Professor by Special Appointment "Household Credit"

Bureau Krediet Registratie (BKR), Erasmus School of Economics (ESE), and Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR) have established a Chair by Special Appointment in the field of household credit for the duration of 5 years. The mission of BKR is to promote financial well-being and financial inclusiveness in Dutch society. Focusing on Dutch households, BKR acts as an information intermediary aiming to prevent financial distress in households due to excessive debt by registering and managing consumer credit data. BKR plays a crucial role in the Dutch financial system. 

Description of the Chair by Special Appointment

“Household Credit” is the academic discipline that can contribute to the mission of BKR. The Household Credit Chair will focus on research related to household decision-making, specifically concerning the liability side of a household's balance sheet. This includes examining decisions around mortgages, refinancing and defaults, and behavior in unsecured credit markets such as credit cards, consumer loans, and bank overdrafts. These decisions all affect the financial well-being of households.

The social role of institutions such as BKR are well known, although the type of information collected may vary across countries.  Research in several countries has shown that improved credit information lowers default rates, increases access to finance, and encourages entrepreneurship. However, increasing access to financial services also increases the risk of issuing loans to households unable to repay them sustainably leading to credit losses write-offs for banks, and to households experiencing stress and reduced labor productivity. Early identification of potential financial problems is key to mitigating these risks. But too much regulation intended to reduce default rates may inadvertently restrict credit, negatively impacting the inclusiveness of the (Dutch) financial system.

The goal of this Chair by Special Appointment is to facilitate, initiate, and/or collaborate in high-quality scientific research in this area. Potential research topics include (but are not limited to)

1. Identifying trends and patterns that indicate an increase in financial vulnerability, allowing for more effective preventive measures given the Municipal Debt Relief Act (Wgs), which requires municipalities to use delinquency signals from partners such as housing corporations, energy and water companies, and health insurers. A better understanding of valuable (combinations of) signals could help prevent financial distress in the Netherlands.
2. Analyzing how household networks (e.g., schools, associations, religious institutions, geographic location) influence financial behavior, and explain how financial problems may spread within networks and result in different outcomes. 

Duties and responsibilities

The Professor by Special Appointment is expected to contribute to the research, impact, and education strategy of Erasmus School of Economics, particularly within the Department of Business Economics. The primary objective of BKR (with this Chair by Special Appointment) is to stimulate high quality research in the field of household credit. This means that the Professor by Special Appointment is expected to 

1. Demonstrate excellence in research, as shown by publications in international top journals in the field of finance and/or economics, 
2. Share research findings and policy implications with BKR, political bodies, and other relevant organizations and shareholders, 
3. Demonstrate excellence in teaching, 
4. Contribute to the education in the field of household credit, possibly through guest lectures or developing a complete course.

The Professor by Special Appointment is obligated to abide by standard scientific practices, research and integrity codes of EUR.

Profile and requirements

BKR’s primary objective for this Chair by Special Appointment is to stimulate high quality research in the field of household credit. For that reason, the Professor must meet the same criteria as other Professors at ESE in terms of research, teaching, administrative experience and collegiality. The following eligibility requirements apply, based on the ESE document “Criteria for appointment as and promotion of Tenured Faculty” (March 2020):

• Strong recent publications: Demonstrated recent publications in the best peer-reviewed journals within the field of finance and/or economics.
• Teaching experience: Experience in teaching at the undergraduate, graduate and/or postgraduate levels.
• International Network: A well-established international  network of researchers and professionals in the field of finance.
• Recognition within the professional community: Recognized by peers as an international researcher of high standing.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills: Ability to collaborate effectively within an academic and/or data-intensive environment.

The Professor is expected to make positive contributions to research on household credit within the Department of Business Economics and may also be involved in teaching activities  such as guest lectures or workshops, or the developing a new course in collaboration with  colleagues.

Internal positioning of the Chair by Special Appointment

The Chair by Special Appointment is funded by BKR and positioned within Erasmus School of Economics, Department of Business Economics, through a hospitality agreement. The Chair contributes to socially relevant teaching and research and, in terms of content, is well aligned with existing chairs within the department, e.g., Chair in Behavioral Finance, Chair in Finance and Economics, and Chair in Corporate Finance.

Appointment

The Chair by Special Appointment is a paid appointment for 0.2 FTE (8 hours per week) for a duration of five years. The Professor by Special Appointment will not be employed by BKR or Erasmus University but a suitable appointment structure will be arranged in consultation with the candidate. This could include a secondment. The gross monthly salary for a fulltime equivalent (38 hours per week) ranges from € 6,963 and € 10,138, equivalent to the UFO-profile “Full Professor 2”.

Erasmus University Rotterdam

Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR) is an internationally oriented university with a strong social orientation in its education and research, as expressed in our mission ‘Creating positive societal impact’. EUR is home to 4.100 academics and professionals and almost 33.000 students from more than 140 countries. Everything we do, we do under the credo The Erasmian Way – Making Minds Matter. We’re global citizens, connecting, entrepreneurial, open-minded, and socially involved. These Erasmian Values function as our internal compass and create EUR’s distinctive and recognizable profile. From these values, with a broad perspective and with an eye for diversity, different backgrounds and opinions, our employees work closely together to solve societal challenges from the dynamic and cosmopolitan city of Rotterdam. Thanks to the high quality and positive societal impact of our research and education, EUR can compete with the top European universities; www.eur.nl 

Erasmus School of Economics

Erasmus School of Economics (ESE) is a leading school in economics in the Netherlands. It has a strong international reputation and aims to do outstanding research. Moreover, it provides excellent education at the BA., MA. and Ph.D. levels. Much research at Erasmus School of Economics is policy relevant, has social impact, and offers a strong research culture, ample research resources, and comparatively low teaching loads. See also www.eur.nl/en/ese.

How to apply?

Applications can be submitted online at recruitment@eur.nl, and the application deadline is 
31 July 2025. Please ensure that the following documents are included with your application:

• Motivation letter
• Curriculum vitae
• Research statement
• Contact details of 2 references (including name, affiliation, and email address)