Organization and Quality Assurance

Quality assurance

The Top Master Programme in Nanoscience started in 2003.

All government-funded Dutch university programmes have to be assessed every six years, and subsequenlty obtain an accreditation by the government-mandated organization NVAO (the Accrediation Organisation of the Netherlands and Flanders). The Top Master Programme in Nanoscience was assessed in 2007, 2012 and 2018, resulting in highly positive reports on all occasions with the distinction 'excellent', and continuous accreditation under CROHO label 60618.

On 19 March 2008, the NVAO decided to extend the original accreditation of 2003 of the Top Master Programme in Nanoscience until 31 December 2013. Furthermore, on 5 August 2008, NVAO has decided to award the special label exceptional quality to seven aspects of this Programme: the intake and admission requirements, sufficient capacity of staff, sufficient accommodation and material facilities, adequate student support and guidance, involvement of stakeholders, realization of intended final qualifications, success rates in line with targets. It was the first time ever the NVAO has awarded such a highly positive distinction to a master programme.

On 22 April 2013, the Accrediation Organisation of the Netherlands and Flanders (NVAO) decided to extend the accreditation of the Top Master Programme in Nanoscience until 31 December 2019. Furthermore, along with this decisions the NVAO has decided to award the special label excellent to all main aspects of this Programme: Intended learning outcomes, Teaching-learning environment, Assessment and achieved learning outcomes, and General conclusion of the assessment.

This was the second time that this Programme got such exceptionally high distinctions. Citing from the reports: "The programme systematically well surpasses the generic quality standards across its entire spectrum and is regarded as an (inter)national example". The QANU committee also wrote: "...the committee wants to exemplify this programme as a 'best practice' for other master's programmes in Nanoscience (national and international)." full NVAO decision 2012 report and press release in december 2012

On 29 January 2019, the Accrediation Organisation of the Netherlands and Flanders (NVAO) again decided to extend the accreditation of the Top Master Programme in Nanoscience until 30 January 2025. The extension was based on the assessment in June 2018 by an international peer review committee, organized by QANU. On three standards (Intended learning outcomes, Teaching-learning environment and Achieved learning outcomes) of the four standards that have to be assessed, the committee has awarded the Top Master Programme the highest possible distinction of "excellent". The fourth standard Student Assessment was awarded with 'good'. The overall summary assessment is "excellent". The meaning of this epithet is, according to the NVAO rules: "The programme systematically well surpasses the generic quality standards across its entire spectrum and is regarded as an (inter)national example". This is the third time that the Nanoscience programme has received this distinction of "excellent". The committee writes: "The students of the master's programme convincingly show that they systematically far exceed the expected level for graduates of a master's programme." and "Overall, the panel was very impressed by the programme's design and focus, and considers it an internationally unique master's programme."

Download the latest full NVAO decision of 2018 and the QANU assessment reports (2007/2013/ 2018), accompanied with a Press release.

On April 4 and 5 the site visit for the 2024 visitation took place. The audit committee communicated that they were very impressed by the programme in particular with the fourth standard, the Student Assessment. While the distinctions are not given anymore the committee indicated the programme to be "excellent" on all four standards. The visitation report and NVAO decision have not yet been received.

Programme organization

The Top Master Programme in Nanoscience is carried out by scientific staff of the Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials (ZIAM). It is a relatively small, selective master programme with a strong emphasis on research. On all aspects, the programme has very active and close interactions with ZIAM, and this makes that it is a special master program for our university. In addition, it is a hybrid programme in that it unites subjects conventionally taught in either physics or in chemistry. For its organizational structure, and the rules and regulations for its education, Nanoscience is part of the educational programme of the Faculty of Science and Engineering (FSE) of the University of Groningen, and it is supported by the Education Support Centre (ESC) of this Faculty. The master programme falls under the Physics Programme Board.

All FSE master's degree programmes fall under the director of the GSSE who delegates the direction of each programme to a deputy director. The deputy director responsible for the TopMaster programme Nanoscience is currently prof. dr. Loredana Protesescu (appoinrted for the period 1/9-2024 to 31/8-2027). Before this prof. dr. Thomas L. C. Jansen (appointed for the period 1/1/2017 until 1/9/2024), prof. dr. ir. Caspar H. van der Wal (1/11/2010 - 31/12/2016), and prof. dr. Paul van Loostrecht (to 31/10-2010), were programme directors.
The programme coordinator can be contacted through email on nano.sse rug.nl. The programme coordinator is responsible for the day-to-day management of the Top Master Programme in Nanoscience.
For academic advising within the programme, all students frequently interact with the programme director. This includes coaching of the transition to a PhD position at the end of the Programme. In addition, a mentor (a staff member of the Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials) is assigned to each student for coaching on study performance, and more individual advising on study and career choices. For any other topics, as an external advisor, an academic advisor from the Education Support Centre is associated with the programme.

On a weekly basis, the programme director, programme coordinator (and when useful the academic advisor) meet for the so-called three-way consultations ('triangle'). Frequently student members of the programme committee are present for consultation.

The programme has an External Advisory Panel (January 2018) with the following members:

Hagan Bayley (professor University of Oxford, Chair)
Wim van der Zande (research director ASML)
Jasper Compaijen (NEDAP, alumnus 2009-2011 cohort Master Nanoscience)
Antoine van Oijen (professor School of Chemistry, University of Wollongong)

The chair is also the chair of the International Advisory Board of the Zernike Institute.

as of September 2022 the External Advisory Panel consists of:

Hagan Bayley (professor University of Oxford, Chair)
Emilie Kernen (Scientific Detector Division Director, PHOTONIS, Roden)
Alberto Carta (phd student, ETH Zürich, alumnus 2018-2020 cohort)
Machteld Kamminga (associate professor, University of Utrecht, alumnus 2012-2014 cohort)
Antoine van Oijen (professor University of Sidney, Faculty of Medicine and Health)

The chair is also the chair of the International Advisory Board of the Zernike Institute.

Scholarships

Scholarships were kindly sponsored by the Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials and Cognigron with the cohort starting in 2024 being the last to receive these.

Full and partial scholarships were available sponsored by CongniGron for admitted students upto the cohort starting in 2024. These were tailored to the needs of the individual student to allow the students to focus 100% on their studies. The scholarships were given on the condition of sufficient progress. The scholarships were given for a duration of up to two years after the start of the study.

Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials and Cognigron offered full or partial scholarships for admitted Nanoscience students. Students who wanted to receive a scholarship had to hand in a filled financial statement form at the time of the interview. For Dutch and EU students the scholarship consists of a monthly allowance of €250. For non-Dutch students the tuition fee can further be covered. For non-EU students not already studing at the RUG the maximal monthly allowance is about €958 and enough to fulfil the income requirements for the visa, possibly in combination with other funding sources. For non-EU students who were already studing at the RUG the maximal monthly allowance is the same as for EU students. The scholarships for individual students are tailored to their needs within the limits above. The assigned scholarship were based on the financial statement and scholarships may be lower than given above for students with ability to cover their study costs from other sources. The scholarships come with a condition of limited work next to the study. The first six months of the programme are too intense for a teaching assistantship on the side. Applicants could only apply for the scholarship in the year that they are first admitted to the programme. The Nanoscience scholarships were kindly sponsored by the Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials and Cognigron.

Decisions about the Nanoscience scholarship programme were taken by the Scientific Director of the Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials.

The financial management is handled by Drs. Annelies Weersing (Coordinating Office Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials)

Last modified:

16 September 2024 2.25 p.m.