Application HR Excellence European Committee
Contents
Summary
1. Introducing Wageningen University and Research Centre
2. Towards HR Excellence:
Goal
Analysis
Approach
Interviews
Overview sources (Appendix1)
3. Charter and Code: legislation, institutional rules and practices
I Ethical and professional aspects
II Recruitment
III Working conditions and social security
IV Training
4. Gap analysis
4.1
4.2
4.3
4.4
Evaluation of Tenure Track Wageningen University
Workshop for researchers
Evaluation Performance and Development Interviews
Wageningen University: a critical reflection
Institutional quality assurance assessment 2012
4.5 Gap analysis by the project group
5. Gaps, required actions and timetable
5.1
5.2
5.3
5.4
5.5
Gaps according to the
Gaps according to the
Gaps according to the
Gaps according to the
Actions and timetable
Appendix 1
Tenure Track Evaluation Committee
researchers
critical reflection (review committee of the NVAO)
project group
Overview of HR Strategy for Researchers incorporating
Charter and Code (Excel file)
1
Summary
The gap analysis has been carried out making use of the recommendations of the Tenure Track
Evaluation Committee, a workshop organised for the researchers and the project group of
corporate staff. The Committee consulted all the stakeholders within the most important
evaluation and appraisal system of Wageningen University namely tenure track. The researchers
and the project group focussed on all the EC codes.
Three gaps in terms of EC codes were identified by one or two groups. They are described
below:
a. Evaluation/ appraisal systems
b. Postdoctoral appointments
c. Gender balance
Based on the gap analysis an action plan including timetables was set by the Executive Board of
Wageningen UR. The implementation of the action plan was assigned to the Director Corporate
HR of Wageningen UR in cooperation with Managing Directors and HR departments of the
Science Groups.
Publication
Almost all documents will be available at the Wageningen UR Intranet in English; the Application
will be published on the public website of Wageningen UR.
Gaps according to the Tenure Track Evaluation Committee
11
Evaluation/ appraisal systems
Change and improvement of the Tenure Track system is needed along three lines:
1. Clear choices for top talent and quality by:
a)
strong and independent BACs that reflect the required authority
b)
a transparent BAC advice that includes both an advice to the General Director
and a development advice to the TT candidate
c)
focus on the quality of BAC advice, instead of a more elaborate credit point
system
d)
more explicit recognition of the TT candidate’s competences and activities that
benefit WU in the BAC advice
2. Organise the capacity for learning and improvement by organising possibilities for an
exchange of best practises, synchronisation and tuning:
a.
regular meetings by representatives of Departmental BACs and HR
b.
continuity in membership of Departmental BACs that allow for a memory of
practices
c.
organising an exchange of experiences and best practises of supervising chairs
3. Better information & communication, and clarity on roles & responsibilities:
a.
All parties must take responsibility for being well informed about their roles &
responsibilities within the TT system, and approach each other on these in a pro-active
manner: “Taking your Responsibility” is the key factor for improving Tenure Track.
b.
The internet information needs improvement.
c.
Better communication is needed, esp. to inform existing and potential Tenure
Trackers and chair holders.
d.
One organisation-wide, uniform and clear procedure/regulation for BACs is
needed to clarify and sharpen uniform working procedures.
Gaps according to the researchers
During the workshop for researchers two gaps between codes and institutional policies.
Gender balance was not experienced as a gap by the researchers.
11
Evaluation/ appraisal systems
Researchers underline the important of independent selection committees. It is important for
the research institutes of Wageningen UR to further develop the career paths of the researchers.
At this moment this is in progress.
21
Postdoctoral appointments (Code)
The post doc position has been discussed. Despite their ambitions most post docs do not get a
permanent position within the Dutch universities.
If the position is temporary the post doc knows when this ends. The number of extensions of a
contract with an organisation is limited by law. But should be further limited.
The researchers noticed that temporary contract can be a ‘danger’ for the strategic goals of the
organisation.
The coaching and supervision of postdocs and junior researchers can be optimized. “We do not
have dedicated mentors. Mentorship is part of management responsible.”
2
Gaps according to the project group
The project group identified two gaps between codes and institutional policies.
21
Postdoctoral appointments (Code)
Policy on this issue has been developed taking in consideration the duration of the
appointments. The policy points out the transitional position of ‘postdocs’ by the preparation to
the next career step and the long term prospects. Only to a few excellent researchers
Wageningen UR can offer a research career or a permanent position within the academic staff.
Spin offs of further developed knowledge of Wageningen UR, aiming at commercial applications
in cooperation with third parties, are part of the policy of starting new businesses (StartLife).
Among others, students and PhD’s, postdocs are stimulated to entrepreneurial activities.
27
Gender balance
There is a clear gender balance in the academic and supporting staff except for the associate
and full professors and top management within the organisation. Measurements and activities
are taken to improve the balance in gender equality, especially the numbers of men and women
in higher positions.
5.5 Actions and timetable
11
Evaluation/ appraisal systems
Action 1 Introducing basic requirements for career trajectories, especially for researchers
Deliverables (Corporate HR and HR departments December 2012)
Checklist on agreed results according to job profile, programme reviews, internal and external
project evaluation
Action 2 Redefining long term strategic personnel planning due to aging and retirement
Deliverables (Corporate HR and HR departments November 2012)
Report holding the analysis of staff development 2012-2017
Adjusted Strategic personnel plans of Sciences Groups and other units
Action 3 Monitoring and annually reporting the improvement of performance and development
interviews in terms of enlargement of the percentage interviews (80% to 85%) and individual
career development plans
Deliverables (Corporate HR March 2012 and 2013)
Annual reports on performance and development interviews
Action 4 Implementing the recommendations of Tenure Track Evaluation Committee
Deliverables (Corporate HR March till December 2012)
Improved website on tenure track policy
Improved and uniform composition of assessment committees
Brochure Tenure Track
Manual for the tenure track recruitment and selection procedure
Format for the tenure track review committee agenda
Format for the tenure track review committee recommendation
Format for tenure track personal file including Models A and B assessment list achieved credits
Personal tenure track development plan
21
Postdoctoral appointments (Code)
Action 5 Recommendations on the development and management of track record, educational
experience, development of networks
Career and duration of contract
- to offer the absolute top talent an opportunity for a scientific career at Wageningen UR (based
on European and national grants, scientific output and international experience);
- post-doctoral researchers need to work on their track record;
- assign other duties to develop the CV: the supervision of PhD and MSc students, education
and project management;
- no stacking of appointments of post-doctoral researchers (max one extension);
- post-doctoral researchers need to be offered new prospects outside the university, Alternatives
need to be initiated in good time, i.e. at least one year before departure.
Spin offs of further developed knowledge of Wageningen UR, aiming at commercial applications
in cooperation with third parties, are part of the policy of starting new businesses (StartLife).
Among others, students and PhD’s, postdocs are stimulated to entrepreneurial activities.
Deliverables (Corporate HR, Corporate E&R, Wageningen Graduate Schools June 2013)
Top Talent programmes of Wageningen Graduate Schools
Workshops on Postdoc Career Development for postdocs and professors in order to:
Increase awareness of and start the dialogue between postdocs and their professors
about what is expected from a post-doc and the post-doc career development
Identify obstacles in career planning for post docs
Find possible solutions for the identified obstacles
3
Talent as a researcher
- post-doctoral researchers need to be practical and skilled in carrying out experiments,
creative, and able to devise original questions to be addressed by their research. They need to
be highly competent in scientific methods, the use of models, the synthesis of new ideas,
succeed in raising funds (entrepreneurship) and possess an international drive;
- the chair group needs to offer post-doctoral researchers an inspirational working environment.
- the above can be implemented in recruitment and selection.
The Talents & Topics programme is an example of a successful approach.
Deliverables (Wageningen Graduate Schools June 2013)
Top Talent programmes of Wageningen Graduate Schools
Recruitment and selection
- Recruitment and selection needs to be focused even more on the acquisition of top talent;
- Female candidate post-doctoral researchers deserve more recognition. Female internal
candidates must receive more support in the fulfilment of their ambitions.
Deliverables (Corporate HR June 2013)
Improved recruitment site Wageningen UR
Competence development and courses
- competence and personal development of post-doctoral researchers
- encouraging researchers to follow courses and providing career advice. Budgets for training
and advice need to be granted generously.
Deliverables (Corporate HR and HR departments June 2013)
Format for Personal Development Plans for postdocs
Coaching
- the P&D and career development interviews should focus on career development and career
prospects.
- a specific programme should be agreed with the post-doctoral researchers after two years
which addresses the end of the contract, a three-year extension or tenure track.
- coaches should be selected for post-doctoral researchers at the beginning of their
appointment.
Deliverables (Corporate HR and HR departments June 2013)
Agreements on career development and coaching within the P&D interviews including the end of
the contract, a three-year extension or tenure track
27
Gender balance
Action 6 Every year management reports on the gender situation (facts and figures) are
discussed with the local management.
Deliverables Corporate HR and HR departments
Annual reports on gender situation
Action 7 There is an active ‘Network for Wageningen University Alumni Women’ (VWI,
Vrouwennetwerk Wageningse Ingenieurs). In 2011 / 2012 the Network took the initiative
together with the Wageningen UR Science Shop (Wetenschapswinkel) to investigate why women
are underrepresented in higher functions.
Deliverables (Wageningen UR Science Shop June 2012)
VWI Report on the underrepresentation of women
Action 8 Appointment of preferably two, or at least one woman in Recruitment Advisory
Committees and Assessment Committees
Deliverables (Managing Directors Sciences Groups June 2012).
Revised composition of assessment committees
Action 9 In 2012 Wageningen University received two NWO-Aspasia Premiums. 25% of the
premium is to be spent on the organisational level in terms at the benefit of diversity-policy,
