Talent & Training China - Netherlands

In 2009 the Dutch Innovation Platform launched the so-called '1000 PhD initiative' aiming at increasing the number of highly educated (PhD) personnel in the Netherlands. Because of its large scientific potential China has been selected for the pilot programme, Talent & Training China-Netherlands. An agreement (MoU) was signed between NWO, KNAW and the CSC. The Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science (OCW) allocated means for the set-up and selection procedure of the programme, while the CSC funds scholarships for a certain number of PhD candidates via the overseas PhD scholarship programme.

T&T China-Netherlands aims at the recruitment of talented Chinese PhD candidates interested in coming to the Netherlands to carry out their PhD research. High-quality candidates from a pool of excellent Chinese universities will be selected for PhD positions at pre-selected Dutch Graduate Schools. A unique match-making trip of selected candidates to the Netherlands is included in the procedure. This trip makes it possible for the candidates and the Dutch Graduate Schools to get to know each other.

Until this moment two subsidy rounds have taken place, resulting in the selection of 12 resp. 20 candidates by Dutch Graduate Schools in several fields. The first group of 12 started their PhD research last September (2011); for the second group the decision about their scholarship is pending (due in May/June). If successful these 20 talented students will start their PhD research in the Netherlands in September this year (2012).

Unfortunately the continuation of the programme is uncertain. The wish to invite research talent from abroad still exists, and this programme provides a way to select candidates in a unique manner, which benefits both the candidate and the Graduate School. At the same time this unique element – the match-making event – takes a considerable investment in time and funds. More information will follow in due time.