{"id":141497,"date":"2022-06-14T15:04:49","date_gmt":"2022-06-14T13:04:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/?p=141497"},"modified":"2025-12-19T11:26:20","modified_gmt":"2025-12-19T10:26:20","slug":"rector-wants-to-award-ius-promovendi-to-associate-professors-more-often-next-year","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/2022\/06\/14\/rector-wants-to-award-ius-promovendi-to-associate-professors-more-often-next-year\/","title":{"rendered":"Rector wants to award ius promovendi to associate professors more often next year"},"content":{"rendered":"

Until 2017, only professors had ius promovendi<\/em>, the right to be the head supervisor of doctoral candidates. After that, associate professors were also able to be supervisors. Last month\u2019s evaluation<\/a> of the new supervision right shows that Erasmus University has been quite reticent about awarding this right to associate professors.<\/p>\n

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\n\t\n\n<\/svg>\n<\/span>\n\tImage by:<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tLevien Willemse<\/a>\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>

At the end of 2020, you could count the number of associate professors at EUR with ius promovendi on two hands: 7 of the 215 (excluding Erasmus MC). By comparison, at some other universities, most if not all associate professors had been awarded this right. Reason for EUR to get more actively involved.<\/p>\n

Not a conscious policy<\/h2>

According to Nick den Hollander, policy officer for Academic Affairs at EUR, it was not a conscious policy at the university to be reticent about awarding ius promovendi to associate professors. \u201cWe used the guideline that was agreed by UNL. However, two universities (University of Maastricht and University of Amsterdam, eds.) chose their own path, which was to generically award ius promovendi to all associate professors. EUR decided to view each award individually: has someone successfully supervised doctoral candidates, are they a good researcher?\u201d<\/p>\n

Nevertheless, rector magnificus Annelien Bredenoord \u2013 as a member of the Young Academy a warm supporter of recognising the contribution of associate professors to a PhD programme \u2013 considered the low numbers a reason to discuss the report in the upcoming academic year with the Promotions Board (in which the rector consults deans). \u201cWe consider awarding more rights as a more attractive career perspective for mid-career scholars, which also better reflects the work that people put into the supervision and their expertise\u201d, says the rector in a response to the evaluation.<\/p>\n

Intensive supervision<\/h2>

The evaluation shows that the quality of the supervision of doctoral candidates has not fallen. The researchers say that a bigger pool of supervisors mainly offers opportunities, they say. The specific expertise of a supervisor can lead to a \u2018more targeted and intensive supervision\u2019, for example.<\/p>\n

It is not known whether expanding the right also resulted in an increase in associate professors from abroad, which was one of the goals of the new measure. However, universities feel \u2018supported in their recruitment policy\u2019 now that they may be able to award ius promovendi to more candidates.<\/p>\n

The researchers also offer the Minister of Education some recommendations. Among others, the researchers feel that it is important to have uniform standards for awarding the right to supervise doctoral candidates. If universities apply different rules<\/a>, this can obstruct \u2018cooperation and mobility between universities\u2019, the researchers say. Minister Dijkgraaf has already confirmed<\/a> that he will study the recommendations.<\/p>\n

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