Director Erasmus University College

As part of ESSB, the Erasmus University College (EUC) offers a Bachelor's degree programme in Liberal Arts & Sciences (LAS) for up to 650 international, diverse and highly qualified students in a residential, intensive and small-group educational context. EUC has over 70 staff members in four academic departments: Life Sciences, Economics & Business, Social & Behavioural Sciences, and Humanities. EUC recognizes the general underpinnings of liberal arts education: to provide students breadth and depth in their academic programmes, ensuring broad knowledge of culture, science and society, as well as in-depth study in a specific area of interest. EUC focuses on guiding students to become critical world citizens, by aiming for societal change and a commitment to inclusion and diversity. And is very successful in doing so, because the LAS is again qualified by its students as Top Programme in the National Student Survey 2025 and one of EUC's Lecturers recently won the Erasmus University Education Prize 2025.

University Colleges in the Netherlands are, however, facing significant challenges in today's academic landscape. The broader educational and political environment is undergoing significant change. Shifts in government policies, funding structures, and public debates about accessibility, inclusivity and internationalization require University Colleges to be able to adapt quickly and strategically. These dynamics call for innovative approaches to curriculum design, student engagement, and institutional positioning and organization, ensuring that the college remains relevant and resilient in a competitive higher education sector.

With a competent and enthusiastic team, a warm academic community of students and staff, a solid and inspiring curriculum, a strong intake of new students and a top ranking, EUC is in a good position. To lead EUC into consolidating this position and, even more important, guiding it to the next level of development, we seek candidates for the position of:

Director of Erasmus University College FTE)

The Director is in charge of EUC in all its aspects, which includes the role of academic director for the Bachelor degree programme in Liberal Arts and Sciences. The Director is currently supported by four academic department heads and a managing director, who are focused on the day-to-day operations and who together with the Director form the management team. The Director of EUC reports directly to the Dean of ESSB.

Key activities

• Guiding EUC into a new stage of development; further innovation in education, staff professionalization as well as strengthening relations with current and new stakeholders in the Rotterdam region;
• Developing the internal EUC organization accordingly;
• Providing academic and educational leadership in the college;
• Maintaining close relationships with the EUC community, both students and staff;
• Representing the interests of EUC and being a key spokesperson within the EUR community, with the city, and in various media;
• Improving and strengthening the relationship with other university colleges;
• Tracking and analysing external (including societal and international) developments that may affect the teaching activities of EUC;
• Ensuring both the assessment and the quality assurance of the EUC curriculum, as well as the preparation of external accreditations and internal mid-term evaluations;
• Taking responsibility for the management, control and monitoring of the finance and business processes as well as the HR policies, in line with the integral management policy of ESSB and EUR;
• Participating in the Faculty Management Board meetings of ESSB;
• Conducting research along the lines of research themes relevant within ESSB.

You

• are an associate or full professor, with a strong academic track record, and a passion for education, research and engagement;
• have substantive executive (educational) management experience;
• have experience with small scale, active and interdisciplinary forms of education, combined with a passion for educational innovation in an international teaching environment;
• have deep understanding of and affinity with the principles of liberal arts and sciences education, preferably in the context of an undergraduate college;
• have a leadership style characterized by openness, flexibility, integrity and clarity;
• have an entrepreneurial mindset;
• possess the communication skills needed to inspire and engage stakeholders at all levels both internally and externally;
• have a solid command of English (at C2 level), as well as Dutch (at least at C1 level) given the fact that you have to operate in a Dutch policy environment.

EUR offers an internationally oriented and varied work environment, with an enthusiastic (management) team at Erasmus University College, and with attractive employment conditions in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities (CAO-NU). Your initial appointment as Director of EUC will be for four years, starting as soon as possible, but in the Summer of 2026 at the latest. The appointment may be extended if your performance proves satisfactory.

Remuneration is in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities (CAO-NU). Due to the specific nature of this executive role, customized employment conditions apply. EUR offers attractive fringe benefits, including a holiday allowance of 8% of the yearly salary, an end-of-year payment of 8.3% of the yearly salary, and 232 hours leave per year (based on a full-time appointment). In addition, EUR takes part in the ABP pension scheme, and we also offer partially paid parental leave.

Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR) is an internationally oriented university with a strong social orientation in its education and research, as expressed in our mission 'Creating positive societal impact'. EUR is home to 4.100 academics and professionals and almost students from more than 140 countries. Everything we do, we do under the credo The Erasmian Way – Making Minds Matter. We're global citizens, connecting, entrepreneurial, open-minded, and socially involved. These Erasmian Values function as our internal compass and create EUR's distinctive and recognizable profile. From these values, with a broad perspective and with an eye for diversity, different backgrounds and opinions, our employees work closely together to solve societal challenges from the dynamic and cosmopolitan city of Rotterdam. Thanks to the high quality and positive societal impact of our research and education, EUR can compete with the top European universities.

Erasmus School of Social and Behavioural Sciences (ESSB)

Erasmus School of Social and Behavioural Sciences (ESSB) combines various disciplines such as public administration, pedagogical sciences, psychology and sociology. In addition, the Erasmus University College is affiliated with the faculty. Within ESSB, we work in teams on education and research, emphasising interdisciplinarity, diversity, inclusion and sustainability. Together, we strive for societal and scientific impact.

ESSB distinguishes itself through inter-, multi- and transdisciplinary research, in which academics and students work together on complex social issues. Thanks to this approach, ESSB successfully attracts national and international research subsidies and funds, with which we continuously strengthen and renew our education and research.

ESSB serves almost 6,000 students annually with a wide range of bachelor's and master's programmes and has more than 600 employees. These programmes are highly rated by students and alumni. Within ESSB, developing new insights and realising positive societal impact are central, always with a focus on people and society.

Visit our website for more information about the faculty, and click here for more information about our academic teams.

Erasmus University College

Erasmus University College (EUC) is EUR's internationally orientated and selective undergraduate college, offering a Bachelor's degree programme in Liberal Arts and Sciences based on intensive multi-disciplinary education in four areas of study: Social and Behavioural Sciences, Economics and Business, Humanities and Life Sciences. The college and its campus are in the centre of metropolitan Rotterdam. The residential character of the building contributes to a safe academic community whose students live and study together. EUC is part of the faculty Erasmus School of Social and Behavioural Sciences at Erasmus University Rotterdam.

To learn more about Erasmus University College please visit our website.

Please submit your application, consisting of a motivation letter and CV, before the vacancy closing date.

For more information on this vacancy, please contact the ESSB Dean, prof. Marjolijn Antheunis or the Secretariat of the Dean's office,

We look forward to receiving your application.

Persons of all gender identities or expressions, sexual orientations, religions, ethnicities, ages, neurodiversities, functional impairments, citizenships, or any other aspect are welcome to apply and join the EUR community.