history phd netherlands

ASH PhD programme

• Becoming a PhD candidate
• Practical information
• PhD training
• Pilot study
• ASH dissertation award
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If you are interested in joining ASH either as an employed or self-funded candidate, please consult the website of the Faculty of Humanities by following the link above.

PhD candidates employed by the Faculty

Some PhD candidates are employed by the Faculty of Humanities for their PhD project. Sometimes the funding is made available by EU or NWO grants, sometimes the Faculty offers PhD positions. These are advertised on the  UvA vacancies list  and/or on the ASH website .

Externally or Self-funded PhD candidates

Self-funded PhD candidates bring their own funding either by having a job on the side, or a stipend, loan or grant from another source. These PhD candidates are entitled to a small research budget, library access, e-mail facilities, supervision, and they have access to the programmes offered by the research school to which they belong. We do not charge tuition, but the PhD candidate must ensure the support of two supervisors, at least one of them having the ius promovendi.

More information for PhD researchers

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Institute for History

The Leiden University Institute for History is responsible for the main part of the historical research carried out at Leiden University. The institute has a wide-ranging academic scope.

Its strong international orientation and focus on the study of European, American, Asian and African societies in a global context give the institute a unique character. The academic leaders connected to the institute's research programmes are internationally renowned scholars that engage in numerous networks, contribute to important conferences and publish with outstanding academic presses.

• The Unification of the Mediterranean World 400BC-400AD
• Medieval and Early Modern History: Europe in its Global Context
• Politics, Culture and National Identities 1789-Present
• Colonial and Global History
• Cities, Migration and Global Interdependence 1500-Now
• History and International Studies 1900-Present

More research output

• 22 May Lecture | Histories Connected: Special Guest Lecture Knickerbocker Renaissance: Dutch Schools and Slavery in the Early United States Craig Wilder (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)
• 23 May Lecture | Histories Connected: Masterclass The Lores of Flatbush: Dutch Storytelling in Colonial North America Craig Wilder (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)
• 23 May Conference | Histories Connected: Faculty Roundtable Roundtable on Slavery: From Scholarly Debates to Public Reckoning Craig Wilder (Massachusetts Institute of Technology), M’hamed Oualdi (Sciences Po Paris), Wouter Veraart (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam), Nira Wickramasinghe (Leiden University)

More events

Research Programmes

• Politics, Culture and National Identities 1789-present
• Cities, Migration and Global Interdependence

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Blogs and podcasts.

• Global Orders Podcast
• Leiden Medievalists blog
• Rethinking Disability
• Voice4Thought
• Kraken in Leiden (Dutch)

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Institute for History

The Leiden University Institute for History is the home of a substantial research staff, including 65 employed and contract PhD candidates. The institute has a wide-ranging academic scope that is unique to the Netherlands. This is directly reflected in the participation of her staff in various Master's and Bachelor's programmes at Leiden University. The academic leaders connected to the institute's research programmes are internationally renowned scholars that engage in numerous networks, contribute to important conferences and publish with outstanding academic presses. 

For more information, please visit the website of the Institute for History .

85 history-phd PhD positions in Netherlands

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PhD Candidate history of global north-south public health cooperation

, it will determine the historical preconditions for effective international public health cooperation. Position: The PhD candidate will examine the diplomatic history and dynamics of public health

PhD Candidates: History of Philosophy in the Islamic World (ALIVE project)

UniversiteitCountryNetherlandsCityNijmegenPostal Code6525XZStreetHoutlaan 4Geofield Where to apply Website https://www.academictransfer.com/en/340675/ phd -candidates- history -of-philosophy… Contact City Nijmegen Website http://www.ru.nl/ Street

deadline 31 May 2024 Apply now Are you a highly motivated aspiring junior researcher? Would you like to work on the history of philosophy in the Islamic world? Do you want to develop your own innovative

PhD Position in Activating History and Heritage of Amsterdam's Bridges and Quaywalls for Sustainable Development and Protection

/InstituteDelft University of TechnologyCountryNetherlandsCityDelftPostal Code2628 CDStreetMekelweg 2Geofield Where to apply Website https://www.academictransfer.com/en/341246/ phd -position-in-activating- history -a

of the World Heritage site of Amsterdam. The Chair History of Architecture and Urban Planning at TU Delft is partner in the Groeifonds project Multifunctional Urban Waterfronts. The PhD researcher will

PhD Candidate: The Early Modern Economic and Social History Research Project ‘Business as Usual: the informal institutions o...

? Do you want to delve into preserved 'letter books' and uncover the norms and customs guiding their decisions? Apply now as a PhD candidate at the Radboud Institute for Culture & History (RICH)! We

PhD Candidate in Integrated Modeling for Plant Life- History Traits

learning and mechanistic modelling? We invite enthusiastic and dedicated candidates to join our cutting-edge research team as a PhD student to work on modelling plant life- history traits such as flowering

dedicated candidates to join our cutting-edge research team as a PhD student to work on modelling plant life- history traits such as flowering time, fertility and seed germination. The position is part of

PhD Candidate: The Early Modern Economic and Social History Research Project ‘Business as Usual: the informal institutions of merchants in the early modern period’

guiding their decisions? Apply now as a PhD candidate at the Radboud Institute for Culture & History (RICH)! We offer you the opportunity to develop and carry out your own PhD project within the areas

2 PhD Positions: History of Global North-South Public Health Cooperation

UtrechtCountryNetherlandsCityUtrechtPostal Code3512BSStreetDrift 6Geofield Where to apply Website https://www.academictransfer.com/en/338722/2- phd -positions- history -of-global-no… Contact City Utrecht Website http://www.uu.nl/ Street Domplein

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PhD research

PhD research is at the heart of what we do as a University. Around 2000 PhD candidates are involved in research and education at the UvA and around 400 doctorates are conferred each year. Two-thirds of these are in the Sciences or Medicine.

PhD vacancies

Getting your PhD at the UvA

UvA Staff Housing

This PDF brings together all kinds of information about the PhD process, from the regulations and different steps in the process to terms of employment and facilities you can make use of as a PhD candidate.

Doctoral programme: from admission to completion

Documents and forms, phd contact information, central phd council, cookie consent.

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PhD Programmes

Phd vacancies.

Both Dutch and international students can enroll in PhD programmes at Utrecht University. All our PhD programmes are offered fully in English. The degree of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) is available from all faculties. Every year, some 550 Utrecht PhD candidates complete their research and PhD theses.

To be admitted to a PhD programme, applicants must meet stringent academic requirements. You need to have a solid background in the theory and methods of your field, hold a recognised master’s degree (or equivalent) and demonstrate a good knowledge of English.

Browse our vacancies to find available PhD positions at Utrecht University. Note that this page lists all university-wide vacancies. The Search function allows you to distinguish between academic vacancies (which include PhD positions) and support and administrative vacancies.

Apart from applying for one of the available PhD positions, students and professionals with graduate degrees may also submit PhD-research proposals of their own.

More information

Utrecht University Heidelberglaan 8 3584 CS Utrecht The Netherlands Tel. +31 (0)30 253 35 50

PhD at Erasmus University Rotterdam

Existing for over more than a century, Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR) has developed into an inspiring place where talented researchers from the Netherlands and abroad have the opportunity to obtain a PhD degree. Read how you can become a PhD candidate at Erasmus University Rotterdam and what this trajectory can look like.

A PhD degree is a necessity for researchers in academia and the first step in academic research. Also, society at large profits from PhD candidates taking up positions in companies, non-profit organisations and governmental institutions. 

The PhD candidates who start their PhD research at EUR are diverse, in terms of their age, background, gender, nationality and in the way their research is financed.

What you do as a PhD candidate

As a PhD candidate, you work on a research project under the supervision of a professor, which results in a dissertation or a series of articles in scientific journals. In addition, PhD candidates follow courses at the graduate schools or institutes of Erasmus University Rotterdam. They often teach bachelor or master students. Teaching requirements vary depending on a research school and the type of your PhD trajectory.

A PhD degree at EUR can be obtained in various ways

Apply for a paid phd position, enrol in a structured phd programme, obtain an external funding & pitch your idea, what your trajectory may look like.

• You develop a Training and Supervision Plan (TSP)
• You formalize the research proposal of your PhD thesis
• You register yourself in Hora Finita

• You revise the research proposal
• You collect data
• You might submit articles for publication

Year 3 and 4

• You analyse your data
• You write, write, write...
• You finalise the PhD thesis
• You might revise and submit articles for publication
• You might contemplate your next step after the PhD

The final stage

• You finalize your PhD Dissertation
• The supervisors review your work and the PhD committee assesses your work
• You defend your PhD dissertation

Why Erasmus University Rotterdam?

