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 similar positions in institutes), with the added guarantee of obtaining a (different) scientific position within their research institution.

Who can apply

The institute that submits the application selects the candidates. Applications are always submitted to one of the participating NWO divisions.

For applications to the Division for the Earth and Life Sciences, the applicant must realise her MEERVOUD project and the subsequent fixed-term assistant professorship at a university or university medical centre. For the Division for Physical Sciences, MEERVOUD also still applies to employees at a research institute recognised by NWO.

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 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 3 May 2010, 12:00 hrs

Criteria

NWO assesses the research proposals according to the following scientific criteria:

• Fitting in the NWO Division where the research proposal has been submitted;
• Innovative character of the proposal;
• Scientific quality of the research proposal;
• Quality of the candidate.

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

Procedure

• The Division Board involved pass judgement on the compatability with the Division where the research proposal is submitted.
• International referees decide on the proposals using the criteria 2-4.
• Applicants may submit written repartees to these assessments.
• An interview with the candidate can be part of the procedure.
• The Division Board then makes a decision concerning the grant based on the proposal, reports by the referees, repartee, if applicable the interview, and a prioritisation advice of the advisory committee for assessments.
• If there are more favourably assessed applications than available positions, NWO will rank the applications such that those whose scientific contents have been judged best are ranked highest.
• The Division Boards for Earth and Life Sciences and Physical Sciences decide once a year (November) on the applications submitted before the deadlines.

Financiers

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

Contacts

• Mw. drs. L.H.W. Noor (ALW)
  phone: +31 (0)70 344 08 20, fax: +31 (0)70 381 90 33, e-mail: l.noor@nwo.nl
• Mw. dr. ir. E.C. (Christiane) Klöditz (EW)
  phone: 070 - 344 05 61, e-mail: c.kloditz@nwo.nl

Documentation for applying electronically