Support and community
If you need any help with your research or if you encounter problems during your PhD track, Leiden University provides several different types of support for PhD candidates. There are also groups, networks and communities in which you can meet other PhD candidates.
In addition to the people and services listed below, the individual faculties and Graduate Schools also have various kinds of support and communities (see your faculty tab or Graduate School).
Support
Your supervisor(s) and colleagues will be able to help with many of your questions and issues. You are also welcome to contact any of the following people:
PhD dean or PhD coordinator
If you encounter any problems in your PhD track, you should contact your faculty’s PhD dean or PhD coordinator. They often conduct the start interview and evaluation interviews with PhD candidates, discuss the training and supervision plan and help to shape the faculty’s PhD policy.
Confidential counsellor for PhD candidates
Each faculty has a special confidential counsellor for PhD candidates. If you have a problem that you would prefer not to discuss with your supervisor, you are welcome to contact the confidential counsellor for advice or a confidential meeting.
PhD psychologist
The PhD psychologist helps PhD candidates who have mental health issues that are caused by the PhD process or have a direct effect on it.
PhD representative
Some faculties have a special PhD representative: a PhD candidate who promotes the interests of the PhD community in matters of (PhD) research policy.
Career guidance
Most PhD graduates find a position outside the university after obtaining their PhD. You should therefore think in good time about the next steps in your career. The Graduate Schools regularly organise a PhD Career Event. The university also has several career coaches; or you can visit the Career Platform for self-reflection and personality tests, online courses, tips and alumni’s experiences.
As well as the above-mentioned people and services specifically for PhD candidates, the university offers general support facilities that can also be used by PhD candidates:
- Leiden Research Support Portal for information on research support at the university in all stages of your research
- Leiden University Library
- Centre for Digital Scholarship for questions and training courses on the use of digital tools and resources in research, including data management and research software, and for questions on copyright and open science
- Various ethics committees for ethical review of research (per faculty)
- Leiden University Fund: for several different types of grants, including grants for participating in an international conference or a period of study abroad;
- Various grant advisers for questions on (external) research funding.
- Human Resources (HR) for questions relating to employment
- Service Point Personnel for personnel and administrative questions
- The ISSC Helpdesk and ICT desks for ICT-related questions
- The Privacy Officers and Security Officers for questions about information security and privacy
- Communication and marketing
- Committees for complaints, objections and appeals
- The university’s occupational physician
- The Service Centre International Staff (SCIS) for international staff and guest researchers who have questions;
- In addition to the confidential counsellor for PhD candidates, there are various other confidential counsellors for different situations, for example relating to malpractice or unacceptable behaviour.
Community
The university has several networks that bring PhD candidates together and represent their interests. Many of them are organised within the various faculties and/or institutes, such as PhD councils and platforms.
At the university level, there are the following networks:
- Leids Promovendi Overleg (LEO): LEO organises monthly social activities for PhD candidates from all faculties. LEO also represents PhD-specific interests and maintains contact with other organisations for PhD candidates.
- LUMC Association for PhD candidates (LAP): LAP helps PhD candidates of the LUMC to navigate the PhD track, represents PhD candidates within and outside of the LUMC and organises various activities.
- PhDoc: A staff party in the University Council, which particularly defends the interests of PhD candidates and postdocs at Leiden University.
- Promovendi Netwerk Nederland (PNN): PNN is the national interest organisation for and by PhD candidates. The network brings together the various local PhD organisations.
Guidance and counselling
As a PhD candidate, if you wish to discuss your issues with someone other than your thesis director or supervisor, or if you develop psychological or other symptoms, you can contact the university doctor, psychologist, or confidential counsellor.
For medical or psychological symptoms, you can contact one of the university doctors. This is also the case if you are an external PhD candidate. The university doctor may refer you to a psychologist.
If you experience problems related to your PhD project that you cannot solve yourself, you can contact the Confidental Counsellor for PhD Candidates.
PhD Deans
Also, the Faculty has appointed two PhD Deans for PhD students. They are the first point of contact for PhD students and the supervisors (supervisor and co-supervisor) with questions about supervision and progress of the PhD project. The roles have been divided between the two deans to ensure you can always talk to someone who does not work at your intitute. In this way they can work from an independent position and do not need to be involved in issues within their own insitute.
Find the contact details on the right hand side.
Contact details
Email: graduateschool@fgga.leidenuniv.nl
The FGGA PhD Platform
The PhD platform is a network of all PhD candidates of the Faculty of Governance and Global Affairs. They organize social events and biannual meetings where they invite speakers to discuss current issues related to life as a PhD candidate (examples of topics for these meetings are: How to manage your supervisor, mental stress and coping during your PhD, visiting and organizing conferences). The FGGA newsletter and website provide information about upcoming events and previously shared documents.
The PhD platform wishes to represent all PhD candidates, therefore they are very open to input and questions. Please feel free to contact them.
Email the FGGA PhD PlatformThe PhD platform is run by a board consisting of PhD candidates from different institutes and aims to represent the interests of all PhD candidates of FGGA. The PhD platform board is consulted by the Faculty board on matters that concern PhD candidates and collaborates with the Graduate School officer.
Events organized by the Graduate School Office or the PhD platform which are focused on career orientation or transferable skills and where speakers or trainers are invited for may be counted as part of the mandatory 140 hours of activities focusing on transferable skills. PhD candidates having signed the attendance list receive a certificate from the Graduate School Office and can report on the stated hours in Converis.