Erasmus University Rotterdam has an excellent academic reputation and maintains a high position in international rankings. 

PhD in the Spotlight: Emma van Gelder

Our PhD community

There are many ways to connect with fellow PhD candidates and researchers of our university. 

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Research School Political History

Onderzoekschool politieke geschiedenis, stage / internship new holland foundation de new holland foundation (nhf), gevestigd te amsterdam, heeft tot doel onderzoek naar, en behoud van, nederlands erfgoed overzee te stimuleren. de stichting streeft ernaar op deze manier culturen te verbinden en onderling begrip te verbeteren. per 1 september 2024 (in overleg is een andere startdatum mogelijk) biedt de nhf in combinatie met het nationaal archief (na) en het new netherland institute (nni), gevestigd te albany, new york, een stageplek voor ma-studenten aan voor vier tot vijf maanden. deadline: 1 juni 2024 . (english text below) (more…) aph book lauch and discussion please join us for the aph’s online book launch, to mark the publication of petitions and petitioning in europe and north america . from the late medieval period to the present edited by richard huzzey, maartje janse, henry miller, joris oddens, and brodie waddell. the book will be published by oxford university press for the british academy in june. the event will include prof. laura stewart (university of york) and prof. henk te velde (leiden university), in conversation with the book’s editors. more information (more…) call for papers conference ‘parliamentary junctures in continental europe’ residues and innovations within imperial orders. political assemblies in continental europe, 1800-1850. warsaw, 23-24 january 2025. deadline submission papers: august 31, 2024 . more information: https://ihpan.edu.pl/en/cfp-conference-parliamentary-junctures-in-continental-europe-2/   posthumus conference 2024: regional history in a global context regional history has traditionally been in the periphery for many (although not all) social and economic historians. despite sidney pollard’s claim that the british industrial revolution was a regional rather than a national phenomenon, economic historians have frequently tended to focus on the national level, while social historians often preferred to study local communities. (more…) more... training rsph.

Read the announcement .

31 May 2024 :  Module Academic Outreach and Applied History in Political History with prof. dr. Beatrice de Graaf, prof. dr. Harm Kaal and drs. Leonard Ornstein

21 June 2024 : Module Advanced Research Design: Presenting and Defending your Thesis with dr. Maartje Janse

Date t.b.a. : Crucial Themes and Concepts with prof. dr. Annelien de Dijn and prof. dr. Susie Protschky

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Tenure track in the Netherlands

Onderzoeker infrastructuur en verkeer.

SWOV, het nationaal wetenschappelijk instituut voor onderzoek naar verkeersveiligheid, is op zoek naar een (Junior) onderzoeker binnen de afdeling Infrastructuur en Verkeer.

Manager Communicatie

Stel je voor: je dag start met de weekaftrap met je team, waarin jullie de belangrijkste zaken voor de komende week bespreken. Op weg naar het MT-overleg stem je af met een teamlid over een persbericht. Met het MT bespreek je de communicatiestrategi…

Medewerker Kenniscentrum

Wil jij je inzetten voor het Kenniscentrum voor Theologie? Houd je van pionieren, en heb je creatieve ideeën om kennis te delen? Dan kun jij de Medewerker Kenniscentrum voor Theologie zijn die de Protestantse Theologische Universiteit zoekt.

AcademicsConnected: tools to help you plan your career

Figure out what you want in your career with our tools.

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Do you know what you want in your career? Discover six career paths for researchers in the Netherlands and find out which one suits you.

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What are your strengths and pitfalls? Get a better understanding of your talents and skills with our self-assessment.

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Recent timeline posts

Pre-announcement: new perspectief funding round to open this summer.

• #engineering
• #technology

The new Perspectief round is opening this summer. Researchers, companies and civil society organisations that want to work in a consortium on technological innovation with societal and economic impact can once again submit their proposals. Perspectief offers researchers an opportunity to initiate a major research project focused on the application of the knowledge gained and establish or further develop an interdisciplinary consortium. Read more

Impact Day Energy Transition

On Thursday, 23 May, Erasmus School of Economics invites you to join the Impact Day Energy Transition, an afternoon dedicated to the role of economists in addressing the complex issues surrounding the energy transition. 

Expect an engaging afternoon featuring speakers from academia, industry, and the public sector. 

Topics will range from energy pricing dynamics and consumer behaviour to energy network accessibility and to addressing energy disparities.

Check the programme, speakers and register here .

PhD Day 2024 - Scientists of the Future

Are you a GSLS PhD candidate at Utrecht University? Join the PhD Day on July 1st 2024!

Every year the GSLS PhD Council organizes the PhD Day: an inspiring afternoon with plenary sessions and interactive workshops. The event will end with a dinner in the Botanical Gardens. This year's theme is 'Scientists of the Future'.

There are sessions about Open Science, AI, science communication, inclusion and more! Visit the website for the full program.

You can register before 10 June.

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Art History

Doing a Phd

If you have completed your Master's programme, and you are enthusiastic about doing research in your field, then maybe doing a Doctorate (PhD) might be something for you. A Doctor’s degree is the highest academic degree awarded by a Dutch university. You start as 'assistant in training' (aio) or 'researcher in training' (oio).

At Utrecht University

At Utrecht University you take part in education in one of the Graduate Schools and often also teach students. During the four-year PhD programme you work under the guidance of a professor on creating a research project that results in a dissertation or a series of articles in scientific journals. You can search for positions on research projects on offer or a position whereby you are free to submit your own research proposal. Read more on doing a PhD at Utrecht University. 

Other options

The best way to find a PhD position is through networking with the professor in the field you wish to specialize. Another option is to search via www.academictransfer.nl . Here you can also find more information on doing PhD research in the Netherlands. 

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Groningen apologizes for it's role in the Dutch history of slavery

The city of Groningen has apologized for the role that their municipal government played in the Dutch connection to the salve trade in the past. The apology was presented at city hall to descendants of enslaved people.

The University of Groningen and the Groninger Museum conducted research into the municipal government's role in slavery. The findings were presented in February of this year.

The researchers concluded that the municipal government and various politicians played a significant role in the Dutch West India Company (WIC). Groningen was a shareholder of the WIC, owning roughly 11 percent of the firm. As such, it was responsible for every ninth ship that was deployed.

"Groningen politicians chose to enrich themselves time and time again at the cost of the freedom, the human dignity, and the lives of the people they enslaved," said Mayor Koen Schuiling in his speech. He added that the politicians not only made slavery possible but maintained it, and these facts are disgraceful.

The Groningen ships forcefully transported 33,000 people from West Africa to South and Middle America. Around 13 percent of the people transported are believed to have died during the trips, according to researchers.

The municipality wrote that the apologies were given on Thursday because it was the International Day of Living Together in Peace. Dances were performed, and a poem was read in addition to the mayor's speech.

The municipality wants to put two more monuments in Groningen, one for the victims of the slave trade between Africa and the Americas and one for the victims of the Asian slave trade in what was then called Dutch East Indies, which includes present-day Indonesia.

Reporting by ANP

Remembering University of Cincinnati Professor Zane L. Miller

Professorship reaches $1 million in gifts.

The name Zane L. Miller, PhD, evokes memories of a diligent researcher, passionate professor, collaborative colleague and the individual responsible for establishing the University of Cincinnati as a center of urban historical studies.

Miller, who passed away in 2016, invested in UC and its history department by starting the Zane L. Miller Professor of American Urban History at the College of Arts and Sciences . The professorship recently achieved a significant milestone, becoming fully funded with a total of $1 million from gifts and Miller’s estate.

“Zane’s generous financial contributions and those from his devoted and generous former doctoral students helped to set up funding in a number of categories that have been vital to the life of the mind in our department,” says Maura O’Connor, head of the Department of History . “Preserving the importance of urban history is Zane’s legacy.”

Zane Miller, PhD.

O’Connor, who was on faculty with Miller before his retirement, says he mentored junior colleagues, helping them to connect with venues and forums around the city that were beneficial to their work.

“He loved what he did and inspired me and others,” she says.

In addition to the professorship, the Zane Miller Prize for Best Graduate Student Research Paper is awarded each year, as is the Zane Miller Fellowship for graduate students. 

Cincinnati and urban history

Zane arrived in Cincinnati in 1965 to teach at UC. His “History of Cincinnati” undergraduate class was deeply popular and David Stradling, PhD, says he was “an energetic mentor with a lively teaching style.”

