Jan Willem(45)

After fifteen years at TU Delft I was approached for an associate professorship at the Department of Engineering Science at Oxford University. It was an opportunity I couldn't pass up — Oxford is one of the best universities in the world, and the research facilities are unmatched.

Oxford University arranged my Skilled Worker visa efficiently. As a large institution they have a dedicated immigration team. The university has a sponsor licence and the entire process — from Certificate of Sponsorship to BRP — took five weeks. What surprised me: as an academic on a salary scale above £38,700 you automatically qualify for the fast-track category.

The college system makes Oxford unique. I'm a fellow of a college, which means I not only teach but am also part of an academic community. Formal dinners in the dining hall, drinking port in the Senior Common Room, and regular contact with colleagues from completely different disciplines. It's an intellectual bubble that has no equal.

Oxford is an expensive city for its size. My wife and I are buying a house in Jericho, a popular area among academics. House prices are eye-watering — we're paying £650,000 for a small terraced house. The stamp duty was £22,500 plus the foreign buyer surcharge. My wife has the right to work as a dependant and found a job as a biomedical researcher at the John Radcliffe Hospital.

Financially the move is interesting. My salary is higher than at TU Delft, but housing costs compensate for that. However, I benefit from the USS pension (Universities Superannuation Scheme), one of the best pension schemes in the UK. The university contributes 21.6%, I contribute 6.1%. I froze my Dutch pension at ABP — I no longer build it up but it remains in place.

Academic life in Oxford is intense but fulfilling. The students are brilliant, colleagues inspiring, and the research culture is more ambitious than I was used to in the Netherlands. My advice to Dutch academics: the UK still offers the best academic career opportunities in Europe, despite Brexit. Start applying early and let the university handle the visa work — they're good at it.