Postdocs

Personnel

Factsheet

In this factsheet we present data on postdoctoral researchers. We show the fields in which they work, the distribution between men and women, and how many postdocs are from the Netherlands and how many are from abroad.

In short

  • The number of postdocs employed by Dutch universities has grown from over 2,000 fte in 2005 to almost 4,119 in 2024.
  • Approximately 43% of postdocs are female.
  • The proportion of international postdocs employed in the Netherlands is 70%.

‘Postdoc’ is an internationally recognized term for a researcher who has recently completed their PhD and works at a university, university medical centre (umc) or research institute. Postdocs are employed on temporary contracts, must establish their position within academia, and sometimes supervise PhD candidates. After one, two or three postdoc appointments, most move on to another career path, whether by choice or necessity.


The number of postdocs increases

There is clear growth in the number of fte postdocs in the Netherlands. The number of fte postdocs employed by Dutch universities was 2,146 in 2005. In 2024, this number has grown to 4,119 fte. Postdocs are found mostly in engineering and natural sciences. However, their numbers have also grown rapidly in agriculture and behavioral and social sciences, as shown in the figure below.

Source: UNL/ WOPI
Notes: Excluding Health. Postdocs are defined in the WOPI data as ‘temporary other academic staff research’. The figures refer to fte. (See 'additional information WOPI'). Postdocs who are funded externally and are not employed by the university, are not included in these numbers.

More female and more international postdocs


The share of female postdocs increased from 34% in 2005 to 43% in 2024. In 2024 women make up the largest share in behavioral and social sciences (64%) and the smallest share in engineering (29%).

The proportion of postdocs with a non-Dutch nationality increased from 46% in 2007 to 70% in 2024. Many postdocs are part of a large international community of young researchers. The figure below shows the strong growth in the number of postdocs from the rest of Europe, and the increase in postdocs from the rest of the world.

 

Source: UNL/ WOPI
Notes: Excluding the field of 'Health' and 'not elsewhere classified'. EEA = European Economic Area. Postdocs from the UK were included as EEA until 2020 and as outside EEA in 2021 and later. Data from UVA (2017) and UU (2017-2024) on nationality in combination with the type of contract are not available. For these universities we have estimated their numbers based on the distribution from previous years. The figures refer to headcounts. (See 'additional information WOPI'). Postdocs that are funded externally and are not employed by the university, are not included in these numbers.

Growth partly due to temporary funding

There are several explanations for the increase in the number of postdocs. First, it is attractive for universities to appoint postdocs given the substantial workload at universities. The number of students and PhD candidates requiring supervision has increased, and research activity has expanded. Second, universities receive a considerable amount of non-structural funding. In that context, appointing temporary staff such as postdocs is a logical choice. Third, the postdoc position provides a way to identify and select talented researchers. 

For researchers who have recently completed their PhD, a postdoc offers the opportunity to remain in academia and potentially progress further. Competition, however, is intense. While the number of postdocs has increased, the share of temporary contract in follow-up positions, such as assistant professor roles, has also risen. 

Sources

 

Photo: Bram Belloni/Hollandse Hoogte

The data are obtained from the WOPI-file of UNL. The WOPI-data (Information on scientific education personnel) is annually requested by UNL from fourteen universities, conform a standardized format and agreed definitions. The reference date for the WOPI-data is 31st December for each year. All personnel is included who have a permanent or temporary employment contract or contractual agreement for a fixed number of working hours at a university. Student-Assistants excluded.

Over time, the personnel of almost all the academic hospitals have moved from the medical faculty or university as employer towards the academic hospital or the university medical centre (umc). The scientific field (HOOP-classification) Health sciences therefore shows an inconsistent pattern over time and is therefore not included in the data and graphs.

For an explanation of the used definitions and abbreviations we refer to the webpage Definitions for Science in Figures.

Related publications

  • Academic Careers in the Netherlands
  • Search strategies along the academic lifecycle
  • Academic careers of researchers
  • Tijdsbesteding en overwerk onder onderzoekers en docenten
  • Scientists with temporary and permanent contracts within universities
  • Research capacity Dutch universities
  • Academic careers of researchers
  • Professors