Stradling, interim director of the School of Environment and Sustainability, is the first Zane L. Miller Professor of American Urban History .

“Zane and his students created an incredible amount of scholarship, writing Cincinnati into the urban history of the United States,” he says. “This professorship allows that process to continue, to keep Cincinnati as a focal point in urban historical studies.”

Miller’s extensive research and scholarly work delved deep into the urban history of Cincinnati, painting a vivid picture of the city’s growth and development over time. Beyond Cincinnati, his work also explored the broader history of cities and their influential impact on critical aspects of society, including the political culture, environment, transportation, and the intricate relationship between cities, rural areas, and suburbs.

Through his insightful analysis, Miller shed light on the complex dynamics that shape our urban centers and their interactions with the surrounding regions.

“Zane really put the “urban” into my perspective and truly appreciate how cities, particularly Cincinnati, grow and evolve physically and politically,” says John Deatrick, CEAS ’79 , a former student and the former director of transportation and engineering for the City of Cincinnati.

Zane was a true scholar. He encouraged students to ask as many questions as they could, about everything, about language, bureaucracies, organizations.

David Stradling, PhD Zane L. Miller Professor of American Urban History

Professorship makes an impact

A stationary dredge in Palm Beach Shores is an innovative solution to the problem of longshore sand movements that are interrupted by shipping channels.

Endowed professorships allow the university to attract top talent since funds sustain research and allow for thriving, creative careers. For example, Stradling has been able to travel to research the global history of dredging, visiting archives and dredge sites. Dredging, the excavation of material from water ecosystems, is essential to building and protecting urban wealth, although it can hurt the environment. Thanks to the Miller professorship, Stradling recently visited the National Maritime Museum in San Francisco, reading the papers of a dredge inventor. He’s journeyed to the Netherlands and the Florida Everglades.  

He is honored to represent Miller’s legacy.

“Zane was a true scholar. He was ever dedicated to learning about cities, how they worked, why they failed, how they might be improved,” he says. “He encouraged students to ask as many questions as they could, about everything, about language, bureaucracies, organizations.” 

More about Miller

Miller was a native of Lima, Ohio. He married his wife, Janet Miller, a retired Northern Kentucky University professor of education, in 1955 after they met at Miami University. His many published works include "Boss Cox’s Cincinnati: Urban Politics in the Progressive Era."

“Zane wanted to establish a professorship so that urban history would be a subject taught in the future and that the position would attract highly qualified professors,” says Janet Miller. “His interest in urban history was deep and abiding. And it contributed to his dedication to civic awareness and engagement.”

Featured image top: Zane Miller. Photo/UC. 

With its focus on innovation and impact,  Next, Now: The Campaign for Cincinnati  is where ambition meets action. At the University of Cincinnati and UC Health, we’re driven by next; thinking bolder and dreaming bigger to create the tomorrow we envision, today. Learn more at  nextnow.uc.edu .

• Alumni Association
• UC Foundation
• Department of History

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Hands on history.

10:00 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.

Penn Museum, 3260 South St.

268th Commencement

Franklin Field

Vahe Sarkissian

World Cafe Live, 3025 Walnut St.

Wawa Welcome America Day

10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Campus & Community

Two international students honored with the 2024 Penn Global Student Citizenship Award

Aishwarya pawar, a ph.d. student at the perelman school of medicine, is the graduate student winner, and david kato, a fourth-year political science major in the school of arts & sciences, is the undergraduate winner..

University of Pennsylvania international students Aishwarya Pawar and David Kato have been named as the winners of the 2024 Penn Global Student Citizenship Award , which honors international students who have exemplified a spirit of global citizenship during their time at Penn.

Pawar, a Ph.D. student in cell and molecular biology at the Perelman School of Medicine who came to Penn from Pune, India, is the graduate student winner; Kato, a fourth-year political science major in the School of Arts & Sciences from Kigali, Rwanda, was named the undergraduate winner.

The awards were handed out as part of Penn Global ’s International Student and Scholar Services graduation reception, held at Perry World House for the more than 2,100 international students. The reception celebrated the accomplishments of graduating international students during their time at Penn.

“Penn would not be what it is today—a vibrant, intellectual hub for innovation and impact—without international students,” says Associate Vice Provost for Global Initiatives Amy Gadsden . “The richness of their experiences and unending drive to transform our campus and the world continuously elevate the University to new heights. The Penn Global Student Citizenship Award and reception are our way of celebrating international students’ contributions, large and small, but no less influential, to life at Penn.”

The award reflects Penn Global’s commitment to honor international students who, during their time on campus, prioritized the office’s global mission to “bring the world to Penn and Penn to the world.”

This marks the ninth year Penn Global has presented the award. “We are incredibly proud of this tradition and what it represents: a celebration of Penn’s international students as indispensable, impactful members of the University,” says Rudie Altamirano , executive director of International Student and Scholar Services. 

Pawar and Kato each received a trophy, and their names will also be displayed on a plaque in the ISSS office.

Altamirano says Pawar’s “unwavering dedication to her role as the graduate chair of the International Student Advisory Board (ISSS) is evident in her consistent efforts to uplift and advocate for the welfare of international students. Aishwarya’s compassion and big heart make her a role model among her peers.”

Gadsden notes the “incredible impact” Kato has made on Penn’s campus during his four years. “As an active international student leader and World House Student Fellow, among other things, David used his perspective and experience to raise important issues facing the entire undergraduate international community. He has consistently been a welcome and thoughtful presence in meetings and discussions.”

Penn Global and ISSS also gave two honorable mentions to graduates and undergraduates. The graduate honorable mention awardees were Gaurav Mangal , an electrical engineering master’s student in the School of Engineering and Applied Science , and Sparsh Maheshwari , a master’s student in nonprofit leadership with a dual degree in social policy and data analytics in the School of Social Policy & Practice .

The undergraduate honorable mention awardees were Leah Tesfa , a mechanical engineering fourth-year student in Penn Engineering from Harare, Zimbabwe, and Carolina Yuka Nakada , a mechanical engineering and computer science major and a robotics master’s student in Penn Engineering from São Paulo, Brazil. Tesfa is also a robotics master’s student and the Penn World Scholar of the Year.

Class of 2025 relishes time together at Hey Day

Arts, Humanities, & Social Sciences

Picturing artistic pursuits

Hundreds of undergraduates take classes in the fine arts each semester, among them painting and drawing, ceramics and sculpture, printmaking and animation, photography and videography. The courses, through the School of Arts & Sciences and the Stuart Weitzman School of Design, give students the opportunity to immerse themselves in an art form in a collaborative way.

Penn celebrates operation and benefits of largest solar power project in Pennsylvania

Solar production has begun at the Great Cove I and II facilities in central Pennsylvania, the equivalent of powering 70% of the electricity demand from Penn’s academic campus and health system in the Philadelphia area.

Education, Business, & Law

Investing in future teachers and educational leaders

The Empowerment Through Education Scholarship Program at Penn’s Graduate School of Education is helping to prepare and retain teachers and educational leaders.

‘The Illuminated Body’ fuses color, light, and sound

A new Arthur Ross Gallery exhibition of work by artist Barbara Earl Thomas features cut-paper portraits reminiscent of stained glass and an immersive installation constructed with intricately cut material lit from behind.

N.J. Quintuplets Make History as They Graduate from Montclair State University

Graduate Spotlight Times Five: The Povolo quints follow their own paths yet all earn their degrees in four years

Posted in: Business , Education , Homepage News , Humanities and Social Sciences , Science and Technology , University

Update: Since Montclair shared their story on May 6, 2024 the Povolos’ achievements have been shared by media outlets throughout the country. Read more about them in NJ Monthly and People and watch them on ABC News 7 , News 12 New Jersey  and CBS New York.

Being a quintuplet is exceptionally rare. Rarer still is all five attending the same college and graduating on the same day. But that’s what the Povolo quintuplets – Victoria, Ludovico, Ashley, Michael and Marcus – have accomplished at Montclair State University. On Monday, May 13, they will make history at the University’s Commencement when they walk across the platform to receive their degrees one after the other.

The milestone at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, is believed to be the first time quints have simultaneously graduated from a New Jersey higher ed institution, with the Povolos joining just a handful of other multiple siblings in the nation who celebrated their “quintessential” college experience by graduating from the same college in the same academic year.