especially for improving the position of women in science. It will be used for developing and
organizing a mentoring- and coaching system for women in science.
Deliverables (NWO December 2013)
Mentoring and coaching system for women in science
Action 10 Together with other Dutch universities Wageningen UR is developing a course on
gender awareness.
Deliverables (VSNU December 2013)
Developed course on gender awareness
4
1. Introducing Wageningen University and Research Centre
‘To explore the potential of nature to improve the quality of life’. That is the mission of
Wageningen UR (University & Research centre). A staff of 6,500 and 10,000 students from over
100 countries work everywhere around the world in the domain of healthy food and living
environment for governments and the business community-at-large.
The strength of Wageningen UR lies in its ability to join the forces of specialised research
institutes, Wageningen University and Van Hall Larenstein University of Applied Sciences. It also
lies in the combined efforts of the various fields of natural and social sciences. This union of
expertise leads to scientific breakthroughs that can quickly be put into practice and be
incorporated into education. This is the Wageningen Approach.
The ambition of Wageningen UR is to distinguish itself by offering education and research of
excellent quality thereby becoming the European institute of knowledge within its domain. The
domain of Wageningen UR consists of three related core areas:
Health, Lifestyle, Livelihood
The influence of people’s behavioural choices regarding health, food and living environment. The
behaviour of consumers, citizens or recreational participants, the attitude towards risks and
uncertainty, the perception of quality and safety, and the relationship between food safety and
poverty, particularly in developing countries.
Food and Food production
The production and supply side in the food chain: sustainable agriculture/horticulture and
fisheries/aquaculture, international food chains and networks, health aspects of food and the
use of biomass within the scope of a bio-based economy.
Living Environment
Nature, landscape, land usage, water and ocean management, and the various competing
claims on space. This also includes biodiversity and the sustainability of management and
production. Wageningen UR has branches all over The Netherlands (and in China and Brazil, by
the way). A large number of lecturers, researchers and other employees are based at
Wageningen Campus.
Organisation Chart of Wageningen UR
5
Top sectors in the Netherlands
‘Green’ education and research in the Netherlands remains linked to a line ministry, namely the
new Ministry of Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Innovation (EL&I) formed in 2010. With the
establishment of this new Ministry, our research regarding nature, biodiversity and climate will
have to be placed in a new perspective, and the economic interest thereof more clearly
demonstrated. Innovation will take a more central position, which will stimulate us to increase
our focus on the implementation of knowledge: Science for Impact.
When the government took office in 2010, it appointed nine key sectors that it deems crucial to
the economy and employment in the Netherlands.
These sectors have been highlighted in the innovation and stimulation policy for the coming
years: (1) Agro & food (2) Horticulture & plant reproduction material (3) High-tech industry (4)
Energy (5) Logistics (6) Creative industries (7) Life sciences (8) Chemistry and (9) Water.
Sectors 1, 2, 7 and 9 are at the core of Wageningen UR’s domain, and there are also clear
overlaps with 4, 5 and 8. This illustrates the extent to which Wageningen UR operates at the
heart of the current and future Dutch economy.
Internationalisation
Science is an international activity and resolving major European and global issues will
increasingly require international scientific coalitions that coexist for longer periods of time. In
this respect international funding for research and infrastructure will become ever-more
important. Examples are European initiatives such as Joint Programming, European Graduate
Schools and the Knowledge & Innovation Communities.
Another clear development is that several growing economies in Asia and South America are
making substantial investments in research and education. Over the coming years they will
increase their presence, and start competing for talented students, employees and funds. We
have to address this issue sooner rather than later, and intensify our cooperation with strong
partners worldwide. Wageningen UR has an excellent starting position to succeed on this and,
with a 20% share in Dutch research financed by the EU, is an internationally leading player with
an extensive network.
Wageningen UR has an internationally leading position within its domain. In the coming years
we will be strengthening this position with respect to both education and research. Wageningen
University will enter into new cooperative ventures with leading non-Dutch universities, and, like
Van Hall Larenstein, strengthen collaborations in emerging economies such as the BRIC
countries (Brazil, Russia, India and China). This also applies to developing countries (especially
in Africa).
And finally, although Wageningen University and Van Hall Larenstein are already very much
internationally oriented with their large number of international students, it is the goal to further
develop the internal culture in an international direction. This includes a larger share and better
programme for and embedding of non-Dutch employees and students, as well as increasing the
use of the English language for internal communication. This will allow Wageningen UR to
continue to evolve from a Dutch institution with international activities into an institution with an
international culture and modus operandi. A review will be carried out into whether the current
growth in the share of non-Dutch employees should be accelerated.
HR policy
The HR policy of Wageningen UR is strongly connected to the ambition of the organisation to
make an important contribution to the quality of life acting as a first European knowledge
institution in its domain.
Thus HR policy is aimed at the improvement of quality of the employees and management.
Strategic issues are the enlargement of DLO’s orientation at the private research market, the
further internationalisation of Wageningen UR, the evaluation and adjustment of the career
policy of the academic staff (tenure track). The introduction of ‘operational excellence’ is
implemented by a new system for HR Workflow management system and by the extending of
the HR Shared Service Centre.
Wageningen UR will continue to develop into a network organisation in which the working
environment of the employees is not determined by the boundaries of their own research group
or department. Employees will increasingly work in varying compositions as a result of larger
and often multidisciplinary projects, strengthened by our international activities. This will affect
the development of the organisation and our employee management, which will require the
development of new competences.
6
Aiming at the enforced orientation at the private research market the account management will
be reorganised focussing on the 25 most important clients. A development programme for
commercial competences will be set up. Services regarding the internationalisation are
concentrated in the HR Shared Service Centre.
Within the coming period, we will develop an employablity policy that creates space for the
needs and ambitions of individual employees. Naturally the policy will be in line with the goals of
the organisation and the changing social context, such as the ageing of the population. There
will be an increased focus on the responsibility of the employee for his individual activities and
employability. Wageningen UR aims to give its employees the opportunity to shape their
growing individual responsibility via flexible management and by meeting their relevant
requirements, while providing maximum clarity on what is expected of them: aiming for results.
This requires a change in how we think about working relations and conditions, new flexible
work concepts and new management competences.
2. Towards HR Excellence
The logo "HR Excellence in Research" will identify the institutions and organisations as providers
and supporters of a stimulating and favourable working environment. To fulfil this ambition
Wageningen UR wants to be an attractive employer, ‘an employer of first choice’. Part of the HR
policy is to implement The European Charter for Researchers and the Code of Conduct for the
Recruitment of Researchers. The implementation of this Charter and Code will render
Wageningen UR more attractive to researchers looking for a new employer or for a host for their
research project.
In June 2011 Wageningen UR received an invitation by the European Commission to join the
Institutional Human Resources Strategy Group, a group of about 40 institutions committed to
incorporate the Charter and the Code into their human resources strategy.
A project group was established by the Wageningen UR Executive Board in September 2011, to
conduct an internal analysis of Wageningen UR Code for Researchers, the Dutch legislation,
institutional rules and institutional policies and practices and compare the results to the EC
Charter and the Code for Researchers. See chapter 3.
The project group consists of Director Corporate HR Tineke Tromp, Romke Kuindersma and
Johan Kanis, both staff members Corporate HR, Henrieke de Ruiter, staff member Education and
Research and Peter Jongebloed, Wageningen International.
The group had five meetings in the period from September 2011 through February 2012. This
group used the special template for internal analysis provided by the European Commission.
Beside the internal analysis of legislation, institutional rules, policies and practices, a special
workshop for researchers was held in February 2012. The workshop addressed all codes,
analysed by the researchers, indicating possible gaps. There was also a discussion about the
possible solutions and actions. See chapter 4.
The two gap analyses were compared by the project group yielding an action plan was in order
to fill the gaps. See chapter 5.
7
3. Charter and Code
I Ethical and professional aspects
Wageningen Code of Conduct for Scientific Practice
The Wageningen Code of Conduct for Scientific Practice is based on the Dutch Code of Conduct
for Scientific Practice (Code of Conduct), which was approved by the General Board of the
Association of Universities in the Netherlands (VSNU) on 17 December 2004 and which went
into force on 1 January 2005. The Executive Board of Wageningen UR has declared this Code of
Conduct to be applicable to all of Wageningen UR. At that time, Wageningen UR already had
ethical guidelines for research and education in place. These guidelines also concerned the nonuniversity research institutes that are part of Wageningen UR, while the Code of Conduct
focuses on universities. Therefore, the Ethical Guidelines of Wageningen UR and the Code of
Conduct of the Association of Universities in the Netherlands were compared and combined. This
process led to the conclusion that the Code of Conduct can be declared as being applicable to
Wageningen UR, but that supplementation or qualification was necessary regarding several
points in the Code.
The Wageningen Code covers the following items of the European Charter and Code
1
Research freedom
2
Ethical principles
3
Professional responsibility
4
Professional attitude
5
Contractual and legal obligations
6
Accountability
7
Good practice in research
8
Dissemination, exploitation of results
Ethics Committee
