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PhD candidate with a focus on Teacher Education for the (NWO) project ‘Participatory Theatre as a Pedagogy to Promote Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in Teacher and Medical Education’

Do you want to play a role in promoting diversity, equity and inclusion in teacher education, using participatory theatre, while developing skills as a researcher? Join us as a PhD candidate in a project aimed at empowering student teachers from diverse backgrounds.

What you will do
This project will use a longitudinal participatory action research approach with theatre and aims to:

• Examine power dynamics and inequalities in educational systems;
• Develop educational interventions using co-construction, critical pedagogy and Theatre of the Oppressed;
• Empower and support student teachers to implement transformative DEI changes.

Where you will work
ICLON connects theory and practice of teaching through the application of academic knowledge to issues of classroom practice. Also, issues of practice form the starting point for research in, and development of primary, secondary and higher education. ICLON provides the educational minor in the bachelor's phase and the first-degree teaching master's degree, provides educational services and carries out projects for third parties within and outside the region, and conducts its own scientific research.

ICLON is an interfaculty unit within Leiden University. The Board of ICLON is formed by the deans of the faculties of Social and Behavioural Sciences, Humanities and Science. ICLON has approximately 100 employees.

More information: https://www.universiteitleiden.nl/iclon.

Partnerships – University Medical Center Groningen and Radboud University Nijmegen

This vacancy falls under the project ‘Participatory Theatre as a Pedagogy to Promote Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in Teacher and Medical Education‘, which is funded through an Open Competition Large grant from the Dutch Science Foundation (NWO). This project is carried out in a consortium with the University Medical Center Groningen.

This PhD position focuses on Teacher Education, and is based at ICLON Graduate School of Teaching, Leiden University, with co-supervision from the Radboud Teachers Academy, Radboud University Nijmegen. There is also a vacancy for a PhD position focusing on Medical Education, which is based at the University Medical Center Groningen. More information on that vacancy can be found on the UMCG website.

Minoritized students—including first-generation citizens, racialized minorities, women, LGBTQ+ community members, and those from low-income backgrounds—are still underrepresented in Dutch universities and hospitals, and in front of Dutch classrooms. These groups face barriers such as prejudice, resource scarcity, and microaggressions, which discourage participation and lead to a loss of diverse perspectives in academia and schools. Our project uses innovative research to explore how diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) challenges shape minoritized students’ experiences, and how we can equip them with skills and strategies to facilitate systemic change. The project focuses on minoritized students in teacher and medical education.

What you bring
Accordingly, we are looking for a candidate who has:

• A (Research) Master in educational sciences, educational/(applied) cognitive/social psychology, pedagogy, communication sciences, and/or an Educational Master (completed or nearly completed);
• Experience with or interest in longitudinal data collection, participatory research and/or qualitative research methods;
• Empathy and ability to engage with difference and diversity issues;
• Expertise, affinity and/or experience in the area of discrimination and exclusion;
• Affinity and/or networks of acquaintance with minoritized groups within the Netherlands;
• Experience and/or affinity with theatre or similar performing arts, and with teacher education;
• Strong social, organizational, and self-regulatory competencies;
• Good communication skills (written and oral) in English, and preferably also in Dutch;
• Ambition and ability to collaborate with students/teachers/teacher educators and fellow researchers;
• Ambition to collaborate with (inter)national partners and possibly pay research visits to these partners.

Key responsibilities

• Managing and carrying out the research (under supervision), including:

1. Literature research
2. Designing the studies
3. Recruiting participants
4. Facilitating participants’ active involvement in the research process
5. Participating in theatre workshops
6. Collecting and analyzing qualitative data
7. Preparing and storing data packages for sharing;

• Writing international scientific publications and a dissertation;
• Giving presentations at (inter)national scientific conferences;
• Actively contributing to debates around diversity, equity and diversity;
• Actively engaging in outreach activities and disseminating findings to educational professionals and the general public;
• Active participation in the local and (inter)national research team involved in this project, and in the ICLON research group;
• Following courses/training (i.e. in the context of Research School ICO and the local graduate school).

If you immediately recognise yourself in this profile, or if do you not quite meet all the requirements, but you believe that this is the right job for you, we look forward to your application!

What we offer
Our goal is to work together to create a transparent and inclusive work environment in which everyone feels welcome and appreciated. Our organisation is always evolving and we need your ideas for improvement and innovation to take us further. We want to devote attention to your personal development.

You can expect an enjoyable job within the socially relevant world of education and research. The University's challenging and international work environment is located just steps away from Leiden’s lively city centre or the bustling city centre of The Hague. We also want to work with you to devote attention to your health and vitality, for example with the fun activities we organise through Healthy University.

We also offer:

• The PhD position covers 1 fte for 4 years. The initial appointment is for one year, starting 1 March 2024, with an extension of three years after positive evaluation of capabilities and compatibility. Full time salary ranges from €2,872 to €3,670 gross per month (pay scale P, in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities).
• A holiday allowance (8%), an end-of-year bonus (8,3%), and an attractive pension scheme at ABP;
• Flexible working hours: as a standard, you are entitled to a minimum of 29 leave days on the basis of a full-time working week of 38 hours; you can also save for extra leave, for example by working 40 hours a week, and in this way accrue an extra 96 leave hours, or exchange 96 leave hours for a 36-hour week.
• Lots of options when it comes to secondary employment conditions; we can, for example, discuss options for a sabbatical or paid parental leave. Within our terms of employment individual choices model, you can exchange leave days and/or salary for benefits such as an advantageous sports subscription or bicycle scheme, and we also offer child-care options;
• If your work allows it, hybrid working is possible within the Netherlands;
• A home-working allowance (day and internet allowance) and attention for good workplaces. The University will also provide you with a laptop and a mobile telephone (if applicable for the position).

For more information about employment conditions, see https://www.universiteitleiden.nl/werken-bij/sollicitatieprocedure-en-arbeidsvoorwaarden

What we find important
Promoting an inclusive community is central to Leiden University’s values and vision. Leiden University aims to be an inclusive community in which all students and staff members feel valued and respected, and are able to develop to their full potential. Diversity in experiences and perspectives enriches our teaching and strengthens our research. High-quality education and research means inclusive education and research.

Want to apply or find out more?

If you want to apply straight away, click the application button.

If you would like more information about what the job entails, please contact dr. Tessa Mearns: t.l.mearns@iclon.leidenuniv.nl or Prof.dr. Nadira Saab: n.saab@iclon.leidenuniv.nl. You can apply until 5 January 2025; applications will be processed immediately.

To help us get to know each other better, we follow a number of steps in the application procedure. For more information, see https://www.universiteitleiden.nl/werken-bij/sollicitatieprocedure-en-arbeidsvoorwaarden

• We believe mobility is very important. That is why we are also publishing this vacancy internally. In case of equal suitability, we will give priority to the internal candidate.
• A pre-employment screening (references, diplomas, certificate of good conduct (VOG)) may be part of the selection procedure.
• Acquisition in response to this vacancy is not appreciated. If you nevertheless choose to send us CVs, no rights can be derived from this. #LI-Hybrid

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