In 2016, the scholarship PhD experiment was initiated in the Netherlands. However, only two universities took part in the experiment, with the bulk of the scholarship PhD students enrolling in the University of Groningen. Whereas one institution stopped the experiment prematurely, the University of Groningen has continued with the experiment despite public and academic criticism. In 2019, a group of PhD students published the scholarship Manifesto, outlining the large disparities between the scholarship PhD students and the employed PhD students. While actions have been taken to tackle some issues raised in the Manifesto, fundamental disparities (e.g., paid teaching opportunities) cannot be addressed within the framework of the experiment.

Currently, the end evaluation of the scholarship PhD experiment has been sent to the ministry of Education, Culture and Science (OCW). Depending on the decision by the OCW, the experiment may be lengthened, terminated in 2024 (i.e., the scheduled end date) or terminated prior to 2024. PhD students and supervisors should be aware of the consequences pertaining to the results of this decision and have the opportunity to communicate their stance. 

We would like to express our stance and argue for the immediate termination of the scholarship PhD experiment. 

The PhD scholarship experiment deteriorates the academic climate for everyone by introducing inequality based on an arbitrary contractual distinction that in practice does not actually facilitate more "freedom of research" as was originally promised. 

Teaching is an essential part of becoming an academic and should be part of a PhD contract. As a scholarship PhD, this is not the case. Currently many scholarship students teach anyways to gain the necessary experience or to simply help out their departments which frequently lack teaching staff. These students are not compensated for their efforts while their colleagues teaching the same courses are. Terminating the experiment immediately would change this and increase available teaching staff in the university. With the influx of available teachers, education programmes can combat existing teaching shortages and relieve burdens for all educational staff. Next to that, the variability in bachelor and master thesis projects would increase and enrich the educational experience for undergraduate students. 

Fair contract conditions create job certainty and stability. For example, the possibility of receiving unemployment benefits when transitioning from one job to the next should be given in the Netherlands. Scholarship PhD students currently do not have this certainty while their colleagues working in the same offices with the same goal of receiving a PhD degree and afterwards continuing a career in- or outside of academia do. Terminating the experiment immediately would remove this disparity and allow scholarship PhDs to continue their career path without additional stress and uncertainty.  

Being on the same career path with others, but having different rights and obligations creates confusion and conflict - for students, colleagues, supervisors and administrative staff. Therefore we would like to urge the ministry to end the experiment immediately and grant clarity, certainty and most importantly, equality to all PhD students in the University of Groningen.