Abstract for: The Impact of Career and Funding Policies on the Academic Workforce in The Netherlands: A System Dynamics based Promotion Chain

The Dutch government bears part of the costs of scientific research conducted at Dutch universities with public funds. The government supports the science system by implementing policies, in the hope of developing a robust academic workforce. However, it is difficult for policy makers to determine the consequences the policies can have on the science system. In this paper, a model is developed that describes the influence of funding regimes and career policies on the workforce development and research output over time. The model is used to conduct policy experiments to analyse the effect of different policies on workforce development and research output. The model results show that an increased focus on indirect governmental funding would eventually lead to a larger temporary workforce, but it also suggests that this change does not necessarily lead to more research output. Results also show that contract policies for temporary researchers do not have the intended effect. Changing contract structures could lead to a different balance but does not decrease the uncertainties in contract accumulation and turnover.