PhD education
A PhD programme at HIMS takes 4 years of independent research, supervised by a professor. Most PhD candidates in the Netherlands are employees of the university. As a PhD student, you contribute to the development of knowledge in your field of expertise. The programme is concluded by a thesis (dissertation) and/or a series of articles in scientific journals.
- Current open PhD positions are listed among the vacancies at HIMS.
- An overview of theses by HIMS PhD students can be found in our thesis galleries.
- The University of Amsterdam provides more information on obtaining a PhD.
- For self-funded or scholarship PhD students (bursaries), HIMS offers limited opportunities. More information can be found on our bursaries page.
Research schools
The Dutch PhD trajectory includes courses taught within the framework of national research schools. These are collaborative research and PhD training institutions in specific domains. HIMS participates in two of these:
- Holland Research School of Molecular Chemistry (HRSMC)
HRSMC is a consortium of three Dutch Universities: the University of Amsterdam (UvA), the VU University Amsterdam (VU) and Leiden University (UL). It provides an extensive training programme for PhD students in inorganic, organic, physical and theoretical chemistry, crystallography and mass spectrometry. More information can be found on the HRSMC website. -
Netherlands Institute for Catalysis Research (NIOK)
NIOK is a virtual institute consisting of Dutch university groups active in all areas of catalysis. It fosters the advancement of both higher education and research and stimulates collaboration between scientists of different disciplines and Universities. NIOK also acts as the platform and sparring partner for national and international contacts on catalysis with academia, industry and government. More information can be found on the NIOK website.
Other PhD education initiatives
Adding to the education in the framework of the national research schools, HIMS researchers are also involved in other initiatives providing PhD education:
- COAST-ANAC PhD Education Program
The Dutch national organisation for COmprehensive Analytical Science and Technology (COAST) offers courses for PhD students who want to broaden or deepen their knowledge in analytical science techniques. Courses are offered throughout the year, as summer courses or as a one -or two-day topical courses on weekdays and/or Saturdays. Read more on the COAST-ANAC website. - MolSim school
This yearly school on Molecular Simulation of the Amsterdam Center for Multiscale Modeling teaches its participants to understand and apply molecular simulations; to obtain insight in the underlying theory; and to develop skills by carrying out elementary simulations. Read more on the MolSim website. - PhD skills development
Besides gaining scientific knowledge and research skills, PhD candidates are expected to develop communication skills, personal effectiveness and didactic skills. To this end, the Faculty of Science offers a skills development programme. More information can be found at the staff pages (for current PhD students only).