Teaching Opportunities

Teaching can be highly beneficial even if your contract is fully research-oriented.

Engaging in teaching can help you:

• Develop strong communication and presentation skills
• Gain supervision and mentoring experience
• Strengthen your CV for both academic and non-academic careers
• Build connections beyond your research group
• Increase your independence and ownership of your career path

Importantly, teaching experience is often expected for future academic positions, and having it can make a significant difference in job applications.

It is not uncommon for postdocs to receive mixed messages about teaching or the UTQ, some supervisors strongly support it, others prioritise research output and may discourage it. Both perspectives are understandable - but your long-term career development also matters!

At UT, not all postdoc positions formally include teaching responsibilities. In some cases, supervisors may even advise against taking on teaching due to research priorities. However:

• You are allowed to express interest in teaching, even if it is not required
• You can often engage in small-scale teaching activities (e.g. guest lectures, co-supervision) without large time commitments
• Taking initiative in teaching can demonstrate proactivity and leadership

If your advisor is hesitant, consider proposing limited well-defined involvement that does not interfere with your research goals. Framing teaching as a career development activity can also help make your case.

There are many flexible ways to get involved:

• Guest lectures in existing courses
• Supervising Bachelor’s or Master’s theses (for this you need atleast to enrol on the Supervising Students course of the UTQ)
• Supporting tutorials or lab sessions
• Mentoring student teams or challenge-based projects
• Contributing to course design or materials

Most opportunities are not formally advertised, so being proactive is key! Here are some practical ways to find them:

Reach out to course coordinators or lecturers
Browse your faculty’s study programmes and course catalogues. Identify courses that align with your expertise or research topic.Contact lecturers whose courses match your background. A short, friendly email offering to give a guest lecture or support a session can go a long way.

Ask around within your department
Colleagues, especially assistant/associate professors, often need occasional help with teaching or supervision on a variety of topics. Instead of asking generally, propose something concrete (e.g. “I could give a lecture on X” or “I’m happy to co-supervise a thesis on Y”).

Propose a BSc or MSc thesis topic
You can take the initiative by proposing your own MSc thesis topic. Many programmes welcome project ideas from researchers. Define a topic related to your research that is feasible within a Master’s timeline (6–9 months). Contact the relevant programme coordinator or track coordinator to ask about submission procedures. Reach out to course coordinators or colleagues who are already supervising theses and offer to co-supervise or ask for co-supervision on your idea. Clearly outline the research question, methods, and expected outcomes and ask them to advertise to students.

Take the UTQ!
This is a great way to improve your skills and to get some practical experience! More info below...

The University Teaching Qualification (UTQ) (BKO) is the nationally recognised certification of teaching competence in the Netherlands. Taking part in the UTQ:

• Develops and demonstrates your ability in course design, teaching and supervision, assessment and evaluation, and reflective professional development
• Strengthens your academic profile
• Demonstrates commitment to education
• Helps you develop structured teaching skills
• Is often expected or required for academic positions in the Netherlands

Can you pursue this as a UT postdoc? Yes! Even if teaching is not formally part of your role. 

The UTQ is not a single course, but a development trajectory combining training, practical experience, and assessment. It is made up of 5 courses, which you can spread out across your time, depending on availability. It includes:

• Participating in group training sessions.
• Gaining hands-on teaching experience (e.g. lecturing, supervising, assessing)
• Collecting evidence of your teaching (materials, student feedback, examples of assessment)
• Writing a teaching portfolio reflecting on your development and competencies
• Receiving feedback and coaching from experienced educators

The duration depends on you and how you spread your courses over your time here. It can be completed in as little as ~1 year but more commonly, it takes 1–3 years. For postdocs, the timeline is often flexible; you can progress at your own pace depending on how much teaching you take on.

To start, contact your UTQ co-ordinator!