Four Dutch universities have been granted 50 thousand euros each to fund 10 ethnic minority undergraduate students interested in science careers.
The University of Utrecht, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Leiden University and Vrije University will receive subsidy funds from the Social Fund for the Knowledge Sector (Sophocles). According to Sophocles representative Marieke van den Berg, who is also chair of FNV AbvaKabo, foreign students need to realize a research career is a viable possibility for them.
Research talent from overseas remains untapped, said Eveline Weenink, diversity advisor at Utrecht University, a leader in the initiative.
The number of foreign students considered ethnic minorities in higher education has doubled over the past twelve years, but the growth in scientific staff is not visible. Ethnic minority students coming from abroad are often the first in their families to attend university and they are relatively unfamiliar with the university environment.
Early in their academic study program, prospective candidates were asked to think about a career in science. The forty selected student assistants will begin in September, spending five months to gain research experience with no additional training. The teachers accompanying them will follow a course of study.
The four universities plan to closely follow the careers of the student assistants. Inspiration for the project is based on the U.S. government's McNair Scholars Program, designed to increase the flow of minority groups and encourage promotion pathways.