In addition to the Wageningen Code, with regard to the ethical principles, the Executive Board
has appointed an Ethics Committee, which is charged with the following tasks:
Advising the Executive Board, the Corporate Board and the various divisions about
policy decisions which have an ethical component.
Acting as a contact point for general ethical matters. The Ethics Committee evaluates
whether or not an issue requires further attention and which
people/organisations/bodies can best provide implementation/completion.
Providing advice to/acting as a sounding board for the Executive Board on very topical,
urgent or confidential ethical issues.
Helping to ensure that ethics are suitably applied at all levels of the organisation.
Confidential Counsellors for Scientific Integrity
In 1999, the Executive Board appointed Confidential Counsellors for Scientific Integrity. The
reason for this was the observation by the Executive Board that under exceptional
circumstances researchers and research staff could experience ethical dilemmas when
performing their scientific work. This is especially the case when the research takes place on
behalf of different clients and when many interests are involved. The designated advisors in
such cases are the supervisors of the researchers. However, this does not always lead to a
solution, and sometimes the supervisor is also an interested party. The Executive Board has
therefore decided to appoint two Confidential Counsellors to advise researchers who are affected
by an actual or potential moral dilemma. The Executive Board believes that it has thus filled a
possible gap in the organisation and contributes to assuring the scientific integrity of our work.
Intellectual Property
Regarding the contractual obligations, the protection of knowledge is very important for
Wageningen UR because of the value of intellectual properties.
The protection of knowledge is part of the general conditions for externally financed research
and services of Wageningen UR. In order to protect and to make money the expertise regarding
granting and validation of intellectual property is assigned to specialised staff within the
Sciences groups. Spin offs of further developed knowledge of Wageningen UR, aiming at
commercial applications in cooperation with third parties, are part of the policy of starting new
businesses (StartLife). Both are supported by the Service desk IP.
Procedures for the acquisition of patents are developed by Corporate Legal Services.
The Executive Board (EB) set the rules on patents and findings of Wageningen UR for the DLO
Foundation and Wageningen University. The rules aim at the stimulation of patent requests by
sharing the profits with the researchers.
Accountability is also a goal of the evaluation/ appraisal systems (see item 11)
Good practice in research is the main issue of the Wageningen Code. In addition, the legal
aspect should be mentioned. According to Article 5 of the Working Conditions Act, an employer,
8
when formulating his working conditions policy during an Risk Inventory and Evaluation (RI&E),
should provide a written statement of the risks to employees in carrying out their work. This
RI&E may be quite general but if potential risks are likely to be serious, the inventory should be
more comprehensive. In the Working Conditions Decree there is an explanation of which cases
incur greater risks and which therefore automatically lead to a more comprehensive RI&E, with
a number of special requirements. Employees are aware of the potential risks and act
accordingly.
See 24 also Working Conditions.
The Wageningen Code also rules the dissemination of results, mostly publications, laid down in
the contracts. Exploitation of results was mentioned above.
Moreover in the Job Classification at WU and DLO (according to the Hay-system)
all employees jobs at Wageningen UR are classified in so called job profiles. The profiles of
academic staff and researchers include the valorisation of research.
9
Public engagement
Wageningen has active policy to stimulate external communication to society, facilitated by
Corporate Communication, Communication Services and communication staffs at Science Group
level. Participating in the public debate is regarded as an important assignment to the university
and research institutes. Food for you, Insects, Annual Academic Award are some examples.
Plenty more examples can be found on the internet site of Wageningen UR.
10
Non discrimination
Discrimination by gender, ethnicity, age, etc. is forbidden under the Dutch Act on Equal
Treatment. The national Committee on Equal Treatment advices in cases of complaints based on
the act.
In the case of conflicts at the individual level within Wageningen UR professional mediation is
offered. In the case of unacceptable behaviour by colleagues a confidential counsellor can be
approached and a formal complaint can be made.
Researchers and research workers may find themselves in situations in which their tasks conflict
with their own personal beliefs, especially if these take place against a background of different
customers with varied interests. The Board of Directors has therefore appointed two scientific
integrity confidential counsellors for researchers.
See also 34 Complaints.
11
Evaluation/ appraisal systems
In the next section the following subjects are laid out.
Standard Evaluation Protocol for Public Research Organisations
Wageningen Graduate Schools
Wageningen University The Career Policy for Academic Staff
Performance and Development Interview
Employee Monitor
Standard Evaluation Protocol for Public Research Organisations
This national evaluation system of the Dutch Association of Cooperating Universities (VSNU),
the Dutch Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) and the Royal Dutch Academy of
Sciences(KNAW) is a combination of retrospective and prospective analysis. The relationship
between retro- and prospective evaluation is to some extent the result of acquired confidence
for the future based on insight in the past.
Objective of the assessment
The overall objective of the assessment is to get an accurate view of the Institute’s position in
the (inter)national arena of colleague institutes and to find ways for improvement and to
account for our activities to the Government and other stakeholders.
With regard to the objective of improvement, the system is directed toward both the research
and research training, and its management. Evaluators are explicitly asked to judge not only the
performance of an institute’s research and researchers, but also its leadership, strategy and
policy, and research organisation. If applicable, the quality questions also may refer to the
socio-economic impact of research and to multi- and interdisciplinary research.
Public accountability is a requirement in the case of publicly funded research.
The evaluation committee will report their findings to the board of the responsible research
organisation. The responsible board will make policy decisions for the institute at hand based on
the evaluation report and discussion with the institute. Together, the evaluation report and the
decision of the board form the results of the evaluation. These results will be reported to the
Minister of Education and Sciences as part of existing procedures in which the responsible
research organisations report to the minister periodically (yearly) about evaluations conducted
under their auspices. As such the results of the
9
evaluation have a public character.
Terms of reference
The committee is asked to assess both the whole institute and its separate business units in
order to be able to give a comprehensive picture of the past performance of the institute and to
get an indication of its future potential. The committee should take into account that different
business units may have different missions. Some business units focus on applied research
whereas other mainly deal with strategic research. Qualifications therefore should reflect the
performance of the business units in relation to their own objectives and ambitions.
Terms of Reference and the commission is requested to concentrate on these key elements:
- Scientific impact of the research
- Socio-economic impact of the research
- Research management
- Vitality and feasibility (viability)
Wageningen Graduate Schools
The graduate schools have three main tasks:
To stimulate and coordinate the development of a coherent research programme for the
university within the mission of the Graduate School
To safeguard, monitor and stimulate the quality and the progress of academic research
(PhD students, post-docs and researchers)
To coordinate, develop and facilitate post-graduate education
Once every six years, each graduate school submits its research (including the PhD education
programme) for an assessment according to a national standard evaluation protocol (SEP).
Researchers, post-docs and PhD students are required to participate in one of the graduate
schools. The Graduate Schools of Wageningen University have been accredited by the Royal
Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences and are thereby subject to quality control.
Wageningen University acts as the secretary for six graduate schools. Some of these are
national graduate schools to which Wageningen University contributes in a very substantial way,
while the others consist entirely of research groups from Wageningen University.
Procedure for the selection, formal admission and supervision of PhD students
This procedure assigns the Graduate Schools of Wageningen University a prominent role in the
PhD programme, where quality assurance is paramount. These procedures are monitored by the
Dean of the Wageningen Graduate Schools and have been mandated by the Academic Board.
During the PhD programme, there are four quality control junctures in addition to the annual
progress discussions and the public defence of the thesis:
1. The evaluation of the project proposal and Training and Supervision Plan (TSP) by the
Graduate School
2. Formal admission to the PhD programme
3. Within 18 months, there is a go-no go decision
4. The thesis committee determines if the PhD thesis satisfies the quality requirements.
Wageningen University The Career Policy for Academic Staff
Wageningen University The Career Policy for Academic Staff is developed within the framework
of the Wageningen University strategy. The strategy aims at:
•
Enhancing the scientific quality as the most important goal;
•
Attracting (inter)national top-level academic staff;
•
Offering room for personal ambitions and a development perspective for staff.
The goals of the Career Policy for Academic staff are to ensure excellent quality of the academic
staff, Wageningen University being attractive to top talent by offering timely career perspectives
and keeping hold of the future professors (holding a personal chair).
The characteristics of the Career Policy for Academic staff are:
•
a guided career pathway for top-level academics/talented young scholars.
Assistant professors will be coached individually by the chair holder or a professor of
another chair group depending on personal coaching skills;
•
a permanent appointment as associate professor after proven quality;
•
followed by an appointment as professor holding a personal chair on proven
quality;
•
the use of quality criteria for the intake, for promotion of assistant professors, for the
appointment to a permanent position, and for the appointment of professors holding a
personal chair.
The basic elements of the career policy are:
•
Intake criteria in the recruitment and selection process;
•
Quality criteria for promotion or outflow decisions;
•
Assessment moments for career step;
•
Who gives advice, who actually decides;
•
Perspective after permanent appointment;
•
Consequences of a negative assessment.
10
The quality criteria regard research, education, service and management:

