Top Talent

The memorandum ‘Onderzoekstalent op waarde geschat’ [Recognising research talent] from the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science contains initiatives for making a PhD study more attractive. One of these initiatives is to give young, creative talent the chance to determine the research content of their PhD. The minister has therefore made a sum of 16 million euros available in the period 2007-2010 for a subsidy programme aimed at this target group. In consultation with VSNU (Association of Universities in the Netherlands), NWO has set up a prestigious programme aimed at graduating top talent who have their own creative research ideas. Two subsidy rounds will be held: the first round of subsidies has been awarded in 2007 and the next in 2008. Successful candidates can start their PhD study as soon as they have graduated.

Who can apply

The Governing Bodies of the 13 Dutch universities charged with conducting scientific research and the Open Universiteit Nederland can submit a limited number of applications to NWO (see allocation scale). The program is intended for highly talented students enrolled in the final year of a two-year research-based Master’s course at the university . Candidates of a comparable level may be allowed to participate by the university as well. Students should have obtained their Master’s degree not before September 1st 2007 and due to complete it no later than September 2008. Students are allowed only once to participate as candidates in the Toptalent program. For further information see the Top Talent programme brochure 2008.

What can be applied for

The individual lump sum subsidies pay a maximum of € 180,000 for the PhD position (on basis of the personnel costs of a 4-year PhD appointment and a very limited payment for the associated research costs). The subsidies are funded by NWO, and the university is responsible for any possible additional costs, technical and support services, and the supervision of the student.

Extra Information

Allocation scale
An allocation scale has been drawn up for the submission of applications, based on the number of students per university. The maximum number of candidates that could have been proposed to NWO by a Governing Body was: 17 for Utrecht University, 15 for Universiteit van Amsterdam, 14 for University of Groningen, 11 for Erasmus University Rotterdam, 11 for Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, 10 for Leiden University, 10 for Radboud Universiteit Nijmegen, 8 for Delft University of Technology, 7 for Maastricht University, 7 for Tilburg University, 5 for University of Twente, 5 for Eindhoven University of Technology, 5 for Wageningen University and Research Centre, and 5 for Open Universiteit Nederland. No allocation scale was applicable to the subsidies.

Criteria

Complete information about the criteria could be found in the Top Talent brochure 2008.

Procedure

University selection
The universities first make an internal selection of candidates. As part of this process the candidates write a very brief research proposal as prescribed on the NWO form. The research proposal spans the duration of a PhD study: a period of 4 years (or in the case of a part-time position a maximum of 5 years). Additionally the candidates must provide a letter of recommendation from a professor at a Dutch university who is prepared to act as the student's supervisor if the subsidy is awarded. The internal selection of the candidates and the putting forward of a limited number of candidates to NWO (see allocation scale) is the responsibility of the Governing Bodies. They are responsible for ensuring an open and transparent procedure. Names of contact persons at the universities can be found in the Top Talent brochure 2008.

NWO selection
Following the selection and nomination of candidates by the universities, NWO selects the most talented students. The candidates will be assessed on the basis of their personal qualities and on the quality of their research plan. The highest-scoring candidates will be invited for an interview.

Budget

For 2008 the budget will be about 7.6 million euros. The intention is to honour about 42 very good applications.

Financiers

Ministry of Education, Culture and Science.

Contacts

• Ms H. (Hanneke) Dekker
  phone: +31 (0)70 349 40 11, e-mail: h.dekker@nwo.nl