Diverse talent in academic teams

Last updated on 29 April 2025

At VU Amsterdam, we value diverse talent and shape academic careers based on individual strengths and contributions to education, research, and societal impact.

The Recognition & Rewards program offers academic staff (from the level of Assistant Professor) the flexibility to follow a career path that aligns with personal ambitions and expertise, while also supporting the strategic goals of the team and faculty. In this way, the individual development of talents contributes to the collective success of teams, departments, and the university as a whole.

This adjustment in the career policy for scientists represents a cultural change; a scientist does not need to excel in all domains and be a jack of all trades. Managers and employees should keep in mind how they contribute to the work of teams, departments, and faculty goals alongside personal ambitions.

At VU Amsterdam, we have developed two types of training to support this cultural change: a training for managers and a training for academic teams.

Training for managers
With the training for managers, we offer the opportunity to think together about the qualities and ambitions your department needs for the future and how to shape and guide this. There is room to share doubts and dilemmas and to explore how to deal with them. We will also introduce the available tools that can help.

Training for academic teams
With this training, a team is taken through the "why" question, and together we create insight into the competencies and qualities needed in the team and the approach and method to work towards this.

Diverse talent in academic teams - Training for managers

For the successful implementation of academic career paths, a strong emphasis on teamwork is needed. This training for managers offers the opportunity to think about the qualities and ambitions that departments need for the future and how to shape and guide this. The vision and strategy for the entire team are zoomed out.
In a game format, we practice which competencies and qualities of employees are needed to realise this vision. The use of tools for the implementation of career paths, such as strategic personnel planning, the fleet review, and the annual consultation are discussed. There is room to share doubts and dilemmas and learn together.
At the end of the workshop, participants have an overview of where they stand and what to do as a manager and what resources are available.
Target group: Management team members/ managers of scientific staff (Assistant Professor/Associate Professor/Full Professor) 
Location: Own faculty 
Duration: 1 half-day (3.5 – 4 hours)
Participants: maximum 15 participants – minimum 6 participants
Costs: € 2.090 per training
In 2025, several trainings per faculty will be sponsored, reducing the cost to €1.000 per training. Sign up quickly, this only applies to the first 15 training sessions.
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Diverse talent in academic teams - Training for teams

The implementation of academic career paths requires us to rethink how we want to collaborate as a team. Based on a shared vision and strategy for the entire team, we will further examine the competencies and qualities needed in a team to realize this vision. We help teams think about individual qualities and ambitions and how to utilize and value these within a team. The available tools that can help develop your own career path are introduced. There is room to discuss doubts and dilemmas.
After this workshop, participants will be able to look at vision and goals from a team perspective and have a picture of their own position and prospects within it. Participants understand the goal of the Recognition & Reward program and become familiar with some of the tools developed for employees.
It is advisable to follow this training before the annual consultation cycle.
Target group: academic teams that will implement the academic career paths
Location: live, at the own faculty
Duration: 1 half-day (4 hours)
Participants: maximum 15 participants – minimum 6 participants
Costs: € 2.090 per training
Sign up with a team:

Academic career paths

Recognition & Rewards: embracing diverse talent

Team development VU employees

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