The Professorship policy VU sets out the principles and definitions that underpin the policy, together with the various procedures for appointing professors.

An update of the Professorship Policy was adopted by the Executive Board in 2024.

Recognition & Rewards

In line with Recognition & Rewards, professors at VU have a dual foundation in teaching and in research, but focus on one of the three core domains (teaching, research, impact).

Leadership, collaboration and management qualities are crucial in an academic culture where we share responsibility for healthy group relationships, talent development, social safety and inclusion. We expect professors to have an excellent command of these qualities and to take on a leadership role that goes beyond their own discipline.

You can read more about this on the Academic career paths page.

Endowed and sponsored chairs VU

Endowed chairs connect university and society and make it possible to position or represent new knowledge or adjacent disciplines within education and research. An important goal is to bring in and generate specific expertise in research and/or teaching. In general, an endowed professor usually has a job elsewhere; his or her chair is an ancillary position.

Sponsored chairs are regular chairs that are sponsored. The professor appointed to a sponsored chair is employed by the university. A sponsor has no formal role when it comes to the content of research and teaching, but sponsor(s) can be involved in the chair.

Overview of endowed and sponsored chairs VU Amsterdam (pdf)
^{Reference date: 1 March 2026. This overview will be updated twice a year.}

Information recruitment, selection and appointment of an (endowed) professor:

• Professorship policy VU 
• AAC advisory report recruitment and selection of (endowed) professors (in Dutch only) 
• Assessment portfolio for professors
• Procedure description and checklists Professorship policy VU (in Dutch only)
• Standard regulations for endowed chairs
• Model sponsorship agreement chair VU (in Dutch only)

After appointing an (endowed) professor the administrative processing in the personnel system follows.

• A professor is registered with the self-service option Start onboarding internal employees
• An endowed professor is registered with the self-service option Start onboarding external