From Montclair, the Povolos will earn degrees in five different majors:

• Victoria Povolo, Biochemistry; minor Italian
• Ludovico Povolo, Political Science, minor Pre-Law, Business
• Ashley Povolo, English, Teacher Education Program, certification in P-12
• Michael Povolo, Nutrition and Food Science, concentration Dietetics
• Marcus Povolo, Business Administration, concentration International Business

“Montclair helped us be together, but also helped us to become our own people, with our own majors, our own interests, our own friend groups,” Victoria says. “We customized our own paths, but we got to the finish line together.”

The siblings credit their parents, Paolo Povolo, a building engineer for Cushman & Wakefield, and Silvia Povolo, assistant housekeeping supervisor for the University, for encouraging them to follow their dreams and instilling both a strong work ethic and the importance of education.

“The support that they have for us, obviously, there’s a reason why we made it this far,” Victoria says. “Our parents always encourage us to do our best, and the best doesn’t look the same for everyone, which I think is also something we learned growing up and explains why we’re all doing different things.”

Marcus Povolo has landed a job with the financial giant JPMorgan Chase & Co. He’s the only sibling to live on campus, a move he made so that he could easily access the campus train station to commute to Jersey City for work and have a quiet place to study. To stay on track to graduate in four years, he took courses during the summer and winter breaks, asynchronous classes and expedited classes.

“This definitely wasn’t easy, managing full-time school and work,” Marcus says. “There were times where I figured doing one would be a lot easier. I just had to push myself through.”

Victoria plans to take a year off to work and save money for medical school to study forensic medicine. She’s held several undergraduate research positions in Montclair’s science labs , opportunities she shared in the Amazon-series The College Tour . She’s currently researching personality disorders and interning in a morgue.

Michael Povolo, a student athlete, will continue at Montclair next fall to complete a 4+1 program, meaning after five years he will have earned both a Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in Nutrition. He’s a defensive midfielder on the Red Hawks lacrosse team, interns at an assisted living community, and coaches youth lacrosse.

Ludovico Povolo, a member of the Phi Delta Theta fraternity, is known by his college friends and at the restaurant where he works by his nickname, Vico. Before college he went by his middle name, Masha. His academic interests have also seen changes. While he once saw himself headed to a career in law, a professor pointed out that with his gregarious nature he might want to consider business. He found it a better fit with his evolving interests. He’ll shortly begin work as a sales and marketing representative for Techtronic Industries in northern New Jersey.

Ashley Povolo, a future teacher, is completing her clinical experience as a high school advanced placement English teacher. She works as a University Fellow and studied abroad in Newcastle upon Tyne, England, which she says took her outside the comfort zone of being part of a big family as she navigated the experience on her own. Ashley wrote a poem about how their birth order (Victoria, the oldest, Vico, Ashley, Michael and Marcus, the youngest by minutes) has shaped their lives.

“They’re my best friends,” Ashley says. “We’ve grown up together and literally know everything about each other. So it did hit me the other day that graduation is the last big thing that I’m going to experience with them at the same time.”

The siblings frequently meet on campus for coffee and meals, and share rides to and from school. “I do need that closeness and seeing them all the time and being around them all the time,” Victoria says. “It completes what I need, and the others for sure think the same. We always regroup, no matter how far we’ve been, no matter where we’ve gone, we always come back and regroup.”

The Povolo quintuplets captured the public’s attention when they were born on the Fourth of July, 2002, and dubbed by a local newspaper “Five Little Firecrackers” on their first birthday.

As they’ve grown, the siblings, now 21, say they’ve enjoyed the curiosity that comes with the rarity of being a quint.

“Personally, I love the attention,” says Vico. “I love talking about it. It’s unique and refreshing.”

College graduation promises to put them in the spotlight again. The University, which will hold two Commencements for students based on their college or school, has made accommodations so the Povolos can receive their diplomas together at the morning ceremony on May 13.

“We’ll need a tissue box for my mom,” Michael says. “She’s definitely going to cry.”

Graduation for five, let alone college for five wasn’t a given for the Povolo quintuplets. “I remember our senior year [at Passaic Valley High School],” says Michael. “We were sitting down and asking, ‘What are we going to do for school?’ We talked about community college, jobs and training programs. Each of us wanted very different things in terms of majors. But the one thing we shared was applying to Montclair.”

The University was close enough to their home in Totowa, New Jersey, that the money they saved by commuting might just make college accessible. All five were accepted and Victoria reached out to the University’s financial aid office to ask about scholarships or loans they might qualify for.

“I was very aware of the financial situation of my family,” Victoria says. “If it had been too much, I would have bowed out and just not gone to college because I didn’t want to put that on my parents, and I didn’t want to put that on myself financially.”

But, as Victoria would learn, each of the Povolos qualified for Presidential Scholarships for high-achieving students, and also qualified for need-based grants and small merit scholarships that in total amounted to a tuition-free four years for the family.

At a meeting with high school guidance counselors in February 2020 – supposedly to “explore ways to pay for college” – Montclair staff presented the family with a giant replica check made payable for five higher educations.

Just the week prior, their parents had looked into refinancing their home. “ And then Montclair pulls up and gives us a great deal,” Michael recalls. Times five, the scholarships and financial assistance made what seemed impossible, possible.

“It’s so big we can’t even put words to it,” says their mother, Silvia Povolo, recalling that moment and what it has since meant to the family. “I always sit down with them and say, ‘You had four years of college that came to your table and you had the chance to take it with no cost. Whatever you learned in these four years, it’s a blessing… it’s a key to open a golden door.’”

A few weeks before graduation, they were still deciding how to celebrate but leaning toward a backyard party.

“It’s a gigantic moment for them and for us,” says their father, Paolo. “So basically, we’ve been saying, ‘when one door closes another one opens.’ In the sense that college is coming to an end, we have to think of the future, we have to think of what’s next … and that is in the making.”

Story by Staff Writer Marilyn Joyce Lehren . Photos by University Photographer Mike Peters.

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• university of new orleans
• campus news
• uno and innsbruck students create ‘history exchange,’ an oral history

CAMPUS NEWS: MAY 20, 2024

Uno-innsbruck podcast, uno and innsbruck students create ‘history exchange,’ an oral history podcast.

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The “History Exchange” podcast series marks a new digital chapter for UNO’s longstanding partnership with the Austrian university.

History students at the University of New Orleans and the University of Innsbruck, Austria have produced an oral history podcast series, marking a new development in their decades-long partnership. Students at the two universities collaborated to produce History Exchange.

History Exchange is conceived as a platform that will allow the two universities to collaborate on public history content in the future, said Marc Landry, UNO history professor and director of the Austrian Center for European Studies.

History Exchange is an idea that grew out of a collaboration between Landry and Innsbruck history professor Eva Pfanzelter, who was teaching on exchange at UNO in 2023.

Pfanzelter wanted to collaboratively teach a public history course at UNO and the University of Innsbruck, with the goal being the production of public history podcasts. The new course would be an example of the new Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) pedagogy. COIL helps students develop intercultural competency without having to leave campus by taking advantage of digital technologies like video conferencing, Landry said.

“Our idea was to create a joint platform between the universities called History Exchange, where students can continue to post podcasts and videos,” Landry said. “The first season was made as a tribute to (former UNO history professor) Guenter Bischof for his retirement, and we interviewed people like Nick Mueller and many other well-known historians.”

Bischof, who retired from UNO last year, spent nearly 35 years as a faculty member in the history department and was the longtime director of Center Austria.

Twelve UNO students joined with their counterparts in Innsbruck in the course, titled “UNO’s Special Topics in Public History: From Oral History to Podcasts.” Working in groups, the students researched each participants’ career, formulated questions and then recorded an interview aimed at eliciting their connection to Bischof, as well as their own impact in their field.

The students have created and posted seven podcasts, including an hour-long interview with Gordon H. “Nick” Mueller, former UNO history professor, founder of the UNO-Innsbruck International Summer School, and founding president and CEO of the National WWII Museum.

“New episodes continue to arrive monthly,” Landry said.

Currently, History Exchange is being hosted online at the University of Innsbruck , but Center Austria plans to make the podcasts available on its website as well, Landry said.

