Facts and Figures
The Department of Earth Sciences is the largest academic Earth Sciences institute in the Netherlands, and among the larger ones in Europe. With over 170 researchers and PhD students we have established an international centre of excellence in scientific research and research training that actively contributes to addressing the challenges we face in developing a modern, sustainable society.
Below we present some key data on staff composition and student numbers. Note that the teaching programmes are jointly offered with our sister-Department of Physical Geography.
Follow the links in the left hand menu for more data and information about our department.
Composition of academic research staff per December 31 (in persons).
This excludes honorary & adjunct staff and approx.50 external PhD candidates.
| 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | |
| academic faculty (full prof / associate prof / assistant prof) | 57 | 60 | 55 | 57 |
| research associates (postdocs) | 30 | 33 | 34 | 31 |
| internal PhD candidates (incl. out of contract) | 86 | 85 | 91 | 100 |
| Total | 173 | 178 | 180 | 188 |
| of non-Dutch origin | 59% | 56% | 55% | 52% |
Input in research, distributed by funding source
(in percentage of total normative research time (fte) over Jan - Dec)
| 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | |
| Direct funding (main, excluding Sectorplan AMW) | 17% | 16% | 14% | 15% | 13% | 15% |
| Direct funding (Sectorplan AMW) | 5% | 4% | 1% | - | - | - |
| Direct funding (additional and/or competitive) | 7% | 6% | 2% | 2% | 2% | 1% |
| Total 1st & 6th funding source ("direct funding") | 28% | 26% | 17% | 17% | 15% | 16% |
| NWO Talent programmes | 11% | 13% | 14% | 15% | 12% | 12% |
| NWO/NWA/NSO/etc. Science programmes | 24% | 21% | 23% | 20% | 20% | 20% |
| NWO/TTW Technology programmes a.o. | 4% | 3% | 4% | 5% | 6% | 6% |
| Special NWO programmes (e.g. Gravity, Summit) | 1% | 3% | 11% | 8% | 8% | 10% |
| Total 2nd & 5th funding source ("research grants") | 40% | 40% | 52% | 48% | 46% | 48% |
| ERC Talent programmes | 6% | 11% | 14% | 16% | 17% | 14% |
| EU/EC Science & Technology programmes | 10% | 7% | 5% | 5% | 6% | 6% |
| Companies; Non-academic knowledge institutes; Ministry of Economic Affairs & Climate Policy/RVO | 11% | 11% | 7% | 6% | 7% | 9% |
| Other, e.g. fellowships & scholarships | 4% | 5% | 6% | 8% | 8% | 8% |
| Total 3rd & 4th funding source ("contract research") | 32% | 34% | 31% | 35% | 39% | 37% |
In 2024, the effect of the Sectorplan AMW shows, with many young staff joining the department and therefore direct funding takes a larger share. Only in later years, we're expecting to see that these new staff will attract new externally funded projects themselves. The table also shows that the Gravity programme NESSC is coming to an end in 2024. Late 2025, the new Summit programme EMBRACER starts.
Registered students in BSc and MSc programmes per October 1.
| 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | |
| BSc Earth Sciences | 490 | 437 | 457 | 457 |
| MSc Earth, Life & Climate | 115 | 107 | 105 | 102 |
| MSc Earth Structure & Dynamics | 115 | 112 | 111 | 100 |
| MSc Earth Surface & Water | 146 | 160 | 156 | 145 |
| MSc Marine Sciences | 143 | 130 | 111 | 94 |
| Total MSc | 519 | 509 | 483 | 441 |
| International students (% in MSc only) | 17% | 23% | 24% | 25% |
| Total BSc + MSc | 1009 | 946 | 940 | 898 |