An intellectual haven
During their fellowship, these talented individuals are able to work with minimal interruption from external obligations and are free to challenge boundaries, explore alternative paths, deviate from the status quo, and engage openly in critical debate.
The essence of a fellowship at an Institute for Advanced Study lies in the opportunity to withdraw as far as possible from other professional commitments. Accordingly, attendance at the Institute for four days a week is required for both Dutch and international fellows.
The institute aims to maintain a balanced year group in terms of academic cultures, gender, career stage, and disciplines. NIAS makes a particular effort to attract talented scientists from Asia, Africa, the Middle East, the Caribbean, and Latin America, and seeks to form a cohort comprising one third of scholars with affiliations from these regions. Scholars with a Dutch affiliation will make up another third of the cohort, while those with European or North American affiliations will constitute the remaining third. English is the working language of the institute.
Time, space and a passionate learning community
A fellowship at the NIAS provides fellows with an environment conducive to bringing curiosity-driven work to fruition. The Institute does this by providing the following services and facilities:
- Library service that delivers books (almost) to your door steps
- Hot lunch with good company and lively discussions
- Weekly academic seminars
- Grant writing group
- Creative writing workshop
- Interdisciplinary reading groups
- Opportunities to organise an expert workshop
- Opportunities to organise public events
- Social and cultural activities
- Financial support in the form of stipends and grants and travel expenses
- An office, shared or private, with telephone and a laptop with reliable internet access and subsidised accommodation
Located in the centre of Amsterdam
In 2016, the Netherlands Institute for Advanced Study relocated from the dunes of Wassenaar to the historic heart of the Dutch capital, Amsterdam. The Institute’s offices are housed in the tranquil and secluded Sint Jorishof. The NIAS Fellows House is located nearby, just a three-minute walk from the main building.
Amsterdam offers a vibrant and dynamic scientific environment, home to two major universities — the University of Amsterdam and VU University Amsterdam — as well as to a wealth of unique archives and libraries. Among these are the Special Collections of the University of Amsterdam, the war archives of NIOD (Institute for War, Holocaust and Genocide Studies), the library of the International Institute for Social History (IISH), and The Black Archives. The city also hosts two of the humanities institutes of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW), in addition to the Academy itself, which is situated just across the street from NIAS. Other Dutch universities, research institutes, laboratories, special collections, and archives are easily accessible by public transport within a few hours.
Amsterdam boasts one of the lowest costs of living among European capitals and is renowned for its vibrant cultural and social life, with a wealth of museums, music venues, restaurants, and festivals. Furthermore, the Dutch capital offers a highly diverse environment, reflecting a variety of ethnic backgrounds, lifestyles, and religious beliefs, with 180 different nationalities residing in the city. Amsterdam is internationally oriented, and the majority of its inhabitants speak English.
Maarten Kleinhans, Fellow Sept 2019 - March 2020Freedom, creativity, and the sense that time is no longer the enemy but my friend