Graduate Student Wins Coastal Protection Research Grant

School Of Education Partners With Kenner Discovery Schools To Create ‘Teacher Pipeline’

President Kathy Johnson Graces the Cover of the Spring 2024 Issue of Silver & Blue

• Open access
• Published: 17 May 2024

Towards inclusive learning environments in post-graduate medical education: stakeholder-driven strategies in Dutch GP-specialty training

• N.M. van Moppes   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0003-3457-7724 1 ,
• M. Nasori   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0001-8559-1791 1 ,
• J. Bont   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-5358-0235 1 ,
• J.M. van Es 1 ,
• M.R.M. Visser 1 &
• M.E.T.C. van den Muijsenbergh   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-4994-4008 2 , 3  

BMC Medical Education volume  24 , Article number:  550 ( 2024 ) Cite this article

92 Accesses

Metrics details

A recent study found that ethnic minority General Practice (GP)-trainees receive more negative assessments than their majority peers. Previous qualitative research suggested that learning climate-related factors play a pivotal role in unequal opportunities for trainees in post-graduate medical settings, indicating that insufficient inclusivity had put minority students at risk of failure and dropout.

Study objectives

We aimed to develop broadly supported strategies for an inclusive learning climate in Dutch GP-specialty training.

We employed Participatory Action Research (PAR)-methods, incorporating Participatory Learning and Action (PLA)-techniques to ensure equal voices for all stakeholders in shaping Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)-strategies for GP-specialty training. Our approach engaged stakeholders within two pilot GP-specialty training institutes across diverse roles, including management, support staff, in-faculty teachers, in-clinic supervisors, and trainees, representing ethnic minorities and the majority population. Purposeful convenience sampling formed stakeholder- and co-reader groups in two Dutch GP-specialty training institutes. Stakeholder discussion sessions were based on experiences and literature, including two relevant frameworks, and explored perspectives on the dynamics of potential ethnic minority trainees’ disadvantages and opportunities for inclusive strategies. A co-reader group commented on discussion outcomes. Consequently, a management group prioritized suggested strategies based on expected feasibility and compatibility.

Input from twelve stakeholder group sessions and thirteen co-readers led to implementation guidance for seven inclusive learning environment strategies, of which the management group prioritized three:

• Provide DEI-relevant training programs to all GP-specialty training stakeholders;

• Appoint DEI ambassadors in all layers of GP-specialty training;

• Give a significant voice to minority GP-trainees in their education.

The study’s participatory approach engaged representatives of all GP-specialty training stakeholders and identified seven inclusive learning climate strategies, of which three were prioritized for implementation in two training institutions.

Peer Review reports

Introduction

Following international migration trends [ 1 , 2 ], diversity among students and trainees is growing [ 3 , 4 ], with each of them bringing their specific cultural values, family- and migration histories [ 5 ]. However, postgraduate medical ethnic minority GP-trainees still face underrepresentation [ 3 , 4 ] and may encounter unequal opportunities for success compared to their majority peers [ 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 ]. Learning climate-related factors, notably those related to lacking inclusiveness, likely play a pivotal role in this discrepancy [ 10 , 11 , 12 ].

Educational opportunities in GP-specialty training primarily rely on in-clinic learning, encompassing formal and informal contexts. Formal learning, characterized by structured, planned, and accredited activities within educational institutions, coexists with less structured informal learning, which is self-directed and arises from in-clinic everyday experiences and interactions, often susceptible to unspoken norms. While both approaches complement each other in providing a well-rounded education, the informal context might inadvertently reflect dominant cultural values and attitudes, potentially affecting in-classroom learning [ 13 , 14 , 15 ]. Particularly for ethnic minority GP-trainees, this lacking transparency may contribute to an increased risk of facing underperformance assessments, as these unspoken norms and values may not be self-evidently familiar to them [ 10 , 11 , 12 ].

Learning environments are subject to complex dynamics. Understanding the interconnected constructs of these dynamics is crucial for implementing transformative changes [ 16 ]. Accordingly, changes for inclusive learning opportunities require input from all organizational layers [ 17 ].

With this study, we aimed to develop broadly supported recommendations for an inclusive learning climate in Dutch GP-specialty training.

We used a qualitative Participatory Action Research (PAR) approach [ 18 , 19 ], applying Participatory Learning and Action (PLA) techniques in stakeholder groups combined with insights from literature (Appendix) along with GP-trainees’ experiences related to inclusive education, to actively engage stakeholders in an inclusive dialogue [ 20 , 21 , 22 ]. This approach supported co-ownership, promoted compatibility with the organization’s actual needs, and facilitated successful implementation [ 23 ].

We employed two conceptual frameworks to shape the topic lists for stakeholder groups and guide result analysis.

The Building Equity Taxonomy (BET) framework for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), addressing students’ needs for equal educational opportunities, and covering the areas of physical integration, social-emotional engagement, equal learning opportunities, instructional excellence, and fostering inspired learners [ 24 , 25 ] (Fig.  1 ). This framework is relevant to various educational settings, including GP-specialty training [ 12 , 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 ].

Building Equity Taxonomy [ 24 ] compared to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs [ 25 ]

The Wensing & Grol framework implementation guidance, equivalent to the internationally recognized Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) [ 30 ]. It provides implementation guidance for complex organizations, including clinical healthcare and educational settings [ 30 , 31 ] (Fig.  2 ). This framework underpinned our implementation guidance, which the management team used for prioritization.

The Wensing & Groll model for implementation guidance [ 30 ]

This study took place at Amsterdam UMC’s two GP-specialty training institutes (AMC and VUmc). These institutes have demonstrated commitment to inclusiveness in their 2020–2022 annual reports, and they collaborate with the six other Dutch GP-specialty training institutes under GP-specialty Training Netherlands (HN).

One in three medical graduates in the Netherlands aims to enter GP-specialty training. In response to national medical demands, HN annually expands its acceptance of new trainees, projecting 921 in 2023 and an anticipated 1,190 in 2024, distributed across eight training institutes. About 17% of these trainees belong to ethnic minority groups, with most having completed pre-training at Dutch Medical Schools and a smaller group having graduated abroad [ 7 ]. Due to General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) restrictions, the precise distribution of minority trainees across the eight national institutes remains undisclosed. However, a prior quantitative study indicated that by 2023, our pilot institutes showed a relatively proportional representation of Dutch GP-specialty training [ 7 ]. However, it is essential to note that qualitative research emphasizes a thorough description of the setting to enrich readers’ contextual understanding rather than strict representativeness.

The Dutch GP-specialty training program is a three-year dual-track program, supporting professional growth by combining in-clinic experience learning with one-day-a-week in-faculty education. Entry assessments aspire to guarantee the applicants’ knowledge, motivation, and Dutch proficiency. The program includes protocolled assessments, such as practical observations, systematic testing, and reviews of learning objectives.

Study population

Acknowledging the essential need of broad support for inclusive organizational changes, we engaged participants from all backgrounds represented within the organization. Our study population encompassed the ethnic majority background as well as diverse ethnic backgrounds across all organizational layers (ranging from support personnel, management, educational staff (comprising both faculty and clinical educators), and trainees themselves), divided into two stakeholder groups, one co-reader group, and a management team group (Fig.  3 ).

Participant groups

Aiming to prevent eligible participants from experiencing researchers’ pressure, researchers sent information letters to team leaders, requesting them to forward in-faculty teachers, in-clinic supervisors, supporting bureau and management personnel, and trainees. From those interested, we purposefully selected twelve participants (six in each stakeholder group), striving for diversity regarding the position in the institute, age, gender, and ethnicity [ 32 ]. Stakeholders ranged from supporting bureau and management personnel (further in this text referred to as ‘staff’) to trainees, in-faculty teachers, and in-clinic supervisors representing diverse minority backgrounds as well as the majority background.

Stakeholder groups, each representing one GP-specialty training institute, provided input for inclusive strategies. Additionally, a co-reader group comprising interested individuals not in the stakeholder groups provided further insights through written comments. These groups represented diverse organizational layers, cultural backgrounds, ages, and gender. Representatives from management teams then evaluated and prioritized the suggested strategies.

Data collection

Data collection and analysis took place from January 2021 to December 2022. Two researchers (MN, NvM) familiar with PLA-techniques facilitated six 90-minute PLA-based sessions for each stakeholder group. The sessions focused on inclusive learning environments and GP-specialty training’s inclusivity. In a cyclical process [ 33 ](Fig.  4 ), participants engaged in PLA techniques such as ice-breaking, flexible brainstorming, free-associating, direct ranking, mind-mapping, and visual evaluation. These methods facilitated sharing experiences and opinions and aligning these with relevant literature (Appendix, Table  1 ) to identify suitable inclusive strategies. After each stakeholder group session, the facilitator-researchers held debriefing sessions to reflect on their roles and identify areas for improvement. Independently, they summarized the key findings from each session and reached consensus through discussions. They presented these summaries in subsequent sessions for a member check and made adjustments based on participants’ feedback. To ensure a broader perspective, the co-reader group commented anonymously on these approved summaries, allowing them to contribute their personal perspectives, opinions, and experiences freely. Stakeholder groups then discussed and implemented these comments in their final session (Fig.  3 ).