Course evaluation by students

Teaching hours via Education & Research/onderwijs A-Z/Onderwijsuren (NL)

Research credits for scientific output

H-index

Relative Impact (Choose Impact Factors of Journals)

Personal file
Performance and Development Interview
The Performance and Development Interview is the comprehensive human resource instrument
regarding all subjects at the level of the individual employee and their leading staff, mainly
related evaluation and assessment.
The Performance and Development Interviews are ruled by formal regulations, enacted by the
Executive Board.
During the performance and development interview, the functioning and development of the
employee are discussed and evaluated, and agreements on these subjects are made, focusing
on the employability of the employee inside and/or outside the organisation.
In addition, the cooperation between the employee and the direct manager is addressed.
In any case, a performance and development interview should address:
•
a review of the period under interview
•
competency profile
•
individual performance and development plan
•
career development
•
coach evaluation
The performance and development interview is considered to be the formal annual review
referred to in the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch universities (CAO NU).
The employability of an employee is largely determined by the competencies required for his
job, in addition to education, knowledge and experience. The performance and development
interview must therefore pay attention to this aspect, among others, and is consequently an
instrument for giving shape to competency management.
An assessment interview may be planned as a supplement to the P&D-interview, at the initiative
of either the employee or their manager. In the assessment interview, much more attention is
given to the person’s future career ‘the ambitions and capacities of the employee are discussed
and linked together in relation to the employer’s needs in the long term’.
Employee Monitor
The Employee Monitor is held every two year among all employees. The results of the Employee
Monitor 2010 reveals that the cooperation between direct colleagues within Wageningen UR is
good, but cooperation between different organisational units could be improved. This is clear
from the most recent monitor with 47% of the employees as respondents. The Executive Board
approved the recommendation to pay extra attention to the cooperation between different units
over the next four years.
Management of the organisational units will now take action based on the results and
recommendations of the monitor. They will report their progress to the Executive Board. The
Employee Monitor is a cooperative activity by the Executive Board and the participation
structure.
11
II Recruitment
12
Recruitment
NVP Recruitment Code
The Dutch Association for Personnel Management and Organisation Development (NVP) is the
network of over 5000 members for human resource professionals who are engaged in issues
such as HR strategy, employment relationships, recruitment and selection, rewards systems,
conditions of employment and training plans.
The NVP’s main objectives are to help determine and defend values and standards in the field of
HR, to have an important say in the development of new social legislation, to set codes of
conduct regarding HR, to meet professional training needs and to improve industrial relations in
general.
The NVP Recruitment Code is NVP’s renowned document drawn up in 1979. The most important
motive in drawing up the Code at that time was to better protect the applicant as the more
vulnerable party in the recruitment process. The dependent position of both the applicant and
the employee has changed substantially over the last few years. There is much more a sense of
equality than there used to be. Applicants are also potential clients or ambassadors, who expect
quality and clarity from an organization, not only when it concerns products and services, but
also during a recruitment process.
A ‘new style’ of recruitment code fits into this context. In consultation with the national Labour
Foundation (Stichting van de Arbeid), the NVP Recruitment Code has been amended to fit the
current standards within the Human Resources professional area of expertise and comprises
more than simply the application process. The purpose of the code is to provide a norm for a
transparent and fair recruitment and selection procedure.
Wageningen UR adapted this NVP Code.
13
Recruitment (Code)
Wageningen UR Recruitment and Selection Procedure
In addition to the NVP Code Wageningen UR follows the set Recruitment & Selection Procedure
taking into consideration the strategic choices in the Strategic Plan, such as increasing flexibility
and mobility, internationalisation, career policy, etc. and translating it to the recruitment and
selection procedures.
The position of ill employees and the incentives with respect to groups in a vulnerable position
at the labour market are also taken into consideration.
At the level of the chair group, business unit or department there is a set Strategic (longrange) Personnel Plan (SPP), along with a (long-range) business plan and budget. It is part of
the annual planning and control cycle.
14
Selection (Code)
The extension of an employment contract, the conversion of a fixed term labour contract to a
labour contract for tenured position and the reallocation of positions within a unit are the
responsibility of the management of a Sciences Group and institutes.
A vacancy is defined as such in case of a fixed term of 6 months or longer.
Creation of a vacancy
The management specifies the vacancy and starts the recruitment process, except for vacancies
at the management and director level. In those cases approval of the Executive Board is
required.
Reappointment
An employee, whose position has been abolished or redundant is called a Reappointment
Candidate. He has a preferred position. A reappointment search will take place for a limited time
to prevent involuntary unemployment. This means that the employee will be informed on all
vacancies within Wageningen UR. The RC's case manager will contact the HRM department
about the RC's possible suitability for a position.
The candidate is considered 'suitable' if the reappointment candidate, in the opinion of the
employer, has the knowledge and expertise, necessary to perform the job properly or if the
reappointment candidate, in the opinion of the employer, can be retrained within a reasonable
period. Additionally, the new applicable salary scale for the position is max two scales lower.
If the case manager gives a positive advice to the RC with regard to suitability, the RC must
respond to the vacancy within three days after receiving the advice. He/she will then be invited
for an interview by the vacancy holder. If the candidate proves to be suitable for the position,
he/she will be placed in the position. A rejection always is in writing.
12
Internal and external recruitment
After the RC procedure a vacancy can be simultaneously released for internal and external
recruitment. In every case, the vacancy will be internally communicated (on the intranet). With
regard to the recruitment and selection process for crucial key functions, the Executive Board
may deviate from the procedure.
If there are several suitable candidates for the position, the following order will be adhered to in
the selection and appointment process:
1.
employee with a permanent contract at Wageningen UR
2.
employee with a fixed term contract at Wageningen UR
3.
external candidates; candidates with an unemployment/supplementary benefit at the
expense of the organisation preferably take precedence over other external candidates.
15
Transparency (Code)
The job descriptions of vacancies including the terms and the requirements such as knowledge,
education, competences, etc. are defined prior to the actual start of the recruitment procedure.
It is all clear to the applicants.
Applicants will receive a confirmation by email that the application has been received.
Applicants short-listed for an interview will be informed once all applications have been
examined. The interview date will be set within a reasonable time after the closing date for the
applications, which is given in the vacancy notice.
Should the applicant reach the next stage of the recruitment process, he/she will be invited for a
second round of interviews with people within the division or department. For some vacancies
an assessment is part of the procedure. After successful completion of the interview rounds the
applicant will receive a job offer.
16
Judging merit (Code)
Quality criteria regarding tenure track
The intake and assessment criteria include aspects of teaching, research, management and
service, as well as the competence to collaborate in teams. Quality of teaching and quality of
research are equally important. The efforts to obtain teaching and research credits are
comparable.
•
Quality criteria will be predetermined and transparent for candidates.
Quality criteria will be differentiated according to sciences group or scientific domain.
The framework will be approved by the corporate quality committee.
•
Obtained credits determine the admission to the assessment procedure. Candidates
having collected the required number of credits have access to the assessment procedure. The
BACs will judge the individual performance. Thus, promotion is not a right nor can it be claimed.
It depends on the performance and the assessment.
The credit points system will be based upon the working week of a full time academic staff
member according to the CLA Dutch Universities. It will be clarified to candidates.
•
The personal file will contain the educational and research activities and results,
including other specified educational tasks and scientific activities as well as contributions to the
Wageningen UR-organisation at all levels. Such tasks are part of the overall performance.
This will be recognized by the BACs. The SG general director/ Executive Board decides upon the
proposed promotion after receiving the advice of the BAC concerning all quality aspects.
•
Competence to collaborate in teams is required as well as team leadership.
•
(Inter)national referees will yield the necessary information on scientific quality.
•
Chair group informants will assess the candidates performance and competences.
•
Bibliometric and other data on quality are available.
17
Variations in the chronological order of CVs (Code)
According to the selection procedure every candidate writes a letter in which he or she
motivates the application. In any case the candidate is entitled to give a personal reason for
variations in the chronological order, if necessary. A personal file also gives room for a further
explanation for variations or, if any career breaks.
Most important is the selection of the most qualified candidate by applying quality criteria, set at
forehand, such as knowledge, experience, competences, availability of a network. The overall
judgement of the expected performance of the ‘most promising’ candidate is decisive.
18
Recognition of mobility experience (Code)
In general mobility experience of applicants is highly valued. Knowledge and experience have
been built up in quite a different setting, especially in case of international experience. In the
tenure track in general international experience is required. It will most likely yield an important
network for Wageningen UR.
13
19
Recognition of qualifications (Code)
See 11 Evaluation/appraisal systems (for instance Tenure Track and SEP)
20
Seniority (Code)
See also 17 Variations in chronological order for the general approach.
In addition, for example the tenure track trajectory is seen as a career trajectory with well
differentiated quality criteria for each career step in terms of contribution to educational
programmes, number of scientific publications, the number of PhD students and graduations.
21
Postdoctoral appointments (Code)
Policy on this issue has been developed taking in consideration the duration of the
appointments. The number of appointments by the same employer is determinated by the Dutch
law, but does not include appointments at other institutions. It is allowed to deviate from the
number and terms of temporary appointments by rules set in the CLA. Of course, as mentioned,
mobility experience is of great value. The policy points out the transitional position of ‘postdocs’
by the preparation to the next career step and the long term prospects. Only to a few excellent
researchers Wageningen UR can offer a research career or a permanent position within the
academic staff.
14
III Working conditions and social security
22
Recognition of the profession
See also 1 and following codes on Wageningen Code of Conduct for Scientific Practice
Job Classification at WU and DLO (according to the HAY system)
All employees’ jobs at WU are classified into one of the University job-plan (UFO) profiles. For
DLO employees, their jobs are classified into the DLO job-classification system. Where the job is
positioned in this system is based on the work carried out by the individual employee.
Employees who would like more information about how their own job has been classified can
ask the manager who is their first point of approach for information.
23
Research environment
Buildings and grounds, equipment, facilities, ICT and communication services are presented at
the website of Wageningen UR (see Appendix).
Here you will find information on all matters concerning new and existing buildings and the
grounds at Wageningen UR, including regulations for access, management of facilities, cleaning,
and plans of the campus. There is also information about personal details (Wageningen Basic
Administration, We@WUR), workplaces and how it is furnished, corporate rules, reservation of
facilities for work and study.
Communications
Services are described concerning the arrangement of events, translations and media contact.
This web page also contains information about the Internet and intranet, gifts to business
associates and everything that has been agreed on the corporate identity for Wageningen UR.
Facilities
Wageningen UR employees can make use of various services such as the electronic bulletin
board, an ordering/purchasing system, telecommunications, meals and refreshments, travel and
the library. The Services ABC offers a complete catalogue.
Services IT
ICT account
After being appointed to a position at Wageningen UR, all staff receive a WURnet account. A lot
of ICT services at Wageningen UR are based on this account.-mail
Microsoft Outlook is the standard e-mail client on each PC at Wageningen UR. king wireless
It is possible to work wireless at several locations.
Personal data can be stored on a personal drive. Group data is stored on a standard available
drive. Software
Every PC at Wageningen UR is equipped with a standard set of workplace software. Additional
specialised software is available. Phony
Safety and environment
Information about in-house emergency and first aid services (BHV), fire safety and security and
the rules which apply to environmental matters, use of radiation and to biological safety at
Wageningen UR are presented as well as the ABC on working conditions.
Wageningen UR Library
Wageningen UR Library is in fact a network of several specialized, discipline oriented libraries,
coordinated by the central organization at the FORUM-library. Library services are not restricted
to staff and students of Wageningen UR, all libraries are open to the public.
Wageningen UR Library has a large collection of scientific literature especially in the fields of
Agro technology, Food Sciences, Plant and Animal Sciences, Soil Science, Geo-information,
Landscape and Spatial Planning, Water and Climate, Ecosystem Studies and Social Sciences.
The Wageningen UR Digital Library provides access to the collections of Wageningen UR Library,
both electronic and in print. The website offers access to the major sources of scientific
information in these areas mentioned above.
24
Working conditions
Working Conditions Act
The Working Conditions Act on health & safety (‘Arbo’wet) and an associated ‘Arbo’ decree
concerning working conditions are most important regarding working conditions. This legislation
determines for both employers and employees what the conditions are for ensuring that the
risks involved in working are reduced to an acceptable minimum. This is done in the interests of
the health, welfare and safety of the employees. Only by conforming to the standards for safe
and healthy methods of working the employees can minimise such risks. In practice, this means
keeping the risk of damage or injury to a minimum. In other words, one should aim for
prevention as a means of managing risks.
This A-Z of working conditions provides information on various topics related to ensuring good
working conditions.
15
Risk Inventory and Evaluation RI&E
According to Article 5 of the Working Conditions Act, an employer, when formulating his working
conditions policy during an RI&E, should provide a written statement of the risks to employees
in carrying out their work. This RI&E may be quite general but if potential risks are likely to be
serious, the inventory should be more comprehensive. In the Working Conditions Decree
specifies the cases in which greater risks incur, which therefore automatically lead to a more
comprehensive RI&E, with a number of special requirements. These are:
work involving young people (Article 1.36);
work involving employees who are pregnant or who are breast-feeding (Article 1.41);
working with hazardous substances and biological agents in general (Article 4.2);
working with carcinogenic substances and processes (Article 4.13);
working with vinyl chloride monomer (Article 4.26);
working with asbestos (Article 4.54 a);
working with biological agents (Article 4.85);
working at home with hazardous substances (Article 4.111);
physical work (Article 5.3);
working with computer monitors (Article 5.9);
noise (Article 6.7);
vibrations (Article 6.11b);
personal protective devices (Article 8.2).
Health, Safety, Well-being and Sustainability
Related subjects are presented at the website in alphabetical order.
Regulations Holiday and Leave
Employees have the right to go on holiday, and, in certain situations, to have leave from work.
All matters that have to do with taking leave, such as the number of hours of leave taken,
flexible working times, leave in connection with adoption and caring for someone, etc. are all
included in these regulations.
Regulations Parental leave on partially continued payment of salary WU (in accordance with the
CLA for Dutch universities)
WU employees, as the natural or adoption parents of a child whose permanent care and
upbringing is their responsibility, have the right to claim partially paid parental leave.
Employees of the Research institutes can, as the natural or adoption parents of a child whose
permanent care and upbringing is their responsibility, have the right to claim partially paid
parental leave.
The provisions in the Work and Care Act with regard to pregnancy, childbirth, adoption, foster
care, calamities, other short absences, short and long-term care leave, and parental leave are
applicable in awarding the right to special leave, with, in addition, further amendments as
contained in the CAO for Dutch universities and the CLA DLO. One such amendment is that
during leave for pregnancy and childbirth, the employee receives a supplement to her monthly
benefit, to bring her total benefit up to the same amount as her normal monthly income.
WU employees have the right to work a number of hours, unless it goes against managerial
interests.
25
Stability and performance of employment
Wageningen UR guaranties the stability and performance by the use of Collective Labour
Agreements. Wageningen University (WU) has a Collective Labour Agreement Dutch
Universities, DLO Research institutes have a separate Collective Labour Agreement (Dutch
version) and Van Hall-Larenstein (VHL) follows the CLA for Higher Professional Education (HBO)
including the appendices (Articles 7 and 8) (on voluntary early retirement). The CLA for Higher
Professional Education can be found in the intranet page for VHL or “HBO-raad, CAO's en
regelingen” (in Dutch).
26
Funding and salaries
Salary scales are a significant part of the CLA’s mentioned above and are based on the set job
classification systems including all career stages and PhD-appointments. Salary scales are the
same at all Dutch universities. So are other labour conditions, pension rights, sickness and
unemployment benefits, partly subject to law (for an important part), pension fund (ABP), etc.
Salaries and labour conditions are considered market based for Wageningen University, the DLO
Research institutes and Van Hall-Larenstein.
General conditions apply to externally funded research.
Wageningen UR (University & Research centre) was awarded ‘silver’ in the survey Best Employer
in 2009 and 2010.
See also 24 Working conditions Regulations Holiday and Leave
16
27
Gender balance
As stated discrimination by gender, ethnicity, age, etc. is forbidden under the Dutch Act on
Equal Treatment. The national Committee on Equal Treatment advices in cases of complaints
based on the act.
There is a clear gender balance in the academic and supporting staff except for the associate
and full professors and top management within the organisation. Measurements and activities
are taken to improve the balance in gender equality, especially the numbers of men and women
in higher positions.

