Summer School

Ready for an impactful step outside of academia?

Beta in Governance & Policy (BiBB) is organising a summer school to inspire STEM scientists and prepare them for a career in the administrative and political world. We focus on issues such as: how laws, policies and decisions arise in a complex administrative environment. How to operate effectively within that administrative reality, and which skills people with a science background need to master for this.

In one week you will gain insight into how you as a beta can operate effectively in governance and policy. You will learn from experienced administrators, policy makers and politicians, work on relevant cases and in the meantime build a network with like-minded people.

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From August 25 to 29, 2025, the first edition of the Beta in Governance & Policy Summer School took place at Kasteel Spelderholt. This welcoming location created opportunities by offering tailored education and development programs to people with disabilities.

The next edition of the BiBB Summer School will take place between 6 and 10 September 2026

Kasteel Spelderholt.

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About the Summer School

The BiBB summer school is a fully catered crash course of a small week in which a selection of ambitious students will learn the answers to the following questions and gain practical experience with them:

How is the government organised?
How do laws, policies and decisions arise in complex administrative realities and how does the 'real' world influence this?
How can you operate effectively within that administrative reality? Which skills should people with a science background learn for this?
Where are the opportunities for people with quantitative, exact, scientific or technical perspectives to be of value in socially urgent themes?

Program

Lectures and masterclasses by people with extensive experience in the Dutch government, such as (former) ministers, politicians, journalists and civil servants in high positions within ministries.
Work supervised by relevant experts on current cases, aimed at policy formation and influencing
Training in skills such as negotiating and pitching
Social activities aimed at conviviality and creating a strong network

For whom?

A careful selection of approximately 30 ambitious PhDs and Postdocs from science disciplines who want to make the transition to public administration and policy, and want to end up in an impactful and challenging position.

After the summer school, participants will have a good idea of where there is a need for a science perspective, how to get to that place and how to collaborate effectively with the Dutch government.

N.B. Due to the close connection to Dutch government and administration agencies, the programme will be in Dutch only.

Do you want to use your analytical power in society?

Then this summer school is for you.

Registration will open again next year.