Cyclic phases until consensus of stakeholder groups’ processes [ 33 ]

The stakeholder group topic list focused on:

Exploring :

The initial educational context;

Potential learning climate-related disparities;

Out-of-the-box wishes and key elements for an inclusive learning climate;

Strategy developing and preparing for implementation:

Recommendations for inclusive GP-specialty training;

Mapping onto the BET framework’s hierarchical levels of DEI [ 24 ](Fig.  1 );

Translating recommendations into actionable strategies.

Identifying Wensing & Grol conditions and requirements for implementation [ 30 ](Fig.  2 ).

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, we adapted the study’s in-person design to online methods for creative brainstorming. In these virtual sessions, physical distance and potential distractions of personal environments challenged trust and commitment, especially for GP-trainees who felt vulnerable sharing ideas with in-faculty teachers, in-clinic supervisors, and staff, who might also be their assessors in daily educational contexts [ 34 ]. To address this risk, we dedicated extra time, and utilized online tools: Zoom 5.13.11 for breakout rooms, Padlet 200.0.0 for visualizing PLA techniques, and concise PowerPoint presentations for member check summaries and goal-setting [ 35 ].

The facilitator-researchers (NvM, MN) collected audio recordings and written co-reader comments. An external bureau transcribed audio-recordings verbatim.

One researcher (NvM) regularly presented our findings during periodic staff meetings. These presentations not only aimed to keep the entire team informed but also played a crucial role in garnering broader support and incorporating diverse opinions for our project.

Data analysis

Within three days after each session, we (NvM, MN, and MV) analyzed the transcribed audio recordings and written co-readers’ comments, and discussed our analyses until consensus.

To provide actionable qualitative insights while responding to ongoing participant feedback, we adopted an inductive rapid qualitative data analysis approach inspired by Hamilton’s model [ 36 , 37 , 38 , 39 ]. This method prioritizes identifying key elements and mechanisms over extensive theoretical insights. Through structured data collection using topic lists and Participatory Learning and Action (PLA) techniques, along with expedited transcription, we efficiently analyzed ideas and condensed findings into concise formats like post-interview notes and matrix summaries. Although not a traditional thematic or framework analysis, we employed theme-informed and framework-informed codes to organize data, considering context and group dynamics, which allowed us to explore interactional group dynamics and communication styles in the participants’ discourse and its points of consensus or contention within specific statements [ 40 ]. We anticipated this method, aligned with the literature, to yield qualitative outcomes as consistent and rich as traditional in-depth transcription coding while facilitating the analysis of interconnected sessions [ 36 , 41 , 42 ].

We analyzed the stakeholders’ ideas, recommendations, and their identifyed Wensing & Grol conditions and requirements for implementation to create implementation guidance [ 30 ]. This guidance encompassed analyzing organizational structure, identifying change potential and barriers, defining the target population, describing tailored DEI-strategies, estimating timelines for internalization processes and implementation, and designing evaluation methods (Fig.  2 ). Subsequently, we invited management group participants for hybrid (online and in-person) meetings, where they engaged in substantive discussions to evaluate this guidance and prioritize recommended strategies, based on the expected feasibility and compatibility with their setting.

Reflexivity and ethics

Two authors, NM and MN, identify as minority females. While their unique backgrounds enhance sensitivity towards minority peers’ experiences, a potential challenge arises where these experiences resonating with them might be more salient. To mitigate this, we organized reflective debriefing sessions addressing diverse viewpoints and emphasizing the researchers’ roles as instruments in data collection and analysis. During these sessions, we engaged in candid discussions probing our experiences, expectations, preoccupations, and opinions that could have influenced our approach to data collection and analysis.

Also, the roles of participating stakeholders may have influenced views they shared in this research process. They spanned all organizational positions, ranging from department heads to trainees, in-faculty teachers, and in-clinic supervisors, representing both, majority and minority backgrounds. While deliberately seeking these varied insights, we remained mindful of potential power dynamics influenced by different positions or ethnic backgrounds. To foster a safe space and address these dynamics, facilitators employed PLA-techniques, such as ice-breakers. Also, they established clear agreements with all stakeholder group members regarding privacy, openness to differing views, and ensuring safety. Should any commitments be breached, facilitators were trained to address them promptly. In fact, stakeholders demonstrated remarkable respect and curiosity towards understanding each other’s perspectives throughout the process.

Participant characteristics

Table  1 presents participant characteristics for the stakeholder, co-reader, and management groups. In total, 31 stakeholders participated, aged 24 to 60, including eight males, 24 staff members from diverse organizational positions, seven trainees, and 12 ethnic minority participants.

The stakeholder group sessions had an attendance rate of 97%. All co-readers responded to the request for comments. During the hybrid management group session, 40% of participants attended in-person, while 60% joined online.

Stakeholder group sessions

In line with the topic list, we organized the results into two sections: [ 1 ]Exploring and [ 2 ] Strategy developing and preparing for implementation. In Sect. 2, the stakeholders aligned their results with the BET framework and structured them according to the Wensing & Grol framework.

The initial educational context

Stakeholders defined inclusiveness in the GP-specialty training as collective curiosity and support for trainees’ unique professional identities, regardless of their characteristics or backgrounds. As preconditions for in-faculty teachers, in-clinic supervisors, and staff, participants mentioned [ 1 ] willingness to encounter emotional discomfort [ 2 ], embracing failures in order to learn, and [ 3 ] acknowledgement of unconscious bias.

‘… we will not always succeed to be without prejudice, that is allowed as long as we will put the effort in gaining awareness’ (participant 2, group 1).

Participants emphasized creating a safe learning environment where all voices, including minority voices, can be heard. They suggested reflective questions starting with:

‘ Could you imagine that…’.

Participants highlighted parallel processes whereby educators foster trainees’ personal and professional development, and GPs support patients’ individual coping styles. Such an inclusive and safe learning environment would act as a flywheel, enhancing the institute’s inclusive image and attracting prospective minority trainees, teachers, and in-clinic supervisors.

Co-readers confirmed these view points and they added their concerns regarding prioritization by some staff members:

‘I have nothing to add. I think it is essential that diversity is given a priority, that we as staff all agree that this is important. The pitfall is that some of them might not see the importance’. (co-reader 2)

Potential learning climate-related disparities

Stakeholders from ethnic minority groups expressed distress experiences in a dominant white world:

‘The GP-specialty training population is predominantly white and female; trainees, in-faculty teachers, and in-clinic supervisors even seem to resemble one another. Without them saying or acting, I continuously feel the stress of having to adapt to them, which I will never be able to’ (participant 2, group 1).

Stakeholders discussed the majority’s naivety in understanding the experience of belonging to a minority and expressed concerns about some DEI programs potentially leading to paradoxical stigmatization. They noted instances where in-faculty teachers appointed minority trainees as representatives for their cultural groups, ignoring the vast diversity within these groups. Also, participants reported stereotyping case reports:

‘They always use the example of the non-Dutch speaking overweight Moroccan mother of seven children, not engaged in any sports, who favors sweet and fatty food, and suffers from diabetes’ (participant 3, group 2).

Co-readers added that this one-sided picture made minority trainees uneasy, feeling discussed rather than equal partners in GP-training. Additionally, they emphasized that presenting DEI programs as non-mandatory, implied that diversity and inclusiveness were not necessarily integral to GP-skills requirements.

‘Mandatory inclusive training for mentors, staff, and teachers holds significant importance, signifying our commitment. Participation in these courses should be integrated into evaluations and annual interviews’. (co-reader 4)

Out-of-the-box wishes and key elements for an inclusive learning climate

Upon the invitation to make a wish:

‘Wouldn’t it be wonderful if….‘ ,

stakeholders wished for diverse staff as role models, willing to learn from each other, normalizing various meaningful insights, and embracing diverse worldviews:

‘By using these differences, we keep each other awake and open-minded in exploring possibilities; thus, we allow ourselves to grow without assuming that our paved path is always the best way at the time’ (participant 3, group 1).