Every year management reports on the gender situation (facts and figures) are
discussed with the local management.

Once a year the Rector Magnificus meets a delegation of the ‘Dutch Network of Women
Professors’ to discuss the gender situation at Wageningen UR and discuss possible
measurements for improvement.

There is an active ‘Network for Wageningen University Alumni Women’ (VWI,
Vrouwennetwerk Wageningse Ingenieurs). In 2011 / 2012 the Network took the
initiative together with the Wageningen UR Science Shop (Wetenschapswinkel) to
investigate why women are underrepresented in higher functions. The report will be
ready in spring 2012.

Preferably two, or at least one women, should be member of Recruitment Advisory
Committees and Assessment Committees.

In 2012 Wageningen University receives two NWO-Aspasia Premiums. 25% of the
premium is to be spent on the organisational level in terms at the benefit of diversitypolicy, especially for improving the position of women in science. It will be used for
developing and organizing a mentoring- and coaching system for women in science.

Together with other Dutch universities Wageningen UR is developing a course on
gender Awareness.

Career development for women is an important issue during the annual Performance &
Development Interviews.
The evaluation report of Tenure track advises that in the scouting of Tenure Track more
attention is paid to female talent and female talents related to organisation, personal
effectiveness and management. Additional HR rules for women in Tenure Track are not
necessary and unwanted.
28
Career development
Career development within the framework of human resource management is based on the
career development of academic staff and the job classification systems as pointed out earlier.
There is a development programme for assistant and associate professors.
For the professional and personal development of researchers management and team leaders
act as coaches for all their staff.
See also 11 Evaluation/ appraisal systems, Tenure track, Performance and Development
Interviews
See also 16 Judging merit Tenure track
29
Value of mobility
See also 18 Recognition of mobility experience
In general mobility experience of researchers and applicants is highly valued by Wageningen
UR. Knowledge and experience have been built up in quite a different setting, especially in case
of international experience. Wageningen UR researchers do have allowances for travel as well as
daily allowances.
For international researchers a welcome programme has been developed and the legal and
administrative procedures are taken care of.
30
Access to career advice
Employees are entitled to get a career advice every five year, based on the CLA. The
Performance and Development Interview offers an opportunity to discuss the career advice and
to take action.
31
Intellectual Property Rights
See 5 Contractual and legal obligations
32
Co-authorship
Co-authorship is taken into account as part of the number of scientific publications in the quality
criteria regarding research output (for instance within tenure track).
See also 11 Career Policy for Academic Staff
33
Teaching
Teaching is taken into account in the quality criteria with regard to tenure track. If allowed by
external funder researcher perform teaching to a limited extend.
See 11 Career Policy for Academic Staff
17
34
Complaints/ appeals
Objections and Complaints at Wageningen UR are shown in the next scheme.
Confidential Counsellors for Scientific Integrity
The Executive Board appoined two Confidential Counsellors to advise researchers who are
affected by an actual or potential moral dilemma. The Executive Board believed that it has thus
filled a possible gap in the organisation and contributes to assuring the scientific integrity of our
work.
35
Participation in decision-making bodies
Wageningen UR has a complex participation structure. At corporate level. Wageningen
University, DLO Research institutes and VHL each have their own participation councils
according to the Works Councils Act (WOR) or the Higher Education and Research Act (WHW).
This results in three separate bodies: the Student Council (SC), the Joint Student-Staff Council
(GV) and the Central Employees Council (COR). The councils work together in the Wageningen
UR Council.
At the decentral level Sciences Groups and Research institutes have their own employees
council. Changes in the organisational structure, personnel or work-related issues are discussed
with the directors of these units. The decentral Employees Councils are chosen by the
employees. The decentralised Employees Councils choose the members of the Central
Employees Council (COR).
18
IV Training
36
Relation with supervisors
See also 28 Career development
Career development is an important subject in the Performance and Development Interviews.
Managers and team leaders act as coach for all staff. Teaching quality and research output are
monitored in the interviews.
See also 11 Evaluation/ appraisal systems, Tenure track, Performance and Development
Interviews
See also 16 Judging merit Tenure track
37
Supervision and managerial duties
See also 28 Career development
As mentioned management and team leaders act as coach for all staff. Teaching quality and
research output are monitored in annual reports.
See 11 Evaluation/ appraisal systems, Tenure track, Performance and Development Interviews
See 16 Judging merit
38
Continuing Professional Development
Educational Staff Development
Educational Staff Development is a specialised unit involved in the professionalisation of the
educational staff by providing courses, training programmes, workshops and advice to the
teachers of Wageningen University.
The University Teaching Qualification (BKO) is required for teaching staff. The BKO has been
established as a national agreement between all universities in the Netherlands.
EDUsupport facilitates the Wageningen electronic education environment: EDUweb/EDUclass.
This is done by means of lunch meetings, flying visits and personal consultation processes.
EDUsupport also contributes to the further development of ICT applications in the Wageningen
education situation.
Wageningen Business School
Wageningen Business School (WBS) provides post-graduate and ‘post-experience’ programmes
and courses for individuals seeking to continue their education and further develop their
knowledge and skills. WBS also offers programmes and projects that focus on knowledge
management and entrepreneurship. A growing number of in-company programmes are also
organised, in which the curriculum is geared specifically to the needs of an individual
organisation or company. WBS is active in the agri-food, pharmaceutical, government,
veterinary, consultancy and education sectors.
WBS can offer consistently high-quality teaching and training in part because it invests
considerable time and energy in the organisation of its activities and the coaching of
participants. All of its activities are thoroughly evaluated, and the results of evaluations and
market research are incorporated in the development of its programmes. High quality is also
ensured through the dedicated efforts of our lecturers and staff.
Wageningen Business School is also responsible for:
Training Client Oriented Advise
Training SPIN Selling
Training Project management
Training Financial Control
Leadership in management and innovation processes
Stakeholder management
Development program Academic Staff Wageningen University
Leeuwendaal, a professional company for training and advise on management development, and
Wageningen UR developed a special programme for tenure track participants.
It offers the opportunity, while working, to further develop the career of assistant and associate
professors. The programme focusses on the necessary competences for the next career step.
Other professional education and courses Wageningen UR
Training Performance and Development Interviews for employees and team leaders
Courses on ICT applications
Language Services and courses
Courses Library Wageningen UR
PhD-courses Wageningen Graduate Schools
19
39
Access to research training and continuous development
See also 11 Evaluation/ appraisal systems PhD Training and Supervision Plan
Regulations Study Facilities Wageningen University
WU employees can make use of this regulation for training activities connected with their job or
for developing their careers. The aim of this regulation is to stimulate employees to refresh their
skills by offering the facilities, such as financial compensation or subsidy, study leave and study
guidance.
Regulations to Stimulate Training DLO
DLO employees can make use of this regulation to follow a training course or education to keep
the skills needed for their job up-to-date. The same regulation also applies to studies, courses,
trainings, congresses, seminars and workshops. The regulation is also aimed at the increase of
mobility and employability. The training facilities regard training leave,
financial compensation for training, travel costs, etc.
40
Supervision
Managers and team leaders act as coach for all staff. This is clear to teachers, research and
supporting staff. In general they are the experts regarding the content of education and
research or supporting tasks.
20
4 Gap analysis
4.1 Evaluation of Tenure Track Wageningen University
Stakeholders are Executive Board, Managing Directors, Academic Board, chair holders, admitted
and not admitted candidates, current staff and members of the Assessment Committees.
At the start of the Tenure Track system at WU in September 2009, the Central Employee
Council has requested that the system would be evaluated after two years. This request was
honoured by the Executive Board. This report contains an outline of this evaluation, which was
done by collecting the experiences of those involved in Tenure Track, by means of structured
interviews and meetings. These experiences were used by the evaluation committee as a basis
for analyses and recommendations. A more complete overview of the input from the interviews
and recommendations is available in the report “Working Document & Background Information Evaluation of the Wageningen Tenure Track”.
The evaluation committee concludes that the concept of a Tenure Track system at WU is widely
supported, but that the implementation of the Tenure Track needs improvement: Compared to
the past, where individual careers were dependent on vacancies for associate professorships
(formatiebeginsel), the new system that takes individual merit and performance as its basis is
generally accepted, by candidates who benefitted from the system (i.e. those entering Tenure
Track), by those who were rejected based on the advice by the assessment committees (BACs),
and by those staff members who contemplate to enter Tenure Track. Tenure Track is currently
the only option for a scientific career at WU. Existing staff that do not want to enter Tenure
Track see this as an impediment of their career and from this, a demotivating factor: an
unwanted effect, mentioned by many we spoke. The chair holders attitude towards the system
varies considerably. Some chair holders do not stimulate staff to enter the Tenure Track, do not
see the benefits of the system and/or do not know the ins and outs of it.
Departmental BACs and General Directors indicate they are very satisfied with the current
Tenure Trackers and their performance within their own Department. This suggests the Tenure
Track system attracts the top talent sought by WU for personal chair positions, but it’s still too
early to conclude this definitively. Nevertheless, General Directors express concerns about
maintaining high quality standards for Tenure Track positions. These concerns relate to few
interactions on quality standards and control between Departments and also CvP (Commissie
voor Promotie, Academic Board), as well as the realisation that the Tenure Track system will
lead to a much larger population of personal chairs.
Change and improvement of the Tenure Track system is needed along three lines:
2. Clear choices for top talent and quality by:
a. strong and independent BACs that reflect the required authority
b. a transparent BAC advice that includes both an advice to the General Director and a
development advice to the TT candidate
c. focus on the quality of BAC advice, instead of a more elaborate credit point system
d. more explicit recognition of the TT candidate’s competences and activities that benefit WU
in the BAC advice
3. Organise the capacity for learning and improvement by organising possibilities for an
exchange of best practises, synchronisation and tuning:
a. regular meetings by representatives of Departmental BACs and HR
b. continuity in membership of Departmental BACs that allow for a memory of practices
c. organising an exchange of experiences and best practises of supervising chairs
4. Better information & communication, and clarity on roles & responsibilities:
a. All parties must take responsibility for being well informed about their roles &
responsibilities within the TT system, and approach each other on these in a pro-active
manner: “Taking your Responsibility” is the key factor for improving Tenure Track.
b. The internet information needs improvement.
c. Better communication is needed, esp. to inform existing and potential Tenure Trackers
and chair holders.
d. One organisation-wide, uniform and clear procedure/regulation for BACs is needed to
clarify and sharpen uniform working procedures.
Ad 1. Clear choices for top talent and quality
BACs play the central role in the selection for top talent and quality at WU. The central question
BACs have to face is “is this candidate indeed the top talent WU is looking for and from this, is
this person highly likely to achieve the position of personal chair in the end”. This is not an easy
task: BACs must operate in an independent, objective and fair manner, and reflect the authority
needed for decisions that set the very basis of the qualities and work of WU in the future. To
this, BACs must find a balance between criteria that very much differ in nature: BACs must
assess the accomplishments of candidates in the past (retrospective assessment), using both
“hard” criteria (that can be quantified in a credit point system) and “soft” criteria on personal
competences (that are described, not quantified), as well as assess the potential for
development towards personal chair (prospective assessment).
21
From discussions with candidates the evaluation committee came to the conclusion that the
candidates considered the “hard” criteria as more important than the less quantifiable and
quantified criteria, as many of the questions and critique posed to the committee were related
to the credit system. On the other hand, the credit point system was also considered by some
as a straitjacket and many pleas for more flexibility were heard. From various meetings the
evaluation committee noted that several TT candidates were aware of the importance of
academic services, while they at the same time acknowledged that such services were not
credited and therefore lower rated than publication and teaching credits; and that for that
reason it was rational for them to de-emphasise such services.
The evaluation committee does not want to put such emphasis on “hard” criteria: suitability for
a future position as personal professor can neither be derived from a credit point system alone,
nor 100% objectively assessed. From this, the focus should be on the quality of the BAC advice,
not on a more elaborate credit point system. The committee considers it imperative that BACs
have a high level of authority and legitimacy and from this, can make and explain difficult
decisions: The acceptability of decisions taken in the system depends crucially on the authority
of the assessment committee. Improved procedural clarity and a transparent BAC advice is
needed to safeguard the legitimacy of the system, as well as confidentiality with respect to
personal reflections within BACs. We recommend to maintain the current credit rating system,
instead of making it more refined or elaborate (with a few exceptions as explained elsewhere in
the report). In addition, we strongly advice to give more explicit recognition of competences and
activities that benefit WU in the BAC advice. This may also prevent unwanted strategic selfish
behaviours, a side effect mentioned at many of the talks we had. Criteria are handled by many
of the BACs with a certain degree of flexibility and compensation between the main assessment
categories (teaching, research and management & academic services) or between subcategories
within these is possible, provided the BAC is clearly convinced about the potential of the
candidate for personal chair. The commission recognizes the value of such flexibility and
recommends that BACs are explicit about such deliberations in their advice.
Ad 2. Organise the capacity for learning and improvement within the system
The committee could not escape the conclusion that after starting the Tenure Track,
implementation was to a too large extent taken up by the Departments separately. This has led
to a situation where Departmental BACs developed their own forms, procedures and practices,
with too few interactions across Departments. Such divergence can be perceived as unfair, and
may lead to inefficiencies. From this, much can be improved by organising possibilities for an
exchange of best practises, synchronisation and tuning.
Ad 3. Better information, communication, and clarity on roles & responsibilities
The committee was surprised by the many questions posed by Tenure Trackers and some of the
chair holders on the set up and goals of Tenure Track and BAC working procedures. Apparently,
too many of those involved in Tenure Track did not possess necessary information. Part of this
may be due to the fact that at the start of Tenure Track not all parties, including HRM, had a
good overview. To a large extent this has been remedied: HR should now be able to provide the
required information when asked. The internet information, however, still needs improvement as
available information is unclear, scattered, incomplete and sometimes only available in Dutch.
Information can be more specifically geared towards (potential) tenure Trackers and supervising
chairs. A BAC regulation will help clarify and sharpen uniform working procedures.
This situation cannot be resolved by improving available information or a BAC regulation alone.
Even more so, it requires a pro-active attitude of all involved to inform oneself and to address
each other when it comes to roles and responsibilities. In particular, a balanced work package
that suits the Tenure Track is a shared responsibility between Tenure Tracker and chair holder,
and an imbalance (e.g. too many education tasks, as suggested by some Tenure Trackers) can
seriously impede a Tenure Tracker to proceed. Both Tenure Trackers and chair holders must
take their responsibility and hold each other accountable to make sure the TT work package is
balanced. This places high demands on R&O interviews, -reports and –agreements, as well as
Strategic Personnel plans, to explicitly address the issue of a balanced work package and the
sharing of tasks within chair groups.
Tenure Track and Career Policies at WU
The committee met with a number questions related to the Tenure Track as part of HR policies
at WU, including:

