The LEaDing Fellow Programme will serve as an instrument to articulate the role of the postdoc position in the career line of researchers having obtained their PhD. The programme helps postdocs to broaden their perspective on opportunities inside and outside of academia. Training will be organized individually, based on the Fellow’s research training plan.

Applicants should propose an individual training programme of their own choice. The training programme should be a well aligned choice of research skills and non-academic, transferable skills. On top of that meaningful cooperation and exposure to extra-university sectors is also an important part for the career development of a fellow.

Research/Entrepreneurial skills

Throughout academia the number of researchers-in-training obtaining a PhD surpasses that of positions for tenured staff. Simultaneously, there is a societal need for highly-educated and trained personnel. The LEaDing Fellow Programme aims at addressing this discrepancy. Applicants can choose to either developing specialised research skills and expertise beyond their PhD research, or broadening their skills portfolio in fields of research adjacent to their PhD topic.

Transferable skills
Simultaneously, the programme also provides the fellows with an opportunity to orient themselves on professional prospects outside of the field of scientific research through contacts and internships. Organized training opportunities are available and fellows will have chances to gain experience in non-discipline or research specific skills of their choice though courses on offer via HR departments and at Graduate Schools. Each fellow will choose and attend at least three courses in transferable skills from those provided. For example courses in time management, sustainable entrepreneurship, effective networking, business model generation, presentation and negotiation skills, personal leadership, Project management, etc.

Secondments

To accomplish meaningful cooperation and exposure to extra-university sectors fellows could carry secondments. LEaDing Fellow Partners have close collaboration with industries and organizations as Philips, Siemens, DSM, HP, Port of Rotterdam, Schiphol Airport, Dupont, Janssen Biologics, Johnson & Johnson and many others. These organizations and municipalities, regional and national governing bodies, can be available for secondments. This offers fellows outstanding opportunities for networking both within and outside of academia. Fellows can arrange their secondment in collaboration with their supervisor.

All partner’ Graduate Schools or HR departments offer courses in both research and transferable skills.