A Baekeland mandate: doctoral research within your company

Are you a business leader at a Flemish company who has met a promising recent graduate in science or engineering that you'd like to recruit for your R&D team — but who is hesitating, considering staying at university to pursue a PhD instead?

Does your company have a topic waiting on the shelf that requires scientific depth, but one you’re confident holds important market potential? Are you already in contact with a knowledge institution? Perhaps there’s even a suitable candidate in sight to carry out the research?

A Baekeland mandate from the Agency for Innovation & Entrepreneurship (VLAIO) offers exciting possibilities! Calls are typically launched twice a year — in spring (deadline in March) and autumn (deadline in September).

What is a Baekeland mandate?

It’s a grant for a predoctoral researcher to carry out research in response to a knowledge need identified within your company. The research should ultimately lead to the attainment of a PhD. The doctoral candidate does not carry out the research alone; they are supported by a knowledge institution, particularly a scientific supervisor. In addition, your company is expected to appoint at least one employee to act as an industrial mentor to the PhD student. In short, three parties are involved in a Baekeland mandate: the company, the doctoral candidate, and the scientific supervisor (affiliated with a Flemish university).

The economic relevance of the research is a key requirement. The innovative results should, in the long term — after the multi-year PhD period — result in new business opportunities or the growth of existing activities. Ultimately, the research should lead to additional employment (or the retention of jobs that would otherwise disappear) and/or new investments in Flanders.

How much support can your company receive for a Baekeland mandate?

The mandate generally lasts for four years. VLAIO funds the research throughout this period. The agency co-finances personnel costs, operating costs, equipment, and fixed expenses for the doctoral candidate. The base support rate is 50% of the total project budget. This percentage can increase depending on company size (+20% for small and +10% for medium-sized enterprises), or if there is genuine and balanced collaboration between multiple independent companies (+10%). These increases can be combined.

The share of non-personnel costs in the budget is capped at €50,000 annually (for full-time candidates). Additional support may be requested for travel and accommodation expenses related to a long-term stay abroad (minimum 3 months) for the candidate.

Conditions and requirements for a Baekeland mandate

The application for a Baekeland mandate must be submitted by the company as the lead applicant. However, all involved parties play a critical role. Applications are assessed both on scientific merit and on the project’s potential economic impact. The applicant company, the prospective PhD candidate, and the knowledge institution must collaborate to build a robust case for both aspects.

Scientifically, the PhD-worthiness of the research and the candidate’s expertise must be clearly demonstrated. The application must outline the state-of-the-art in the field, research objectives, and research plan. The candidate’s expertise is also described in writing and orally presented during an interview with external experts.

The company is responsible for the strategic orientation of the project (aimed at achieving economic outcomes) and for creating a suitable environment in which the candidate can carry out the research (including appointing an employee as industrial mentor). These responsibilities must be clearly described in the application.

Other key conditions and requirements for a Baekeland mandate:

• A mandate typically lasts four years. For part-time candidates, the duration may be extended. VLAIO conducts an interim evaluation to assess progress.
• Applications can be submitted at any time. There are two decision moments each year, with corresponding deadlines (typically end of March and beginning of September).
• The company — as lead applicant — must have legal personality and an operational base in the Flemish Region. It must employ at least one person capable of acting as an industrial mentor. A professional environment that can support the PhD project through to completion must also be in place. Companies in financial difficulty are not eligible to apply.
• Universities, strategic research centres, research institutes, universities of applied sciences, etc., can act as the host institution for the doctoral candidate. The scientific supervisor must be affiliated with a Flemish university.
• The programme is open to all candidates of any nationality and with any degree accepted by the host institution for PhD enrolment. However, candidates who already hold a PhD are not eligible.

How does the Baekeland mandate application process work?

Applications must be submitted fully online via the VLAIO portal. The submission includes the project description, candidate’s expertise, a (preliminary) collaboration agreement, the project budget, and financial details of the applying company. Templates and supporting documents are available for each component.

If the application is deemed admissible, the candidate is invited for an oral defence of the project before a panel of external experts. The final decision is based on their reasoned recommendation. From submission deadline to final decision, the process typically takes around 3.5 months. There are usually two calls per year (spring and autumn).

Read also this article by Flanders' FOOD to see how companies create win-win situations through Baekeland mandates, where employees (with a master’s degree) pursue their PhD ‘on the job’ while contributing to innovative, sustainable solutions in their daily work.