Who we are
Erasmus MC Graduate School is the organization within Erasmus MC that educates and prepares research master students and PhD candidates to become world-class scientists. Our research masters and PhD tracks range from fundamental clinical research to research that is fully intertwined with societal projects.
We are thinkers who act. Within the Erasmus MC Graduate School, we connect fundamental and practical research to create impact. Here, Dutch and international students develop into trained scientists, and PhD candidates conduct research that makes a difference - for science and for the wider community. We measure our success not only in terms of international recognition and scientific publications, but also, crucially, in terms of our impact on the health and well-being of society.
We are driven by the needs that exist in society and by the opportunities offered by innovation, as this is an era of major changes. We develop new research paradigms about health and well-being in society. New ways of thinking – and of doing. We have moved from conducting research on people, to conducting research with people. In this process, we take inspiration from our home base, Rotterdam. As the largest university medical center in the Netherlands, we feel that no ambition is too big: every good idea can prove to be successful here. This is the place where passion generates impact.
We offer a variety of Research Masters and PhD education, ranging from fundamental clinical research to research that is fully interlinked with social projects. What connects us is our commitment to our students, with extensive personal guidance and space for them to develop initiatives. An organization with little hierarchy, a great deal of interdisciplinary collaboration and lots of opportunities for new ideas. We are never complacent, we are open to other points of view and work together with Delft University of Technology, EUR and our social partners. That's where we find inspiration for research that makes an impact.
Our aim here at Erasmus MC Graduate School is to get the best out of ourselves and each other, for and in cooperation with science and society at large. At Erasmus MC Graduate School we contribute to a healthier future for Rotterdam, the Netherlands and far beyond. This is a place where passionate students and researchers can flourish. Because this is where thinking and doing produce real results.
Our graduates are well prepared to become the future (clinical) research staff at university medical centers, research universities, research institutes, and/or fill staff and policy positions, such as in management of biomedical universities, health care organizations, biomedical and pharmaceutical companies, ministries, EU, and many more. In and outflow is possible at all levels.
We challenge students and PhD candidates to pursue their own interests. They receive guidance from committed supervisors and set up their own research. This helps them develop into self-reliant and autonomous scientists who are driven by curiosity. In many of our Research Masters, you will join a research group right from the start and have your own supervisor. You are encouraged to learn about the disciplines of your fellow students, for example through an annual symposium. Our students become inspired connectors who work from an interdisciplinary perspective. They understand the language of doctors and nurses, engineers and data scientists, and sociologists and economists. Many of them stay on after graduation or do a PhD trajectory in science, while others find employment in other sectors.
At the core of our educational philosophy is that a good scientific training requires active learning. This means that we teach PhD and research master students in small groups or sometimes even individually, and that theoretical knowledge and practical skills are taught in an integrated way. Hence, students are stimulated to use their newly acquired knowledge actively, which both embeds their knowledge and improves the quality of their research. The convergence is an important driver to enhance multi- and transdisciplinarity in our education on all levels. Students learn from faculty members, who are top in their field, with international experience, and whose research groups collaborate with other (inter)national research groups.
Thus, we aim to create an international study environment with PhD and research master students from all over the world that prepares students for a career in an international environment. At Erasmus MC Graduate School, students are stimulated to have one or more international experiences (participating in international conferences, electives and/or secondments) during their education and training.
The Erasmus MC Graduate School collaborates with Dutch, European and international partners. The convergence partners collaborate in setting up new educational and research opportunities. It is part of international consortia that give access to the latest developments in teaching, and the possibilities to prepare jointly for future challenges. Individual research groups collaborate internationally with top groups across the globe.
This excellent international position ensures a constant stream of internationally renowned scientists that visit or work at Erasmus MC for longer or shorter periods. Meanwhile, the high standard and international character of Erasmus MC Graduate School ensures a constant stream of students from many different countries throughout Europe and the rest of the world.
Several of these international PhD and research master students proceed towards a position at Erasmus MC, strengthening its international position. Other alumni will find employment abroad, thus expanding the European and international identity of Erasmus MC.
Because science is international at its core, Erasmus MC Graduate School embraces internationalization in its classroom. Its facilities for internationalization are therefore top notch. It acknowledges that the student population is diverse, and actively promotes an inclusive environment so that all students feel at home.
Erasmus MC Graduate School
