UM as an employer
Source: https://www.maastrichtuniversity.nl/over-de-um/werken-bij-um/um-employer Parent: https://www.maastrichtuniversity.nl/
At Maastricht University (UM), Work Well-being and sustainable employability of our staff is at the heart of our human resources policy. We’re committed to providing a secure environment that encourages ongoing learning, development and future career mobility as fundamental rights for all employees.
Terms of employment
At UM, you will enjoy attractive terms of employment aligned with the Collective Labour Agreement of Dutch Universities (CAO-NU). Benefits include competitive salaries, flexible hours, hybrid working options, generous leave, a holiday allowance and an end-of-year bonus.
Your professional & personal development
Through Talent Development, we actively support your ongoing learning, development and future career mobility. We help you achieve your career goals with a variety of programmes, including refresher courses, personal development workshops and guidance for job transitions. We also provide leadership training programmes and even personalised training for all management levels, from aspiring to experienced leaders.
We also offer an online learning platform called Learning Management System (LMS) that allows you to follow professional and personal development modules at your own pace.\
Work Well-being
With Work Well-being, your sustainable employability is our focus, with attention to physical and mental health, job satisfaction, professional growth, and a safe, supportive work environment. We care about how you feel at work.\ \ Through our Vitality Works strategy, we help you stay fit and boost your vitality, for example with exercise and mindfulness programs you can follow right at your workplace. In addition, UM SPORTS offers a wide range of health and wellness activities, and you can become a member of our state-of-the-art University Sports Centre.
International employer with exchange opportunities
As the European university in the Netherlands, 40% of our academic staff and more than half of our students come from abroad. International cooperation and a global citizenship mindset are woven into the fabric of our daily work. We inspire each other to reach across borders and embrace diverse perspectives.We are, and always have been, firm advocates of the internationalisation of education and research because we see every day how it enriches our work and our lives.
With English-led activities and extensive language support, we foster an environment where our international staff feel included and valued. We also ensure a welcoming atmosphere for new international staff through social events, buddy programmes, assistance with residence permits and more, facilitated by our International Staff Support Office.
Additionally, we promote global engagement and cross-border mobility through our international partnerships, encouraging our employees to participate in international conferences, collaborations and visiting professorships. For both academic and support staff, we also facilitate job shadowing at partner universities abroad through the ERASMUS+ mobility grant.
Opportunities or early career professionals
Are you an early career academic or a young support staff member considering Maastricht University? The Maastricht Young Academy (MYA) and Young UM Professionals (YUMP, intranet link) offer platforms to amplify your voice and support your development. MYA provides a space for young academics to share their concerns and ideas on important issues, while YUMP brings together young support staff from across UM’s faculties and service centres to facilitate dialogue and collaboration. Both communities focus on personal and professional growth, ensuring you have the support and opportunities to thrive at UM.
Recognition and Rewards
UM aims to ensure that every employee can fully develop their talents and feels recognised and valued. We are building an open, inclusive, and diverse community where employees are rewarded based on their individual contributions.
We actively participate in the national Recognition & Rewards programme , through which Dutch universities, together with knowledge institutions and research funders, are working toward a broader and more modern approach to performance evaluation.
Within this framework, we offer clear career paths for academic staff, aiming to reduce and promote permanent positions, including through tenure tracks. By applying the principles of Recognition & Rewards, we assess academic staff more broadly and transparently, taking into account not only research, but also teaching, impact, leadership, and teamwork.
HR strategy for researchers (HRS4R)
At Maastricht University, our recruitment process is guided by the European Charter for Researchers and the Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers, as well as the Dutch NVP application code. In implementing the HR Strategy for Researchers (HRS4R), we strive to provide our researchers with an inspiring and stimulating work environment. Our commitment ensures that our recruitment procedures and HR policy are grounded in quality principles that promote a diverse, inclusive and equitable workplace.
To learn more, download our HR Excellence in research internal review & action plan 2022-2025 (PDF).
Continuous improvement of our policies
We value input from our employees in making continuous improvement to our working environment. That’s why we use the Work Well-being Monitor, which provides insight into how employees experience their work and workplace.
To increase engagement, we bring employees together in communities, where they discuss and collaboratively interpret the results of the monitor.
The insights from the Work Well-being Monitor form the basis for targeted action plans, helping us to continuously improve our work environment every day.