consequences for those that cannot or do not want to continue all the way to personal
chair: is there room for up-or-else (i.e. suitable non TT position within WU, including
maintaining current position), in addition to up-or-out (position outside WU); Why does
HR not develop explicit exit policies for Tenure Track?
22
The committee advices to stick to the line that, if the step towards personal chair at any
moment cannot be made, the tenure tracker should be directed towards a different position
within or outside the organization and therefore leave the tenure track system. The committee
wants to emphasize that the possibility of up-or-else, in addition to up-or-out, does already
exist for those having a permanent position, and is also meaningful to keep those valuable to
the organisation. Strategic personnel plans should be the very basis of dealing with such issues.
Specific TT exit policies may not be needed as personal situations differ and custom approaches
(maatwerk) more suitable. In order to facilitate professors (in their role of manager) to motivate
and stimulate their tenure trackers as well as those who cannot or do not want to continue in
Tenure Track, HR needs to offer more training/peer-review/coaching for professors.

consequences and financial tenability of the TT and current TT policies in the long run
We recommend to investigate the financial tenability of the TT system in the long run and the
consequences of a larger population of Tenure Trackers and personal chairs.
The evaluation committee noted that some Chair Groups of the SSG have difficulty to deliver
their education tasks by Tenure Trackers who are keen not to spend too much time on
education, as this may take away from other Tenure Track obligations. As a consequence the
total education load of the Group can exceed the possibilities provided by staff. We make three
observations here:
1. It may be that Tenure Trackers overestimate their input on the basis of the calculation rules
available, due to the fact that they overestimate their individual contribution to a course as
compared to others participating in that course.
2. If Tenure Track staff only teaches for 30% of their time, for example, while in the past it
was 50%, then the Group should be aware that it requires funding in line with the 50%
which implies that this 20% difference needs to be funded other than by education.
3. This 20% funding for education can also be used to attract new staff. New staff should be
hired in the Tenure Track. I.e., they should not be hired for teaching alone, but also for
research. We recommend to be very hesitant in using teaching positions (versus Tenure
Track positions) in such situations: temporary teaching positions may not deliver the quality
needed and permanent teaching positions conflict with the strategic decision to provide
Tenure Track positions alone. Teaching positions therefore, should only be allowed as an
exception and with very good and explicit reasons, as outlined in Strategic Personnel Plans.

possibilities of combining a Tenure Track position at WU with a (research) job elsewhere
We do not recommend to allow this as a rule. Tenure Track at WU is top sport and a career
development option that requires full commitment to the organisation. From this, the current
practice of having a min. 80% position should be maintained. Deviations of this rule should only
be allowed under very specific and personal circumstances, that clearly benefit the interests of
WU.

