Recognition and Rewards: Culture Barometer
Measuring progress
To measure the progress of the programme, all academic employees were asked to complete a questionnaire, the so-called Recognition & Rewards Culture Barometer in 2024 and a second - and last- time in 2026. In it, we asked whether the ambitions of the national program Recognition & Rewards are recognized, whether they are translated into policy and reflected in day-to-day practice. For example by being allowed to choose (in agreement with their line manager) for a specific career path.
What do the results show?
The results from the questionnaire are important in determining where we stand as an organization and where development is needed. These results, that were collected in January 2026, show that the ambitions are broadly supported by academics. It also clearly shows that there is tension in translation into day-to-day practice: too little progress is visible so far.
From ambition to practice
“To provide greater transparency into which aspects of an academic career are taken into account, how they can be rewarded, and what opportunities exist for different career paths, an extensive round of feedback is currently underway regarding the profiles and criteria developed by the CTA. These are expected to be finalized in the course of this year and widely shared within Amsterdam UMC,” says Yvo Roos, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Amsterdam (UvA).
He, too, supports the program’s ambitions, alongside his colleague Saskia Peerdeman, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine at VU University Amsterdam. Together, they recognize that the existence of tools does not yet mean they are applied everywhere.
In the coming period, therefore, the focus will be on exemplary behavior and leadership. “The results of the survey provide good starting points for taking the next steps.”
Personal experiences
In a number of testimonials from colleagues, you can read about their personal experiences with ‘Recognition & Rewards’ in practice at Amsterdam UMC:
- Geert Schenk demonstrates how choosing a teaching profile not only gives him more energy but also helps his research career.
- Bernadette de Bakker gives an inspiring account of her drive to translate her expertise into societal impact as an embryologist to help others, and how she is achieving this through Amsterdam UMC.
Joeri Tijdink speaks about the importance of Open Science and offers practical tips.
Learn more
Would you like to learn more about the Culture Barometer results at national level? You can view them here: Culture Barometer - Recognition & Rewards.
If you would like to receive the Amsterdam UMC-specific results, please send an email to: cta@amsterdamumc.nl.
Testimonials
“Ever since I started seeing teaching as my core business and made a conscious choice about what research I do on the side, I’ve been enjoying both more.”
“I have the knowledge and expertise to better support parents. So I also feel a responsibility to take that knowledge out of the lab and make it accessible"
"Open Science is not just an extra hobby alongside the ‘real work’, but a way to conduct better research”