The M20 PhD Programme was established to create sustained opportunities for talented early-career researchers while strengthening interdisciplinary research across the University. By funding new PhD positions over an extended period, the programme contributes to UG’s ambition to bring together academic disciplines and connect excellent research more closely with major societal challenges.

The programme particularly encourages interdisciplinary and, where appropriate, transdisciplinary research. Projects should demonstrate how bringing together different disciplinary perspectives creates added value for addressing the scientific questions and societal challenges at the heart of the proposed research. In this way, the M20 PhD Programme also contributes to UG’s ambition to develop as a fifth-generation university, in which research, education, interdisciplinary collaboration and societal engagement are closely connected.

Each proposal must address themes that broadly represent the UG Schools for Science and Society:
- Aletta Jacobs School of Public Health
- Jantina Tammes School of Digital Society, Technology and AI
- Rudolf Agricola School for Sustainable Development
- Wubbo Ockels School for Energy and Climate

In accordance with the terms and conditions attached to the donation that funds the M20 Programme, projects focusing on the study of religion are not eligible for funding. This does not exclude the involvement of the Faculty of Religion, Culture and Society in the supervisory team.

The interdisciplinary character of the programme must also be reflected in the supervisory team. Each proposal must involve at least two UG supervisors from two different faculties, and at least one supervisor must hold Ius Promovendi.

A prospective PhD candidate may be involved in developing and submitting the proposal. The programme particularly welcomes proposals developed jointly by a UG (Research) Master’s student and an interdisciplinary supervisory team. Where a Master’s student participates in an application, that student must also be the intended candidate for the corresponding PhD position.

For a detailed overview of the criteria that must be satisfied for an M20 PhD grant, please see the full Call for Proposals here.

The deadline for submitting a proposal is 8 February 2027. Proposals submitted after this deadline will not be considered.

All proposals must be written using the designated application form, which can be downloaded here.

Project information

Title of the project *

Which school for science and society is this proposal submitted to? *

Applicant information

Main applicant / Student / Supervisor

Full name *

Position at the University of Groningen *

Please upload proof of current student status (can be downloaded from Progress) or recent graduation from the University of Groningen (can be downloaded through DUO). *

Please upload an academic CV of the prospective PhD candidate. *

Please upload the full application form here as a PDF.

Any submissions that have not made use of the designated format will not be considered.

The application form can be found here. *

I declare that I have answered this form truthfully. *

You have reached the end of the application.

Click 'send' below to submit your application to the UEF.

After submitting the form you will not be able to make any changes.

The privacy policy and privacy statement of the UG can be found here

Het privacybeleid en de privacyverklaring van de RUG vindt u hier

M20 PhD Programme Application form

Project information

Applicant information

Main applicant / Student / Supervisor

Co-applicant(s) / Supervisor(s)

Co-applicant 1

Co-applicant 2

Co-applicant 3

Co-applicant 4

Proposal

M20 PhD Programme

Application form