Stakeholders indicated the institute’s responsibility to educate GP-trainees for a diverse patient population as an essential component of an inclusive learning environment. Key elements related to such inclusiveness were:

The GP-specialty training should represent society in all its diversity:

‘It’s been a few years since I started GP-specialty training, of course, but… I’m just digging whether I had a feeling of: “I fit in there” or: “I recognize my roots there”. These are important feelings to me to feel safe at my work- and study place’ (participant 7, group 1);

A diverse GP workforce meets patients’ appreciation for GPs they can identify with:

‘Regarding this cultural background or ethnicity, I have the impression that patients from ethnic minorities often liked that I obviously am not Dutch, they said, “oh, you are not Dutch, are you?“, it led to recognition, a little laugh, and connected us. Having a doctor just like them helped my patients to share their concerns.’ (participant 2, group 2);

GP-trainees need identifiable and diverse educational role models:

‘The moment you sit down together and see that diversity, …brings different working styles, learning styles, or communication styles… that you realize we have to do it together, the greater the diversity, the more we learn from one another, the higher we rise, the more fun and creative ideas…’ (participant 4, group 2);

Diverse GP-trainee cohorts improve mutual learning processes:

‘To me, utilizing diversity means that there’s always someone in the classroom who says, “Okay, so what if we look at it from that perspective or through those glasses?’ (participant 1, group 1).

Co-readers agreed and added that GP-specialty training already utilized diversity among in-faculty teachers to some extent:

‘Great idea! Diversity among teachers is already being leveraged to some extent. Trainees can synthesize a blend of styles and insights from different teachers and mentors. Expanding on this concept could help cultivate a more inclusive learning environment’ . (co-reader 1)

Strategy developing and preparing for implementation

Recommendations for an inclusive gp-specialty training.

Participants (stakeholders in collaboration with co-readers) made six fundamental recommendations and mapped these onto the BET framework levels to ensure all aspects of inclusive education would be covered [ 24 ] (Table  2 ).

Actionable strategies

From these recommendations, participants derived seven actionable strategies for promoting inclusive GP-specialty training (Table  3 ).

Provide a clear message of inclusiveness in all internal and external communications .

Participants explored various means and media platforms for promoting the GP-specialty training’s DEI core values (websites, ads, social media, podcasts), focusing on design, content, and appeal to the target group. They recommended involving trainees with media experience rather than exclusively hiring specialized communication consultants.

Appoint DEI ambassadors in all layers of the organization .

Participants suggested involving employees as DEI ambassadors to effectively spread DEI core values in the organization. Ambassadors would undergo comprehensive training in DEI, reflective skills, leadership, and change management. They would also attend conferences, masterclasses, join knowledge networks, and contribute to think tank initiatives as part of their preparation.

Facilitate procedures for secure incident reporting .

Participants highlighting the significant impact of unintentional discriminatory behavior, often resulting in experiencing barriers to reporting such incidents. They proposed implementing low-threshold and secure reporting procedures with targeted questions on DEI and (micro)aggression. Regular team sessions would enable open discussions based on anonymous reports, fostering inclusive education, uncovering organizational trends, and providing support for trainees who faced discrimination, microaggression, or exclusion. Confidential advisors would receive training in DEI, reflective skills, and relevant legislation.

Give a significant voice to minority trainees in ongoing program development .

Participants advised inviting minority trainees to round table discussions, fostering insider perspective exchange with mutual respect, critical reflection, and empathy. Including these diverse voices would promote resilience and professional growth and attract eligible trainees and staff from diverse backgrounds.

Assign more than one in-faculty teacher per group / in-clinic training .

GP-trainees - like all individuals - naturally mirror the behavior of significant others, such as teachers, in-clinic supervisors, or peers. Participants believed that trainees with multiple role models would outperform those with single role models. They suggested introducing dual in-faculty teachers and dual in-clinic supervisors as additional role models and an extra pair of eyes during education. To ensure success, participants recommended training programs for optimum role model utilization.

Offer ‘just-in-time’ learning .

Participants agreed that effective learning is closely related to immediate learning needs. For GP-trainees, such learning needs often arise from societal encounters in the consultation room, e.g., guiding Muslims during Ramadan while simultaneously managing diabetes or comprehending increasing PTSD symptoms around Keti Koti (Afro-Surinamese Emancipation Day). Timely incorporating these contextual factors into training programs could provide directly applicable knowledge.

Provide mandatory DEI relevant training programs for professional development .

Participants emphasized the necessity of new knowledge, skills, and attitudes. They considered within-group differences valuable learning tools for diverse personal and professional development paths. Well-trained staff and trainees could drive inclusive knowledge networks, empower the organization, and positively influence external perceptions. Thus, they recommended mandatory and tailored training programs aligned with the anticipated learning needs from the suggested strategies. Where applicable, they advised considering outsourcing.

Conditions and requirements for implementation

Participants indicated the importance of in-faculty teachers, in-clinic supervisors, and staff having the courage to be vulnerable. They emphasized the essence of transparent norms and values and a welcoming learning environment, and they highlighted an attitude of:

‘… genuinely enjoying to support a diverse population in their growth towards their professional identities’ (participant 6, group 2).

‘Implementing these ideas demands courage and vulnerability, particularly as their execution could inadvertently carry stigmatizing effects’. (co-reader 6)

In this context, they mentioned the risk of unconscious bias, which could require external expert trainers at certain stages:

‘Well, you know, I had a trainee of Moroccan descent, and it shocked me that, while I always thought to be very open, diversity-minded, and curious for everything and everyone, I found it way more difficult to connect than I’d admit. I wonder what would have helped me unveil this blind spot in an earlier stage…’ (participant 5, group 1).

‘… allow and embrace the differences, see them as opportunities that actually add learning qualities, and not take them away? So, professionalism will become more colorful, and it can be viewed from different points of view, not just the traditional, established perspectives and routes’ (participant 1, group 1).

Ultimately, we provided the management group with implementation guidance for these seven strategies, along with an analysis of the target group and context, and summaries of relevant literature on DEI best practices in educational settings (Appendix). The management team agreed that enhancing DEI should have priority in Dutch GP-specialty training:

‘We should acknowledge that we are trailing behind societal advancements in diversity. Therefore, maintaining a strong focus on this topic must stay a priority’ (participant 5, management group).

Based on these comprehensive data, the management group prioritized strategies that covered the overarching recommendations and BET-levels (detailed in Table  3 ; Fig.  1 ), which aided in selecting strategies with anticipated effectiveness. To enhance alignment with the organizational requirements and feasibility, they considered implementation requirements, staff feedback from our presentations during periodic meetings, and opportunities for synergy with existing projects in other Amsterdam UMC departments.

‘We can see that literature describes these strategies as effective and we assume that stakeholders meticulously aligned them with the institute’s needs. Let us not repeat that process but rather look into strategies that can be implemented effectively in our setting’ (participant 1, management group).

‘For each suggested strategy, this guidance envisions its coverage and practical implications. Now, it is up to us to consider how far we are willing to commit. This process prompts pertinent questions on specific effective actions’ (participant 2, management group).

The management group prioritized three strategies:

Appoint DEI ambassadors in all organizational levels,

Give a significant voice to minority trainees in ongoing program development,

Provide mandatory DEI-relevant training programs for professional development to all involved in GP-specialty training.

Summary of findings

In twelve PLA-based stakeholder sessions, participants explored perspectives on potential disparities, underlying causes, and aspirations for an inclusive learning climate in the Dutch GP-specialty training. They suggested seven strategies based on six overarching recommendations, which they presented embedded in an implementation guidance to the management group:

Provide a clear message of inclusiveness in all internal and external communications.

Appoint DEI ambassadors Footnote 1 in all layers of the organization

Facilitate procedures for secure incident reporting.

Give a significant voice to minority trainees in ongoing program development.

Assign more than one in-faculty teacher per group / in-clinic supervisor per trainee.

Offer ‘just-in-time’ learning.

Provide mandatory DEI relevant training programs for professional development.

The management team selected strategies 2, 4, and 7, deeming them most effective, feasible, and aligned with the organization’s requirements.

Comparison to existing literature

Worldwide attention to inclusive learning climates in postgraduate medical education revealed the complexity and multidimensionality of educational constructs and institutes [ 29 , 43 ]. Interpretations of formal and informal learning contexts within these environments depend on the perspectives of various stakeholders [ 15 ]. Consequently, unconsciously normalized rules and codes across all layers may implicitly exclude ethnic minority professionals and -trainees in many ways throughout their careers [ 44 ].

