More Women Researchers as University Lecturers (MEERVOUD)

In the Netherlands the percentage of women active in the natural sciences is inversely proportional to their position on the academic ladder. The Meervoud programme aims to help women postdocs become university lecturers by creating temporary (part-time) lecturer positions (or in the case of EW similar positions in institutes), with the added guarantee of obtaining a (different) scientific position within their research institution.

Who can apply

• Female researchers from Dutch universities working in disciplines that fall under the domain of the NWO Division for the Earth and Life Sciences (ALW) or of the NWO Division for Physical Sciences (EW; astronomy, computer sciences, and mathematics) may submit proposals;
• At the moment when the funded projects start, the candidate has either no appointment or a temporary appointment. Researchers with a temporary appointment within a tenure track but without a guaranteed tenured position may also apply;
• At least 60% of the available time is devoted to research.

For applications to ALW the following also applies:

• Medical proposals will not be declared admissible;
• The candidate must have obtained her PhD at least 3 years ago.

What can be applied for

The Meervoud programme has different subsidy forms:

• Duo-construction I is a sort of roof-tile construction for existing tenured lectureships. The duo consists of a tenured lecturer who will retire (early) in the near future and a woman (the candidate) who is willing to occupy the formative post of the lectureship. It is recommended (but not obligatory) that both occupy identical scientific disciplinary areas. With this temporary post the successor will tide over the period until the tenured lectureship becomes available. The transitional period (for which a subsidy can be claimed) lasts two years minimum and four years maximum;
• In Duo-construction II an existing full-time tenured lectureship is converted during a period of four years into two part-time posts. The posts can be filled by a woman and a man or by two women. The period for which subsidy can be granted lasts two years minimum and four years maximum; 
• Construction III facilitates an additional tenured lectureship, not associated with an existing one. The period for which subsidy can be granted lasts two years minimum and four years maximum.

NWO grants a subsidy for personnel costs equivalent to the amount of 0,6 FTE tenured lectureship with a maximum of four years and material costs of 6000 Euro yearly. The university contributes at least 0.2 fte towards a full salary of the candidate.

The research institute must guarantee a (different) tenure position for the candidate within their institution, subject to a positive end of term evaluation. The minimum FTE for this position is 0,8. In the case of Duo-construction II this applies to both researchers.

When can be applied

Closing date for submitting applications is 19 June 2012, 23:59 hrs

Extra Information

Please refer to the Meervoud brochure for further details.

Criteria

Research proposals will be assessed according to the following criteria: 

1. Quality of the candidate;
2. Scientific quality of the research proposal;
3. Innovative character of the proposal.

More information about the criteria is available in the Meervoud brochure. See under Documentation.

Procedure

• International referees then evaluate the proposals against criteria 1 to 3;
• Applicants are given the opportunity to submit a written rebuttal to the referees’ reports;
• An interview with the candidate can form part of the evaluation procedure;
• An evaluation committee compiles a prioritisation for the divisional board;
• The divisional board takes a funding decision.

Committees

Divisional assessment committees are installed consisting of 3 to 5 members.

Financiers

NWO Divisions Earth and Life Sciences (ALW) and Physical Sciences (EW)

Contacts

• Dr. K.M. Spoorendonk (ALW)
  phone: +31 (0)70 344 07 76, fax: +31 (0)70 381 90 33, e-mail: k.spoorendonk@nwo.nl
• Ms drs. M.L. van Duin (EW)
  phone: +31 (0)70 - 34 40 921, e-mail: m.vanduin@nwo.nl

Documentation for applying electronically