explicit recognition for the challenges of raising a family by special HR rules for women
in Tenure Track
BACs can pay explicit recognition of personal circumstances related to raising families in the
BAC advice (maatwerk). We do not recommend to develop specific additional HR policies for
women, as personal circumstances are central, not differences between men and women.
23
4.2
Workshop for researchers
Gap analysis Researchers
In addition to the internal analysis of legislation, institutional rules, policies and practices, a
special workshop for researchers was held in February 2012. In this workshop all codes and
charters were discussed and analysed by the researchers in terms of what is well organised,
which codes yield problems in practice and in order to indicate experienced gaps.
General Conclusion
In general the researchers recognise the aspects of the code and charter on the working floor
and make a positive evaluation: with regard to the codes HR is well organised. There were
discussions on the meaning, purpose and some gaps were identified. Discussion, remarks and
gaps are listed below. If a code is not listed below, researchers find HR aspects of the codes well
organised.
I
Ethical and professional aspects
2
Ethical principles
“The ethical principles are well defined and organised.”
“For instance the procedures for animal welfare are followed completely”
3
Professional responsibility and 9. Public engagement
The researchers ensure that their research is relevant to society. It is published and presented
to society in different ways, so it can be understood by non-specialists and the public in general.
“All the research that we are doing, is relevant for society. Researchers are ‘judged by the
criteria social impact’.
“There is a lot of attention in the press for the research of Wageningen UR. And within the
organisation we are aware of the social impact of our research”.
4
Professional attitude
The researchers are aware of the strategic goals of Wageningen UR.
“The strategic goals of Wageningen UR are translated into research themes. The project leaders
(researchers) are well aware of research themes and refer to them in their proposals”.
“It is the responsibility of the project leader to follow the budgets and to inform the contractor
about delay of the projects”.
5
Contractual and legal obligations and 6. Accountability
The researchers are aware that they are accountable towards their employer and contractors.
“We deliver results to our clients”.
6
Accountability
Methods of collection, analysis and data are accesible for internal and external comments and
discussion. Researchers refer to the the visitation procedures.
“Once in the four year there is a visitation commission”.
“We are responsible for the research and finance, supported by financial and HR professionals”.
8
Dissemination, exploitation of results
“There is always freedom of publication, also in contract research within the research institutes
of Wageningen UR). Sometimes there is a time delay between publication and ending of the
project due to patents. But this means not that the results are not published”.
10
Non Discrimination
Wageningen UR does not discriminate on the national origin.
“EU candidates are easily admitted to the Netherlands in case of a successful recruitment for
vacancies.
11
Evaluation/ appraisal systems
Researchers underline the important of independent selection committees. It is important for
the research institutes of Wageningen UR to further develop the career paths of the researchers.
At this moment this is in progress.
“Individual reviews by the managers are held annually. “Peer review is part of tenure track”.
“Within the research institutes there is a lot of focus on the contracted hours. There should be
more focus on hours spent on acquisition”.
“Attention is paid to creativity, but this does not lead to extra salary or bonus”.
“Cooperation between the sciences groups of Wageningen UR is stimulated”.
24
II
Recruitment
13
Recruitment (Code)
Applicant can find the vacant positions on the internet for at least five weeks.
14
Selection (Code)
The selection committees are set up according to the required discipline and expertise.
“But, it is not always possible or necessary to set up a broad selection committee. For the senior
positions is well organised. For the junior position the chair group or research team is
responsible for the selection”.
15
Transparency (Code)
The application system used has the possibility to inform declined applicants about the choices
that are made.
17
Variations in the chronological order of CVs (Code)
Career breaks or variations in the chronological order of CVs are not penalised. A switch from
education to research is a discussion point because it is less likely to occur.
“A switch from education to research is less likely than a switch from research to education”.
19
Recognition of qualifications (Code)
“An assessment may be part of the recruitment process. Development assessments are also
used in order to judge the future performance.”
21
Postdoctoral appointments (Code)
The post doc position has been discussed. Despite their ambitions most post docs do not get a
permanent position within the Dutch universities.
If the position is temporary the post doc knows when this ends. The number of extensions of a
contract with an organisation is limited by law. But should be further limited.
The researchers noticed that temporary contract can be a ‘danger’ for the strategic goals of the
organisation.
The coaching and supervision of postdocs and junior researchers can be optimized.
“We do not have dedicated mentors. Mentorship is part of management responsible.”
III
Working conditions and social security
26
Funding and salaries
“The remuneration policy is not always clear at the start of the job. But information can be
collected by HRM.”
“In the case of parental leave the first 13 weeks are partially paid. The other 13 weeks are not
paid.”
27
Gender issues
Gender issues are not recognized by the researchers. An example is given; one of the sciences
group of Wageningen UR takes further steps to reach gender balance.
28
Career development
There are career development strategies, for example the trajectory of Tenure Track. For PhD’s
there is a specific training and supervision plan.
33
Teaching
A lot of the positions of the university contains both research and educational tasks.
“A large educational task results in less research.”
IV
Training
38
Continuing Professional Development and 39. Access to research training and
continuous development
“The HR department stimulates development”
“If you want, then there are a lot of possibilities. It makes you also flexible in terms of
employability.
25
4.3 Wageningen University: a critical reflection
Institutional quality assurance assessment 2012
The academic programmes of Wageningen University were reviewed in order to acquire the
national and international accreditation for all BSc and MSc programmes. The evaluation of the
related features was carried out by a national review committee of the Dutch Flemish
Accreditation Board (NVAO), the national accreditation institute.
A comprehensive report was written including the vision of Wageningen University on education
and an additional document for the assessment of the distinctive feature internationalization in
the institutional accreditation. All our study programmes were accredited by the NVAO.
Traditionally, we rely on the quality of our staff in an international scientific context. Recently,
we started to introduce a “peer review” system in which an international peer group comments
on the content and design of a course or a sequence of courses. Generally peers are staff of
foreign universities.
Human resources
With regard to Human Resource the report states:
In the human resource policy for educational and research staff focus is on attracting excellent
scientists and offering them an inspiring working environment. This should contribute to the
strong relation between education and research and high quality education and research. Over
the last years, the main lines of our policy were:
• The start of a tenure track system
• Recruitment of international staff
• Teaching quality and University Teacher Qualifications
• High level of Performance and Development interviews
Tenure track
In the 2007-2010 strategic plan we proposed starting a pilot in tenure track to test if this policy
would contribute to the recruitment of excellent scientists. Soon we discovered that the
contribution from a pilot was too small to measure and evaluate. We decided to introduce the
tenure track for all our scientific staff. Newly appointed staff automatically start in tenure track,
existing staff were given the choice to join the tenure track or to keep their earlier appointment.
The policy’s goal is to enhance the quality of scientific research and education, by attracting
top level (inter)national academics, retaining top-talented staff and supporting their
development. We now offer top performers excellent prospects. Academic staff recruited
for an Assistant Professor position have the opportunity to become Professor holding a Personal
Chair within twelve years, provided they pass the assessment procedures (every three years).
For those who do not succeed there will be no tenured academic position, the temporary
position will end. In 2020, we expect that more than half of the scientific staff will follow this
tenure track.
Recruiting more international staff
In reviewing our policy on internationalization, we realized that the percentage of international
staff did not match our aspiration to be an international organization. Since 2009 we have
focused on attracting more international staff by using international channels and media. We
plan to improve the support of internationals who would like to work at Wageningen by
providing a service agency which will help new staff with visas, permits, and housing, as
well as by providing introduction courses, finding buddies, organising breakfast sessions and a
digital meeting place.
Teaching quality
We expect our lecturers to transfer their knowledge successfully, and to inspire students. They
must be proficient in English. For all new permanent staff and tenure track staff, a University
Teaching Qualification is required. After achieving the Teaching qualification, we offer an
individual track of advanced training as opposed to a standardized SKO-track (Senior University
Teaching Qualification). To stimulate good lecturing, a part of the bonuses for education is
awarded to lecturers (the other part concerns courses) and there is
an annual “lecturer of the year” election organized by the Student Council.
Performance and development interviews
Staff are the creators of quality at Wageningen University. To deliver quality, their personal
ambitions and aims must be in balance with the goals of the organization. The Performance
and Development interview (P&D interview) is the most important instrument we use to focus
attention on the performance, development and employability of staff. The P&D interview is a
periodic discussion between employee and manager, and is held once per year. In the
2010-2014 strategic plan we aim to increase the percentage of P&D interviews in the plan
period to 85%.
The HR instruments mentioned above are discussed in 4.1 and 4.4. Recruitment of international
staff and Teaching quality are not considered as gaps.
26
4.4 Improvement of Quality and Quantity of Performance and development interviews
11
Evaluation/ appraisal systems
1. Vision of P&D interview








The P&D interview has a positive basis: the dialogue between managers and employees
about their development and performance.
Employees have a right to know what their manager thinks about their performance;
they are given a performance review and assessment. Employees have the right to
speak out about the quality of the leadership provided by their manager.
Managers must be clear about the contribution they expect from the employee during
the coming year regarding the realisation of departmental aims.
The P&D interview gives employees the opportunity to discuss their wishes with respect
to their work, career, employability and further training.
P&D interviews are held annually with all employees, and are a normal and natural
component in the cycle of business planning, annual planning/budgeting and taking a
strategic view of all non-financial developments/personnel discussions. If desirable or
necessary, multiple P&D interviews are conducted. Moreover, intervention interviews
can be conducted in exceptional situations.
Throughout the year, the manager periodically discusses the performance of employees
with them; consequently the content of the P&D interview is never a surprise.
During the P&D interviews between a manager and his/her superior, agreements are
made about the number of P&D interviews and their quality; the coach evaluation is
included in this process as an indicator of the quality of the P&D interviews.
Processing the data in the digital system must be as simple and fast as possible, and
should be properly facilitated.
2. Position of P&D in the strategy and operational management process
The strategy process is based on the:

Strategic Organisational Plan (IP/OP)

Strategic Plan of the Sciences Group

Multi-year business plan of the organisational component (business unit, staff
department, Facilities and Services, Concern+)

Annual plan
From here, there is a transposition to the budget, to the Strategic Personnel Plan (SPP) and
possibly to other plans (facilities, institutional plan position).
To realise these plans, the organisation must answer the following question: what is required in
terms of capacity and quality (i.e. number of staff and type of jobs), now (ist) and in the future
(soll)? This capacity and quality are realised through optimal deployment and development of
people to achieve the aims of the organisation.
The SPP first describes what jobs are needed, what the distinction is between these jobs, what
results are expected for each type of job (e.g. acquisition, billable hours and publications) and
what types of behaviour, skills and attitude are expected. In addition, the SPP summarises the
current situation in an overview of all of the non-financial developments.
In the P&D process, both components of the SPP come together.
P = performance. This is what the organisation expects from the employee.
D = development of the employee, also in the context of long-term employability.
In addition, an assessment is made about the performance during the past year.
Input for the P&D interview can be obtained from:
a)
b)
job-related matters such as the Hay profile, a detailed description of the classification
criteria in that profile in terms of work instructions and the job competency profile
organisation-related matters: performance agreements based on the annual
plan/departmental plan which are based in turn on the strategic plan.
Figure 1 illustrates this schematically:
27
Translation
Strategic plan; Summary SPP; Annual plan/Operational plan of department or unit; Hay job profile; Work
instructions (DLO); Job criteria (WU); Job competence profile; P&D interview; Clear agreements (SMART); Clear
expectations with respect to competences; Final score (assessment)
The performance agreements based on the annual plans as well as those based on the profiles
are customised and will differ between departments, chairs or business units, depending on the
corresponding aims and choices.
3. Plan of Approach
Discussion with the Directors of Operations about the objective of P&D within Wageningen UR
and their own organisation component
Preparing heads of HRM for their role in the MTs
Brief training sessions on advisory skills or on holding employees accountable
Optimisation of P&D Digital
Theme meeting for all HR officers and Heads of HR
Brief training sessions on advisory skills or on holding employees accountable
All Management Teams of all components pay attention in their regularly scheduled MT meeting
to improving the quantity and quality of the P&D interviews,
All managers attend the workshop

