Erasmus University Rotterdam is placing impact-driven education at the core of its educational activities, transforming its educational portfolio with a focus on building student competencies to engage with the complex challenges our society is facing. To this end, the program Impact at the Core develops – in cocreation with the various schools – all kinds of impact-driven education within Erasmus University Rotterdam.

In the past years, educational activities have been designed or strengthened in which students work with real time problems with outside parties involved. Examples are the course Design Atelier in which public administration students gain experience in the ever-changing practice of the public sector and learn skills to make an impact in that practice while working in groups on a design assignment that is provided by a client from the public sector. Or co-creating a philosophical internship in Bachelor 3 in which students work on a wicked problem of an organization, and a preparatory course in which students work towards their development as what could be called an impact-driven philosopher or ‘philosophical professional’. Working on these unstructured and complex challenges teaches students to acknowledge the complexity, as well as the various perspectives and values in understanding today’s urgencies. 

In our education we are currently designing new approaches and building learning environments that meet this challenge. We focus on how to activate and educate students and unleash their academic competencies. However, we don’t know whether our current practice is helping our students. Erasmus University strives for evidence-based innovations and we therefore need to understand what it takes from students, teachers, and outside parties to better understand the complex challenges we are faced with. But also, what effect our designs have on the actual learning experience of the student and how it is accelerating their impact capacity.

Your tasks
To learn how we can further improve our efforts, we are looking for two researchers who will examine the relation between the design and implementation of impact-driven education and the ultimate impact (thus within the educational context) that is realized. Ideally one researcher is more experienced (post-doc, having a Ph.D. degree in a relevant discipline), while the other candidate is graduated in a relevant discipline (Junior Researcher).

• Combining qualitative research and in-depth case studies to grasp the complexities of educational practices;
• Combine with the systematic, survey-based monitoring efforts and already developed evaluation model;
• Help strengthen our current research into didactic measures;
• Examining the needs and outcomes of impact education as defined in the above for all parties concerned: teachers, students, and outside parties.

You will work closely together with the Academic Lead and other post-doc in the Impact at the Core team.

• Knowledge of/affinity with higher education and impact-driven education;
• Experience with doing research. Demonstrated experience with qualitative research methods, such as working in co-creation or in action research setting with design and learning sessions and some experience with quantitative research methods and analyses is desirable;
• Experience with writing articles for scientific and non-scientific audiences, e.g. website pieces, (advisory) reports;
• Experience in higher education research is a plus;
• Team-oriented, enthusiastic, intrinsically driven personality;
• Flexible, accurate and able to work independently but also in co-creation;
• Excellent oral and written communication in Dutch and/or English.

Fixed-term contract: 1 year.

An internationally oriented and varied job in an enthusiastic team, with good terms of employment in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities (CAO NU).

The employment contract is for a period of 1 year and can be extended with good performance and unchanged operating conditions. The salary depends on your knowledge and experience and with a full-time appointment;

• As a junior researcher between € 2,960 and € 4,670 gross per month (Scale 10).
• As a post-doc between € 3,974 and € 5,439 gross per month (Scale 11).

Intended start date is as soon as possible.

The EUR has attractive employment conditions, including 8% holiday pay, a year-end bonus of 8.3% and a very generous leave scheme. Furthermore, the EUR is affiliated with the ABP pension scheme and we offer partially paid parental leave. Employees can also make use of EUR facilities, such as the Erasmus sports center and the university library.

The EUR offers a Dual Career Program (DCP) to help partners of new scientific staff find work in the Netherlands. The programme is offered in close cooperation with the nearby universities of Delft and Leiden.

Erasmus University Rotterdam aspires to be an equitable and inclusive community. We nurture an open culture, where everyone is supported to fulfill their full potential. We see inclusivity of talent as the basis of our successes, and the diversity of perspectives and people as a highly valued outcome. EUR provides equal opportunities to all employees and applicants regardless of gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, religion, ethnicity, age, neurodiversity, functional impairment, citizenship, or any other aspect which makes them unique. We look forward to welcoming you to our community.

Internal candidates have priority over external candidates.

Erasmus University Rotterdam

Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR) is an internationally oriented university with a strong social orientation in its education and research, as expressed in our mission ‘Creating positive societal impact’. EUR is home to 3.700 academics and professionals and almost 33.000 students from more than 140 countries. Everything we do, we do under the credo The Erasmian Way – Making Minds Matter. We’re global citizens, connecting, entrepreneurial, open-minded, and socially involved. These Erasmian Values function as our internal compass and create EUR’s distinctive and recognizable profile. From these values, with a broad perspective and with an eye for diversity, different backgrounds and opinions, our employees work closely together to solve societal challenges from the dynamic and cosmopolitan city of Rotterdam. Thanks to the high quality and positive societal impact of our research and education, EUR can compete with the top European universities.

The General Administration (ABD)
As a central staff organisation, the General Administration (ABD) is responsible for organising policy support at the institutional level. The ABD supports the Executive Board (CvB) in exercising its responsibility for the quality, accessibility and financing of education and research. The ABD takes care of the joint design of integral policy, the timely submission of this policy for decision-making, ensures (partly) that the policy is implemented and carries out continuous monitoring and evaluation with a view to improvements. The department is formed by the Academic Affairs departments, the Chief Information Officer Office, Corporate Planning & Control, Administrative Affairs, Legal Affairs and Strategy Office. The independent Erasmus Magazine is also part of the ABD. The administration department is headed by the Director of General Administration (also Secretary of the Executive Board).