Monitor Working Conditions of PhD Candidates: less transparency and more than 10% dubious contracts

This morning, the Dutch PhD Network presented the results of a large-scale study on NPO Radio 1 into the employment conditions of PhD contracts in 2017-2018. In 2017, the number of dubious contracts, with insufficient research time for PhD candidates, increased further to 15%. In 2018, this percentage decreased slightly, but at the same time, the share of vacancies where the research time remained unclear doubled. This is concerning, as the 2018 collective labor agreement for universities stipulated that PhD contracts must, in principle, be for a minimum of four years (full-time).

In 2017, the share of dubious PhD contracts (with insufficient research time) increased to 15% (14.2% in 2016, 10.1% in 2015). This is according to the Employment Conditions Monitor conducted for the third time by the PhD Network Netherlands (PNN). In 2018, a decrease was observed for the first time, to 11.2%. However, universities and university medical centers were significantly less transparent in 2018. Compared to 2017, the number of vacancies that did not mention the length of a PhD contract almost doubled. This is worrying, especially since the 2018 collective labor agreement now includes a provision for the first time stipulating that PhD contracts are "in principle four years full-time." This provision may have had a counterproductive effect: instead of more fair contracts, transparency appears to have decreased. PNN therefore advocates for greater transparency to ensure that the four-year standard from the collective labor agreement is actually put into practice.

More short contracts

Another worrying development is the increase in contracts advertised for two years or less. A significant portion of these contracts are so-called PDEng contracts, which prepare participants at technical universities for a career in the business world. PNN is concerned that such programs are advertised as being "on par with a PhD program," as can be read on university websites. PDEng and PhD are different degrees. We therefore advocate for keeping them separate to prevent the erosion of the PhD system.

A positive development is the clear increase in vacancies mentioning possible teaching obligations during the PhD appointment: from 8.2% in 2015 to 20% in 2018. This is a positive development, but it still represents a minority of vacancies. Moreover, the teaching load remains unclear in almost two-thirds of the vacancies mentioning teaching obligations. This, too, demonstrates a lack of transparency. PNN is investigating this parameter because it is known that uncertainty about employment conditions increases the risk of mental health problems.

Data

For its Monitor, PNN used vacancy data from AcademicTransfer, the largest scientific vacancy website in the Netherlands.

PNN previously conducted research into the employment conditions of PhD candidates in 2015 and 2016. Both studies can be found on this page .

The 2017-2018 Employment Conditions Monitor can be found here:  PNN Employment Conditions Monitor 2017-2018.