Prof Dr R. van der Velden
Rolf van der Velden (1955) is emeritus professor at the Research Centre for Education and the Labour Market (ROA) of Maastricht University. He is research fellow at the Graduate School of Business and Economics (GSBE) at Maastricht University and fellow of the Amsterdam Centre for Learning Analytics (ACLA). He supervised several international studies on the transition from school to work, among others the international REFLEX project on higher education graduates, the employer perspective survey on the selection process for higher education jobs and he was one of the coordinators in the first cycle of the PIAAC project. He initiated and coordinated the Netherlands Cohort Study on Education of the Netherlands Initiative for Education Research (NRO) until 2022 and is coordinator of the Intergenerational Transmission of Skills project. He is member of several research associations in the field of social stratification, education and labour market. In 1983 he finished his study sociology at the University of Gronin¬gen. From 1983 till 1990 he worked at the Institute for Educational Research in Gronin¬gen, where he held the position of Head of the Division of Labour Market Research. In 1991 he finis¬hed his Ph.D. thesis on 'Social Background and School-success'. He has published on many stu¬dies in the field of education, training and labour market. Current research focuses on the intergenerational transmission of skills, skills development in education, transition from school to work, knowledge economy and the demand for 21st century skills, skills mismatches and the acquisition and decline of skills over the life course.
Expertises
Current research focuses on education and skills development, transition from education to work, knowledge economy and the demand for 21st century skills, skills mismatches and the acquisition and decline of skills over the life course.
Career history
Degrees:
Ph. D. Sociology (doctoraat), University of Amsterdam, 1991
Thesis: Sociale herkomst en schoolsucces (Social Background and School-success), Supervisors: prof. dr. G.W. Meijnen and prof. dr. B.P.M. Creemers, co-supervisor: dr. A. Boomsma
Masters Sociology (doctoraal), specialisation: sociology of education, University of Groningen, 1983
Thesis: Het leerlingwezen, een onderwijsinstelling of een arbeidsmarktinstrument? (The dual system: education or labour market instrument?)
Work experience:
2015-present: Coordinator of the Netherlands Cohort Study on Education (NCO) for the Netherlands Initiative for Education Research (NRO)
2005-present: Full Professor Education and Occupational Career at the Maastricht University
1990-present: Program director Education and Transition to Work at the Research Centre for Education and the Labour Market (ROA), Maastricht University
2013-2020: Director at the Research Centre for Education and the Labour Market (ROA), Maastricht University
1986-1990: Head of the Division of Labour Market Research at the Institute for Educational Research (GION) at the University of Groningen
1983-1986: Researcher at the Institute for Educational Research (GION) at the University of Groningen
1976-1983: Student assistant at the University of Groningen