This paper extends the literature on inclusive GP-specialty training [ 15 , 43 , 44 ], detailing the efforts to design- and create broad support for inclusive training strategies. Like most organizational changes, implementing inclusive strategies in GP-specialty training posed challenges and demanded a focus on building confidence and trust in novel approaches [ 45 ]. Hence, understanding the values and expectations of target groups and tailoring strategies to meet their needs and aspirations was crucial. Our study involved representatives from all key stakeholders, including ethnic minority trainees, aiming to address critical research gaps and enhance knowledge quality, relevance, and impact [ 46 ]. Collaborative decisions, rooted in an equal and reciprocal partnership, empowered stakeholders, raised management team awareness and inspired the research team [ 47 ]. These effects mirror findings in previous PAR studies on inclusive primary healthcare [ 48 ] and highlight PAR’s role as a catalyst for transformative change in GP-specialty training [ 33 ].

Stakeholder insights, combined with DEI-strategy literature, underscored the need for a gradual, committed cultural shift towards inclusivity in the learning environment. Based on these insights, the management group recognized that this transformation would necessitate a set of strategies addressing inclusiveness at various levels rather than relying on one single intervention [ 26 , 28 , 49 , 50 ]. They employed our Wensing and Grol-based implementation guidance to select the following feasible strategies aligned with the GP-specialty training context as a first step in an ongoing process:

Providing mandatory DEI-relevant training programs to all stakeholders supports cultural responsiveness within all strategies to be implemented. It facilitates understanding how cultural backgrounds and experiences influence teaching and learning [ 49 ]. Ultimately, it fosters engagement and motivation to create collaborative learning environments and accommodate learners’ needs based on their diverse backgrounds [ 26 ].

Appointing DEI ambassadors in all layers of the organization has in other contexts proven to enhance the effectiveness of DEI-related strategic initiatives [ 51 ]. DEI ambassadors engage change agents within their teams, foster collaboration and effective communication, facilitate diversity goals, and involve key stakeholders in sustainable, inclusive changes [ 50 ].

Giving a significant voice to minority trainees empowers and amplifies their agency. Including their experiences and perspectives in staff meetings and brainstorming sessions is a crucial first step toward an open and innovative culture. Prior research indicated that promoting minority trainees’ participation requires supportive supervision, encouraging them to share transformative ideas [ 28 ].

Strengths and limitations

Our participatory approach fostered broad support across all organizational levels. PLA-based stakeholder discussions facilitated open dialogue, refined ideas, and sparked valuable insights. Co-reader feedback prompted stakeholder group participants to reevaluate their interpretation of specific experiences. This approach allowed diverse perspectives and theoretical idea saturation, aiding participants in identifying seven actionable strategies with high potential for effective implementation. In turn, these results allowed the management group to leverage their organizational expertise and prioritize three strategies they considered feasible and compatible with the organization’s requirements.

While most post-graduate medical education settings share similarities, contextual variations, such as educational emphasis and cultural factors, may exist, leading to potential limitations in the transferability of our findings. Nonetheless, the dynamics between informal and formal in-classroom learning remain pertinent across various postgraduate medical contexts, where in-clinic learning, shaped by day-to-day experiences and supervisor-trainee dynamics, inevitably influences formal learning objectives and settings. Also, our study’s confinement to two Dutch GP-specialty training institutes and its relatively modest participant count may require caution in the transferability of our findings to other similar settings. In light of this, it is noteworthy that statistics from a previous quantitative study suggest that by 2023, our pilot institutes closely mirrored Dutch GP-specialty training in terms of minority trainee [ 7 ]. Moreover, we provided meticulous descriptions of our setting to enhance contextual understanding, aiding in assessing transferability to similar settings. Additionally, the explicit commitment to inclusiveness by the participating GP-specialty training institutions, which could be instrumental in promoting successful implementation, could pose challenges when transferring the results to less DEI-focused settings.

Still, employing multiple sources by connecting stakeholder perspectives to relevant literature and two frameworks enabled participants to structure their thoughts and opinions on the organization’s DEI strengths and limitations, along with the opportunities and challenges for implementation. For future researchers, this approach may prove valuable in identifying overarching concepts and theories that transcend specific individuals or contexts and facilitate the assessment of the transferability of our findings to similar educational settings [ 52 , 53 , 54 , 55 ].

Implications for further research and practice

Fostering a DEI-minded culture in post-graduate medical training calls for a multifaceted strategy. As training institutes diversify and curricula address nuanced topics, skills for adeptly navigating complex conversations become increasingly critical for educational staff. The ongoing process of promoting inclusive teaching, assessment, and curriculum design abilities will necessitate the inclusion of a wide range of perspectives. Consequently, we recommend involving stakeholders from the most diverse backgrounds possible. Also, the explicit commitment to inclusiveness by the participating GP-specialty training institutions may pose challenges when transferring the results to less DEI-focused settings. Therefore, we suggest further investigation in such contexts to better understand the transferability of our results.

Ensuring high-quality, inclusive learning environments in postgraduate medical education is crucial for educational opportunities and the overall quality of healthcare [ 56 ]. However, this inclusiveness is not solely shaped by the beliefs and values of teachers; it is also intricately influenced by the complex social and cultural dynamics within educational institutions [ 29 ]. Inclusiveness strategies are catalysts for enduring cultural transformation, demanding the consistent integration of multiple strategies through incremental steps over an extended period [ 43 ]. The three strategies identified in our study, which were prioritized for implementation, represent initial strides toward instigating this cultural transformation. Subsequent phases involving evaluation, adaptation, and implementation of additional strategies are imperative for sustaining engagement in a culture of inclusive postgraduate medical education. All Dutch GP-specialty training institutes closely monitor our findings and have committed to implementing mandatory DEI-relevant training programs for their staff and trainees.

Additional research on the impact of the implemented strategies and the level of stakeholder engagement throughout the implementation phase is needed. This follow-up research should encompass inclusive teaching methods, assessment strategies, curriculum design, attitudes, and the ethnic minority trainees’ experienced inclusion aligned with the BET framework.

Engaging stakeholders in PLA-based sessions at two Dutch GP-specialty training institutes proved instrumental in identifying recommendations for an inclusive learning climate. Stakeholders identified seven tangible DEI-strategies, addressing all five BET aspects:

Provide a clear message of inclusiveness in all internal and external communications: enhances inclusive accessibility and a diverse learning community;

Appoint DEI ambassadors in all layers of the organization: promotes knowledge exchange, reflection on potential biases, and active engagement in DEI networks;

Facilitate secure DEI-incident reporting procedures;

Give a significant voice to minority trainees in ongoing program development: empowers them and creates reciprocal learning;

Assign more than one teacher per group / in-clinic training: creates multiple role models and perspectives;

Offer ‘just-in-time’ learning: fosters social and educational engagement;

Provide mandatory DEI-relevant training programs for professional development: promotes DEI-expertise and awareness among all involved.

Based on anticipated feasibility and effectiveness, the management group prioritized strategy numbers 2, 4, and 7 for implementation.

Our integrative approach supported collaborative, context-specific strategy development and prioritization, effectively balancing anticipated effectiveness and compatibility. As such, this approach will prove valuable in identifying widely supported DEI strategies within varying and complex post-graduate medical educational contexts.

Data availability

The datasets used and/or analysed during the current study available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

Ambassadors actively promote DEI values within teams by exchanging knowledge and experiences, enhancing expertise through training and literature, and addressing diversity cases through consultancy roles.

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All authors have made substantial contributions to the conception OR design of the work; OR the acquisition, analysis, OR interpretation of data; OR have drafted the work or substantively revised it. All authors have approved the submitted version (and any substantially modified version that involves the author’s contribution to the study); and have agreed both to be personally accountable for the author’s own contributions and to ensure that questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work, even ones in which the author was not personally involved, are appropriately investigated, resolved, and the resolution documented in the literature. Contributions per author: N.M. van Moppes: Conception, Design of the work, Acquisition, Analysis and interpretation of data, Drafted the work and integrated all revisions; M. Nasori: Conception, Design of the work, Acquisition, Analysis and interpretation of data, Substantively revised the work; J. Bont: Substantively revised the work; J.M. van Es: Substantively revised the work; M.R.M. Visser: Conception, Design of the work, Substantively revised the work; M.E.T.C. van den Muijsenbergh: Conception, Design of the work, Substantively revised the work.

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van Moppes, N., Nasori, M., Bont, J. et al. Towards inclusive learning environments in post-graduate medical education: stakeholder-driven strategies in Dutch GP-specialty training. BMC Med Educ 24 , 550 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-024-05521-z

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DOI : https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-024-05521-z

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