Career guide - Fellowships


Hypatia Chairs

The Hypatia Chairs have been introduced at the University of Twente to increase the number of female talent in academic top positions. The name Hypatia is inspired by the fourt/fifth century Greek scientist Hypatia, who was a teacher in the field of mathematics and philosophy, and is the earliest female mathematician of whose life and work reasonably detailed knowledge exists. In her days, she was very influential as she had the ability to transfer her phenomenal knowledge in an inspiring way. She is a shining example of our High Tech Human Touch approach.

Hypatia Chairs are a mark of quality. A candidate must meet all conditions and requirements before being considered for a post. Vacant chairs will remain unfilled until the right candidate is found.

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Rosalind Franklin Fellowships

The University of Groningen has initiated the Rosalind Franklin Fellowship programme to promote the advancement of talented international researchers. This programme is aimed at women in academia, research institutes or industry who have a PhD. It offers a tenure-track position leading to a full professorship in a top European research university.

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Philip Eijlander Diversity Program

The Philip Eijlander Diversity Program (PEDP) increases the proportion of women in higher academic positions, by creating extra positions on the level of assistant professor, associate professor and full professor. These extra positions advance the competence areas that the Schools focus on in their research agenda’s, as stated in the Strategic Outline 2018-2021, and help achieve the objectives of 25% female full professors and 40% female associate professors in 2020. The overall goal is an inclusive work climate where quality prevails. Equal opportunities for all will lead to capacity building and a fair representation of women. 

PEDP aims to scout and attract extra-ordinary talent in academia. As such the Philip Eijlander Diversity Program can be seen as a quality label. This implies that only fully qualified scholars will be appointed. If Tilburg University fails to spot them, then the vacancy won’t be filled until another opportunity arises.

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TU/e Irène Curie Fellowship

As of July 2019, TU/e has launched the Irène Curie Fellowship. This program is aimed at talented women who pursue an academic career in our European top research university.

On May 1st 2021, TU/e relaunched the revised Irène Curie Fellowship program. The program received a positive ruling from the Netherlands Institute for Human Rights and contributes to the societal goal of promoting equal opportunities and a society in which everyone's abilities are utilized.

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Westerdijk Fellowship

Utrecht University’s Faculty of Science aims for innovative scientific output. Gender diversity among the scientific staff plays an important role in achieving this goal. The Westerdijk Fellowship has been established to attract outstanding female talent with leadership potential, and offers a tenure-track appointment in combination with a PhD candidate position. This 5 year fellowship is intended for ambitious female Assistant- or Associate Professors who aspire to a full professorship. The fellowship is named after the first Dutch female professor, Johanna Westerdijk, who held the chair of Plant Pathology at Utrecht University.

UU is offering a tenure track at the Assistant Professor level. If the fellow proves successful, a permanent position will be offered. The Faculty of Science is also happy to consider applications from women with a more senior profile. In that case, an entry at the Associate Professor level can be considered .

Applicants must be outstanding researchers in priority areas within the Faculty of Science and the specific faculty department. The applicants have the ambition to develop a research track and research group. Educational experience and affinity for teaching are also given high priority. The Westerdijk Fellows are expected to participate in and contribute to the development of the faculty’s teaching programme, so a broad scientific vision on research and education and organisational involvement are imperative. 

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Hermine Weijland Fellowship

The School of Business and Economics established the Hermine Weijland Fellowship in 2017 with the aim of attracting and promoting female academic talent. This prestigious fellowship seeks to encourage promising female academics to join SBE and to improve the gender balance at senior levels. The fellowship bears the name of Hermine Weijland (1932-2001), who started at SBE in the 1960s, first as a student, and later as an employee. She was one of the first women to attain her PhD at SBE and went on to build a successful career as an academic.

The fellowship will be used to recruit two Assistant/Associate Professors every year. This will be done within the SBE personnel and professorship plan. This means that every year two vacant positions will be earmarked as suitable for a Hermine Weijland Fellow. Every calendar year, a decision will be made about which departments can accommodate the Hermine Weijland Fellows. The SBE Board together with the faculty's HR department will ensure that the HW Fellowship positions are distributed fairly between the academic departments over consecutive years.

Each calendar year, a decision will be made about which departments can accommodate the Hermine Weijland Fellows. The two vacancies for Assistant/associate Professorships will be filled using open recruitment procedures. Applications must include a CV, publication list, teaching dossier, letter outlining vision on development of Teaching and Research, and two reference letters. Candidates will be selected by a selection committee within the department. The HWF Steering Committee (see below) will play an advisory role in this process. The selection committee will nominate the selected candidate by submitting the relevant proposal to the SBE Board. 

The HWF Steering Committee consists of three professors, including two female academics, who represent the various research disciplines of SBE. This committee plays an ambassador role for the Fellowship in the networks in which it operates. In addition, the committee takes an advisory role in the recruitment and promotion of Fellows, with the aim of monitoring and upholding the quality of the Fellowship. The committee, which also acts as a sounding board for the SBE Board and the HR department, will be actively involved in the future development of the Hermine Weijland Fellowship. The members of the steering committee are: Prof. Anna Gold; Prof. Marleen Huysman; and Prof. Maarten Lindeboom.

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Marie Curie fellowship

The Marie Curie fellowship (IOF) is a personal grant, awarded by the European Commission. It enables outstanding researchers to obtain research experience abroad, and to use this experience upon their return, for the advancement of science in Europe. 


FEBS EMBO Women in Science award

From 2008, the FEBS (Federation of European Biochemical Societies) and EMBO (European Molecular Biology Organisation) have each year awarded a Women in Science award to a Eurpena female academic within life sciences for an outstanding acievement. Candidates have to be nominated; self-nomination is not permitted.

FEBS EMBO Women in Science award


L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science Awards

Each year, at the L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science Awards, five outstanding women scientists – one per continent – are honoured for the contributions of their research, the strength of their commitments and their impact on society. Each recipient receives US$100,000 in recognition of their accomplishments. The awards alternate yearly between the disciplines life sciences and material sciences.

An international network of around 1,000 academics nominates candidates every year. 

L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science programme


International For Women in Science fellowships

Within the framework of the International For Women in Science programme by L'Oreal and Unesco, grants are awarded yearly to 15 researchers from over the world (3 per continent) for more than 10 years now. It offers PhDs & post-docs (max. 35 years old) the possibility to continue promising research projects at a foreign guest laboratory. The grants awarded have a maximum $40.000, spread over 2 years

Three fellowships are awarded yearly for each of the following regions:

Africa - the Arab States - Asia and the Pacific - Latin America and the Caribean - North America and Europe

International For Women in Science fellowships


National For Women in Science fellowships

The National For Women in Science programme was introduced in 2012 by the National Unesco Commission and L’Oréal Nederland together with NIAS en LNVH. It aims to advance the academic careers of women and, by doing so, contribute to an increase in Dutch female professors.  

Every year 2 Dutch fellowships, with a maximum of 25,000 euro, are awarded to female academics who are active within life sciences in the broadest sense. Grants can be awarded up to ten years after promotion (at Vidi level) and are meant for residential stays at the Nias-campus at Wassenaar. The above-mentioned term of ten years can be extended in the case of long term leave owing to care or pregnancy (18 months per child).

National For Women in Science fellowships