Which employees are going to attend the workshops (see below)?
At the request of the MTs, training activities for managers and staff are provided at each
organisational component. Possible topics are:
1. Holding employees to account, giving and receiving feedback
2. Formulating SMART agreements
3. Coaching on competence development and STAR methodology
Communication about P&D with extra information about P&D, tips, FAQs, best practices,
usefulness and necessity of conducting P&D interviews.
Each organisational component announces that the Management Council and MT believe that
the percentage of P&D interviews should increase.
Finally:
Monitoring by HR on behalf of the Management Council, refering to the numbers of interviews to
be conducted and those that have already been conducted. The progress on these indicators is
reported to the Management Council, which goes into action if the agreements are not met.
All the planned activities were carried out resulting in the improvement of the Performance and
development interviews.
28
Annual P&D report
Improvement performance and development interviews in terms of enlargement of the
percentage interviews (80% to 85%) is part of the specific annual management report on the
P&D interviews.
The P&D report 2011 for the Executive Board is summarised below. This concerns a report from
the Personnel Information System using data from P&D Digital (excluding VHL). The P&D data
from VHL were provided by the Board of Directors of VHL. This report contains the P&D figures
and final assessments for each Group, followed by the coach evaluations.
For Wageningen UR as a whole (excluding VHL, but including PhD students), the scoring
percentage for P&D interviews in 2011 was 78.9%. In 2010 the scoring percentage for
Wageningen UR as a whole (excluding VHL) was 66%. The percentage in 2011 can be divided
into completed P&D interviews DLO (87.5%) and WU (70.5%). WU excluding PhD is 75%. The
DLO components of PSG, ESG, RIKILT and FB scored well above the norm. Particularly striking
is the difference in percentage between DLO and WU. This difference can be partly explained by
the staff category of PhD students.
PhD students
The staff category ‘PhD students’ is included in the above P&D scores. Although a different
assessment cycle is used for PhD students, the intention is for these assessment interviews to
be registered in P&D Digital.
The P&D score Wageningen UR-wide for PhD students in 2011 was 58.9%.
29
5.
Gaps, required actions and timetable
5.1 Gaps according to the Tenure Track Evaluation Committee
11
Change
1.
a)
b)
Evaluation/ appraisal systems
and improvement of the Tenure Track system is needed along three lines:
Clear choices for top talent and quality by:
strong and independent BACs that reflect the required authority
a transparent BAC advice that includes both an advice to the General Director and a
development advice to the TT candidate
c) focus on the quality of BAC advice, instead of a more elaborate credit point system
d) more explicit recognition of the TT candidate’s competences and activities that benefit
WU in the BAC advice
2. Organise the capacity for learning and improvement by organising possibilities for an
exchange of best practises, synchronisation and tuning:
a) regular meetings by representatives of Departmental BACs and HR
b) continuity in membership of Departmental BACs that allow for a memory of
practices
c) organising an exchange of experiences and best practises of supervising chairs
3. Better information & communication, and clarity on roles & responsibilities:
a.
All parties must take responsibility for being well informed about their roles &
responsibilities within the TT system, and approach each other on these in a pro-active
manner: “Taking your Responsibility” is the key factor for improving Tenure Track.
b.
The internet information needs improvement.
c.
Better communication is needed, esp. to inform existing and potential Tenure
Trackers and chair holders.
d.
One organisation-wide, uniform and clear procedure/regulation for BACs is
needed to clarify and sharpen uniform working procedures.
5.2 Gaps according to the researchers
During the workshop for researchers two gaps between codes and institutional policies.
Gender balance was not experienced as a gap by the researchers.
11
Evaluation/ appraisal systems
Researchers underline the important of independent selection committees. It is important for
the research institutes of Wageningen UR to further develop the career paths of the researchers.
At this moment this is in progress.
21
Postdoctoral appointments (Code)
The post doc position has been discussed. Despite their ambitions most post docs do not get a
permanent position within the Dutch universities.
If the position is temporary the post doc knows when the position will end. The number of
extensions of a contract with an organisation is limited by law. But should be further limited.
The researchers noticed that temporary contract can be a ‘danger’ for the strategic goals of the
organisation.
The coaching and supervision of postdocs and junior researchers can be optimized.
“We do not have dedicated mentors. Mentorship is part of management responsible.”
5.3 Gaps according to the critical reflection (review committee of the NVAO)
11
Evaluation/ appraisal systems
See 5.1 Tenure Track Evaluation Committee
The P&D interview is a periodic discussion between employee and manager, and is held once per
year. The 2010-2014 strategic plan aimed to increase the percentage of P&D interviews in the
plan period to 85%.
All the planned activities of the working group (see 4.4) were carried out resulting in the
improvement of the Performance and development interviews to 80%.
Further improvement of the performance and development interviews in terms of raising the
percentage interviews (80% to 85%) is part of the annual specific management report on the
P&D interviews.
5.4 Gaps according to the project group
The project group identified two gaps between codes and institutional policies.
30
21
Postdoctoral appointments (Code)
Policy on this issue has been developed taking in consideration the duration of the
appointments. The policy points out the transitional position of ‘postdocs’ by the preparation to
the next career step and the long term prospects. Only to a few excellent researchers
Wageningen UR can offer a research career or a permanent position within the academic staff.
27
Gender balance
There is a clear gender balance in the academic and supporting staff except for the associate
and full professors and top management within the organisation. Measurements and activities
are taken to improve the balance in gender equality, especially the numbers of men and women
in higher positions.
5.5 Actions and timetable
11
Evaluation/ appraisal systems
Action 1 Introducing basic requirements for career trajectories, especially for researchers
Deliverables (Corporate HR and HR departments December 2012)
Checklist on agreed results according to job profile, programme reviews, internal and external
project evaluation
Action 2 Redefining long term strategic personnel planning due to aging and retirement
Deliverables (Corporate HR and HR departments November 2012)
Report holding the analysis of staff development 2012-2017
Adjusted Strategic personnel plans of Sciences Groups and other units
Action 3 Monitoring and annually reporting the improvement of performance and development
interviews in terms of enlargement of the percentage interviews (80% to 85%) and individual
career development plans
Deliverables (Corporate HR March 2012 and 2013)
Annual reports on performance and development interviews
Action 4 Implementing the recommendations of Tenure Track Evaluation Committee
Deliverables (Corporate HR March till December 2012)
Improved website on tenure track policy
Improved and uniform composition of assessment committees
Brochure Tenure Track
Manual for the tenure track recruitment and selection procedure
Format for the tenure track review committee agenda
Format for the tenure track review committee recommendation
Format for tenure track personal file including Models A and B assessment list achieved credits
Personal tenure track development plan
21
Postdoctoral appointments (Code)
Action 5 Recommendations on the development and management of track record, educational
experience, development of networks
Career and duration of contract
- to offer the absolute top talent an opportunity for a scientific career at Wageningen UR (based
on European and national grants, scientific output and international experience);
- post-doctoral researchers need to work on their track record;
- assign other duties to develop the CV: the supervision of PhD and MSc students, education
and project management;
- no stacking of appointments of post-doctoral researchers (max one extension);
- post-doctoral researchers need to be offered new prospects outside the university, Alternatives
need to be initiated in good time, i.e. at least one year before departure.
Spin offs of further developed knowledge of Wageningen UR, aiming at commercial applications
in cooperation with third parties, are part of the policy of starting new businesses (StartLife).
Among others, students and PhD’s, postdocs are stimulated to entrepreneurial activities.
Deliverables (Corporate HR, Corporate E&R, Wageningen Graduate Schools June 2013)
Top Talent programmes of Wageningen Graduate Schools
Workshops on Postdoc Career Development for postdocs and professors in order to:
Increase awareness of and start the dialogue between postdocs and their professors
about what is expected from a post-doc and the post-doc career development
Identify obstacles in career planning for post docs
Find possible solutions for the identified obstacles
Talent as a researcher
- post-doctoral researchers need to be practical and skilled in carrying out experiments,
creative, and able to devise original questions to be addressed by their research. They need to
be highly competent in scientific methods, the use of models, the synthesis of new ideas,
succeed in raising funds (entrepreneurship) and possess an international drive;
- the chair group needs to offer post-doctoral researchers an inspirational working environment.
- the above can be implemented in recruitment and selection.
The Talents & Topics programme is an example of a successful approach.
31
Deliverables (Wageningen Graduate Schools June 2013)
Top Talent programmes of Wageningen Graduate Schools
Recruitment and selection
- Recruitment and selection needs to be focused even more on the acquisition of top talent;
- Female candidate post-doctoral researchers deserve more recognition. Female internal
candidates must receive more support in the fulfilment of their ambitions.
Deliverables (Corporate HR June 2013)
Improved recruitment site Wageningen UR
Competence development and courses
- competence and personal development of post-doctoral researchers
- encouraging researchers to follow courses and providing career advice. Budgets for training
and advice need to be granted generously.
Deliverables (Corporate HR and HR departments June 2013)
Format for Personal Development Plans for postdocs
Coaching
- the P&D and career development interviews should focus on career development and career
prospects.
- a specific programme should be agreed with the post-doctoral researchers after two years
which addresses the end of the contract, a three-year extension or tenure track.
- coaches should be selected for post-doctoral researchers at the beginning of their
appointment.
Deliverables (Corporate HR and HR departments June 2013)
Agreements on career development and coaching within the P&D interviews including the end of
the contract, a three-year extension or tenure track
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Gender balance
Action 6 Every year management reports on the gender situation (facts and figures) are
discussed with the local management.
Deliverables Corporate HR and HR departments
Annual reports on gender situation
Action 7 There is an active ‘Network for Wageningen University Alumni Women’ (VWI,
Vrouwennetwerk Wageningse Ingenieurs). In 2011 / 2012 the Network took the initiative
together with the Wageningen UR Science Shop (Wetenschapswinkel) to investigate why women
are underrepresented in higher functions.
Deliverables (Wageningen UR Science Shop June 2012)
VWI Report on the underrepresentation of women
Action 8 Appointment of preferably two, or at least one woman in Recruitment Advisory
Committees and Assessment Committees
Deliverables (Managing Directors Sciences Groups June 2012).
Revised composition of assessment committees
Action 9 In 2012 Wageningen University received two NWO-Aspasia Premiums. 25% of the
premium is to be spent on the organisational level in terms at the benefit of diversity-policy,
especially for improving the position of women in science. It will be used for developing and
organizing a mentoring- and coaching system for women in science.
Deliverables (NWO December 2013)
Mentoring and coaching system for women in science
Action 10 Together with other Dutch universities Wageningen UR is developing a course on
gender awareness.
Deliverables (VSNU December 2013)
Developed course on gender awareness
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Appendix 1
Overview of HR Strategy for Researchers incorporating
Charter and Code (Excel file)
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