PNN’s Response to the Raad van State Ruling

Yesterday, the Raad van State, the highest administrative court in the Netherlands, ruled that Wageningen University was justified in retracting the doctoral degree of one of its former PhD candidates. This ruling resolves the legal uncertainty surrounding whether the College voor Promoties (Doctorate Board) has the authority to revoke a doctoral degree in cases of breaches of academic integrity standards.

PNN Chair Van Wanrooij welcomed the clarification but emphasized that such measures must remain exceptional. “Retracting a doctoral degree should never become common practice and should not apply to honest mistakes or unintended errors. It must remain strictly reserved for serious violations of academic integrity,” Van Wanrooij stated.

PNN underscores the importance of robust procedures before awarding doctoral degrees to prevent such situations from occurring. High-quality supervision plays a crucial role in safeguarding academic standards and reducing risks. Strengthening supervision remains a key priority for PNN, as detailed in our document “PhD Policy: Recommendations and Best Practices” (June 2023). Here, we emphasize the need for institutionalized supervision feedback mechanisms and the inclusion of independent mentors in PhD trajectories. By implementing these recommendations, the integrity and credibility of doctoral research in the Netherlands can be further safeguarded.