Doctoral education experiment

The Netherlands is internationally known as a country with a good research climate; there is a lot of high-quality research being published. PhD candidates play an important role in this, and they account for over a third of all academic personnel. Although most PhD candidates are employed at the university as a PhD candidate, there are also other ways to pursue a PhD without being employed at the university.  

Scholarship PhD candidates most commonly receive a scholarship from an (international) funder. However, in the past we have seen a few other situations as well. The doctoral education experiment refers to an experiment that took place between 2016 and 2024 in The Netherlands, in which universities could appoint PhD candidates not as employees, but as students. Rather than receive a salary, these PhD students would receive a grant from the university. They also would not accrue pension, they would have no vacation days, and no right to their own workplace. The idea was that this would present an opportunity for PhD education, similar to a (research) master degree, which is also how it is done in many other countries. Although these PhD students would not have the same rights as an employed PhD candidate, they would have more freedom in choosing a topic and wouldn’t be obliged to teach. Of course, in practice it was difficult to refuse teaching, and many of these PhD students’ trajectories would end up similar to that of an employed PhD candidate. 

PNN has always opposed the introduction of this doctoral education experiment and associated “PhD student” system, and has expressed this extensively in the media as well. A PhD is work, and should be treated as such. 

Despite negative advice from the Council of State on the amendment of the Higher Education Act in January 2013, the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science went ahead with the experiment. This bestluit experiment promotieonderwijs was submitted to the Parliament in 2015 and was approved. The experiment started in 2016 at the University of Groningen (with approximately 850 places) and Erasmus University Rotterdam (15 places). One of the conditions for introducing this experiment was that an interim evaluation would take place to prevent these PhD students from being disadvantaged if the experiment turned out to be less positive.

Right from the start, the experiment met with criticism, as described by Science Guide, the Jonge Akademie, labour unions and student organizations such as ISO and LSVB. Shortly after the introduction of the experiment, objections from the PhD students arose, including at PNN. They felt that they were second-rate PhD candidates, because they had to do the same work as "regular" (employed) PhD candidates but with worse working conditions. Furthermore, they believed that the promised benefits of the experiment, such as more freedom, were not lived up to.

In the spring of 2019, the research bureau CHEPS presented a midterm report. PNN was of the opinion that this midterm evaluation did not provide the answers to the questions that needed to be answered in this midterm evaluation. Please see our extensive response to this. Unfortunately, under pressure from the Parliament, Minister Van Engelshoven nevertheless promised to continue the experiment. This meant that universities were able to reapply from 2020 onwards. This time, only the University of Groningen accepted PhD candidates under this program. 

In 2019, a group of 48 MD/PhD candidates who were part of this experiment, opened a lawsuit against the University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG). They demanded to be recognised as employees and compensated as such. In 2022, the court disagreed with this group, in favour of the UMCG. Following this, the group appealed and won the appeal in May 2023. The UMCG then appealed themselves as well in August 2023. By appealing to the Supreme Court, the previous decisions may be overturned. After almost two more years, in March 2025, the Supreme Court rejected this appeal and decided in favour of the MD-PhD candidates. PNN has welcomed this decision, and has since worked with the AOb to organise a collective action for other PhD candidates who were part of this experiment. 

Currently, in March 2026, this case is still ongoing. PNN is closely involved in these developments. Through this page and our news releases, we try to keep you up-to-date. If you have any questions or experience any problems with your own appointment, you can always contact us via info@hetpnn.nl or via universiteiten@hetpnn.nl 

Relevant press-releases: 

08/02/2011: Scholars: dramatic measure

02/12/2013: PNN raises concerns and makes recommendations for PhD student experiment

11/09/2015: Leiden University council puts an end to PhD student experiment

19/01/2016: Council of State critical of PhD student

30/04/2019: PNN sounds the alarm: no independent evaluation of PhD education experiment

03/07/2019: PNN response to interim evaluation of PhD education experiment

03/12/2019: PhDs demand the termination of the experiment with PhD Scholarship students

04/02/2020: Manifesto against experiment with promotional education presented to the House of Representatives

10/06/2020: Scholarship PhD candidates do not experience more freedom in their research than employee PhD candidates

12/01/2022: PhD Network Netherlands disappointed with the outcome of the MD/PhD lawsuit

18/05/2023: PNN satisfied with the ruling in MD/PhD case

04/08/2023: PNN regrets Supreme Court appeal by UMCG in the MD/PhD case

28/03/2025: PRESS RELEASE – PNN welcomes Supreme Court ruling: UMCG PhD scholarship candidates must be considered employees