Have you been wondering what the Recognition & Rewards (R&R) programme accomplished in 2024, at EUR and beyond? Here are some of the most interesting R&R highlights of last year.
R&R is a national programme in the Netherlands, and all knowledge institutions, including universities, are busy with the culture change in how academic work is recognised, appreciated and rewarded. This change is happening along several topics: diversifying career paths; balancing individual and collective performance; stimulating open science and good academic leadership; and focusing on quality.
Different routes towards diversified career paths
At EUR, several schools were actively developing diversified career paths in 2024. Some chose a more top-down approach through workgroups. Others used a bottom-down approach through co-design sessions, where academic staff contributed ideas for the career profiles. Some schools focused on evaluating existing career paths and identifying possible adjustments and improvements. This work continues in 2025: for example, Erasmus School of Economics (ESE) will host workshops, designed by R&R team, to create new promotion criteria corresponding with the new career profile framework (only readable internally).
Focus on quality: Narratives in the Development Cycle
To emphasize evaluating academic work in a qualitative way, last year many EUR schools and services switched to the new Development cycle. It is narrative-based and places more emphasis on qualitative performance elements and developing skills and competences. Schools also provided narrative trainings to support staff in reflecting on their activities, development and vision more qualitatively. To support this transition, the R&R team created narrative writing and assessment guidelines, and instructional videos that guide through the process of writing a narrative. These resources are available in the Development cycle toolbox (only readable internally).
Good leadership and teamwork
Good academic leadership is one of the main R&R pillars and imperative for stimulating the culture change that R&R represents. At EUR, in 2024 the Leadership programme supported this pillar, offering trainings to leaders and inspiring them through the Erasmian Leadership Profile (only readable internally) which offers guidance on good attitudes and behaviours at all leadership levels.
In 2024, some Schools focused on strengthening their team-based working structure and culture. To support this, the R&R team developed a team-based workshop ‘Unlock your team potential’. This workshop helps teams of any size and composition to explore task allocation and talent development scenarios. It offers both a pre-made, scenario-based variant focusing on academic staff and a flexible, own team-based variant.
National R&R developments
2024 has brought many positive developments for the R&R programme nationally. Several Dutch universities developed diversified career paths, including VU, Maastricht University, and TU Eindhoven, and many are actively fostering a more qualitative view on academic activities.
One of the important national R&R milestones was the 'Cultuurbarometer' survey (only readable internally). It showed that the programme ambitions are widely supported by academics. At EUR, it was great to see that the majority of academics who completed the survey were already somewhat familiar with R&R. Some insights also raised concern – for example, most respondents nationally reported not yet seeing much change because of the R&R programme, and at EUR the survey reached few early career academics.
Another notable development was the 23 Dutch universities and knowledge institutions, including EUR and Erasmus Medical Center, receiving a grant which will enable better recognition, appreciation and rewarding of Open Science practices. In the coming years this funding will support the structural implementation of recognition of open science activities and help to further promote open science as an important part of academic work.
Tools, workshops, and games
In 2024, R&R and Evaluating Societal Impact (ESI) teams developed diverse tools to facilitate R&R implementation further. In addition to the tools mentioned already, a tool "Academic career path journey" was created. It outlines the possible steps to take when introducing career paths at a school, from planning to evaluation, and suggests which stakeholders to involve throughout the process.
Another interactive tool available now is an adjustable co-design workshop format, adaptable to every school’s needs and goals. This session facilitates the designing of career paths through collaborative, bottom-up approach which involves academic staff. Last but not least, the "Journey of Progress" game enables teams to create their Theory of Change from scratch and map out ways to achieve their vision. Please do not hesitate to approach the R&R team if you are interested in any of these tools and workshops!
Inspiring each other
In 2024 we also continued inspiring each other and highlighting colleagues whose career and activities embody the principles of R&R. Dr Julian Schaap, Assistant Professor at Erasmus School of History, Culture and Communication, shared about his work (article only internally available) in engaged research.
Senior HR Policy Advisor Christien Bakker recalled the journey (article only internally available) the R&R programme has gone through in the past five years at EUR. Linda van Klink, Senior Policy Advisor at ESE, and Celinka Roovers-Werkman, Coordinator of HR Strategy team and R&R assignment holder at International Institute of Social Studies, reflected on their approach to implementing R&R at their respective schools.
Goals for 2025
The R&R implementation continues in 2025. At EUR, this year the transition from central to decentral ownership and implementation (policy and behaviour) is intensifying. This means that R&R will be embedded in EUR schools and services. Important work lies in formalising diversified career paths into school policies and daily operations, and ensuring that being in a career path is registered. Many schools continue working on policies and procedures that support career paths, such as Strategic Personnel Planning and promotion criteria. To enable these changes, the R&R team will continue expanding the R&R toolbox with practical, user-friendly tools.
- More information
Interested in learning more about the successes/impact of Recognition & Rewards, and practical applications of the available tools? Have a look at the Recognition & Rewards pages.
Erasmus University Rotterdam is modernising its system for recognising and rewarding academic staff to create more room for diverse academic talents and better enable employees to contribute to the university’s mission of creating positive societal impact. That is why EUR kicked off the Recognition & Rewards programme in 2020.
Read more about EUR vision and 'Impact through Recognition and Rewards' and meet the Recognition & Rewards team.
For questions about Recognition & Rewards, the programme team, and this article, please contact us at recognitionandrewards@eur.nl.
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- Have a look at the Recognition & Rewards pages
