PhD Position: The Long-Term History of the EUs Eastern Enlargement Maastricht • Universiteit Maastricht

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Welcome to Maastricht University!
Are you passionate about contemporary European history? Do you want to explore the long-term dynamics that shaped the EU’s Eastern enlargement? At FASoS, you’ll develop your own research project in an international and interdisciplinary environment.

PhD Position: The Long-Term History of the EU’s Eastern Enlargement

• Our goal: To better understand how long-standing political, economic, and cultural interactions between East and West shaped the EU’s 2004 enlargement, long before the fall of the Berlin Wall.

• Your team: You will be based in the History Department at the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences and affiliated with the interdisciplinary research programme Politics and Culture in Europe. You’ll work closely with Dr Aleksandra Komornicka and Dr Aline Sierp, and contribute to the activities of the Central and Eastern Europe Hub at Maastricht University.

What you’ll be doing
As a PhD candidate, you will:

• Design and conduct your own doctoral research project
• Investigate East–West European relations, informal encounters or mutual perceptions between the 1970s and 1990s
• Carry out research missions and archival work
• Present your findings at academic conferences and seminars
• Publish your research, including a co-authored piece with your supervisor(s)
• Write and defend your PhD dissertation
• Teach (15% of your time) in our bachelor’s and master’s programmes

Your project will align with the overarching theme of the EU’s Eastern enlargement and may focus on a specific country, organisation, or group of non-state actors, as long as it engages both sides of the East–West divide. You’ll also collaborate with the NWO Veni project “The Market Next Door”, which explores the role of Western European multinationals in Central Europe between 1969 and 1993.

Ben jij klaar om koers te zetten voor de toekomst van inkoop? Dan ontmoeten we je graag.

What you bring

• You’re curious, independent, and motivated to contribute to innovative historical research. We are looking for someone who:
• Holds (or is about to complete) a master’s degree in history or a related field
• Has experience with archival and historical source research
• Has strong academic English skills (C1 level)
• Is willing to relocate to (the region of) Maastricht

We’d be especially happy if you also bring:

• Knowledge of Central or Eastern European languages
• Prior teaching experience

What we offer
As PhD Position: The Long-Term History of the EU's Eastern Enlargement at Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, you will be employed by the most international university in the Netherlands, located in the beautiful city of Maastricht. In addition, we offer you:

• Good employment conditions. The position is graded in scale P according to UFO profile PhD, with corresponding salary based on experience ranging from €3059,00 and €3881,00 gross per month (based on a full-time employment of 38 hours per week). In addition to the monthly salary, an 8.0% holiday allowance and an 8.3% year-end bonus apply.
• An employment contract for a period of 12 months with a scope of 1,0 FTE. Upon a positive evaluation, an extension of 3 years will follow. 
• At Maastricht University, the well-being of our employees is of utmost importance, we offer flexible working hours and the possibility to work partly from home if the nature of your position allows it. You will receive a monthly commuting and internet allowance for this. If you work full-time, you will be entitled to 29 vacation days and 4 additional public holidays per year, namely carnival Monday, carnival Tuesday, Good Friday, and Liberation Day. If you choose to accumulate compensation hours, an additional 12 days will be added. Furthermore, you can personalize your employment conditions through a collective labor agreement (CAO) choice model. 
• As Maastricht University, we offer various other excellent secondary employment conditions. These include a good pension scheme with the ABP and the opportunity for UM employees to participate in company fitness and make use of the extensive sports facilities that we also offer to our students. 
• Last but certainly not least, we provide the space and facilities for your personal and professional development. We facilitate this by offering a wide range of training programs and supporting various well-established initiatives such as 'acknowledge and appreciate'. 
   

The terms of employment at Maastricht University are largely set out in the collective labor agreement of Dutch Universities. In addition, local provisions specific to UM apply. For more information, click here.

Maastricht University
Why work at Maastricht University?
At Maastricht University (UM), everything revolves around the future. The future of our students, as we work to equip them with a solid, broad-based foundation for the rest of their lives. And the future of society, as we seek solutions through our research to issues from all around the world. Our six faculties combined provide a comprehensive package of study programmes and research.

In our teaching, we use the Problem-Based Learning (PBL) method. Students work in small groups, looking for solutions to problems themselves. By discussing issues and working together to draw conclusions, formulate answers and present them to their peers, students develop essential skills for their future careers.

With over 22,300 students and more than 5,000 employees from all over the world, UM is home to a vibrant and inspiring international community.

Are you drawn to an international setting focused on education, science and scholarship? Are you keen to contribute however your skills and qualities allow? Our door is open to you! As a young European university, we value your talent and look forward to creating the future together.

Click here for more information about UM. 

Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
The Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences FASoS is a close-knit community of approximately 250 staff members and 2100 students. During breaks and before meetings, you can often find us at our favourite local coffee spot Bandito Espresso.  
 

Communication lines within our faculty are short and colleagues are always ready to assist each other. FASoS consists of a highly international student population and a significant part of our staff comes from abroad. Our faculty offers four bachelor programs, eight masters programs and two research master programs that are all characterized by their interdisciplinary approach.
 

Our research institute studies societies and cultures as they have developed in the modern and contemporary periods. We adopt a radically interdisciplinary approach, analysing the interconnections between Europeanization, globalization, scientific and technological advancement, political change, and cultural innovation. 
 

In addition to teaching and research, our colleagues enjoy expressing themselves creatively. They create podcasts, write poetry as well as fiction. 
 

Working at FASoS means working in a challenging yet informal environment. We believe in crafting your own career path and are always ready to help you in making the most of your job. For more information about FASoS, you can visit our website FASoS
 

Department and Research Group 
The PhD candidate will be embedded in the History Department at FASoS. The department brings together scholars with humanities backgrounds and a strong interest in 20th century history of European politics and international cooperation. The PhD candidate will also be a member of the Politics and Culture in Europe (PCE) interdisciplinary research group. 

Curious?
Are you interested in this exciting position but still have questions? Feel free to contact Aleksandra Komornicka at via de button "Solliciteer nu" op deze pagina. for more information. 

Applying?

Or are you already convinced and ready to become our new PhD? Apply now, no later than 31st of August for this position. 

Please upload:

1. A 2-page CV including publication details (if any) and the contact information of 2 referees
2. A 3-page research proposal
3. A master’s diploma and grade list

The first interviews preferably take place in October 2025. The second interviews will preferably be held in November 2025. 

Maastricht University is committed to promoting and nurturing a diverse and inclusive community. We believe that diversity in our staff and student population contributes to the quality of research and education at UM, and strive to enable this through inclusive policies and innovative projects led by teams of staff and students. We encourage you to apply for this position.