You will be advised by a PhD Advisory Committee (PAC) that is appointed especially for you. Typically the members of the PAC are: the LACDR Scientific Director, your promotor(s), if applicable, your co-promotor(s) and an external advisor.

The external advisor is often a senior LACDR staff member, e.g. an assistant -, an associate - or a full professor. The advisor is selected by your promotor in consultation with you. The advisor cannot be a staff member from the LACDR research division where you conduct your research. In some cases the advisor is from another institute outside LACDR.

Overview:

• Your PhD meetings
• Preparations
• A: Start Up meeting - after two months
• B: Admission meeting - after 9 months
• C: Midterm meeting - after two years
• D: Finalization meeting - after three years
• Portfolio
• Performance & Development

Your PhD meetings

You will meet with the PAC on approximately three to four occasions during your contract. In these meetings the focus is on the planning and the progress of your research. Each meeting will last approximately one hour. The PhD program office or the division secretary arrange the meetings with the PAC and issue the invitations.

Preparations

At a minimum of one week prior to the PAC meeting, you are required to submit a progress report and a PowerPoint presentation with a maximum of 10 slides summarizing the progress in your research. For the progress report a template is available, it is called Education and Supervision Plan (ESP-OBP form), which you can download from MS Teams 'LACDR PhD group'.

The completed ESP-OBP form and a PowerPoint presentation must be sent to the PAC and the PhD program office at least one week prior to the meeting.

A.      Start Up meeting - after two months

At the start-up meeting you will present your research plan with milestones and timelines, a proposal for education and a description of your contributions to teaching.

If applicable,  a decision is taken with regard to the selection of a second promotor and/or 1-2 co-promotor(s).

At the start you sign a declaration in which you declare to maintain and promote proper scientific conduct and to adhere to the rules of the Leiden University Code of Conduct.

B.      Admission meeting - after 9 months

At this meeting a decision is taken with regard to your admission to the second phase of the PhD program, which lasts three years.

Furthermore at this meeting you will present the progress in your research and the plans for the upcoming three years with milestones and timelines. In addition the progress with regard to education and teaching is reviewed, and after approval, the data management plan is adopted.

C.      Midterm meeting - after two years

On this occasion you will present the research progress during the past two years, your plans for the next two years, any updates of the data management plan and the progress with regard to education and teaching. Any bottlenecks will be addressed during this meeting.

D.     Finalization meeting - after three years

At this occasion you will present your research progress during the past 3 years, your planning for the last (writing) year, updates of the data management plan and the progress with regard to education and teaching.

Special attention will be paid to the timely completion of your PhD thesis and any measures that need to be taken to ensure this.  In addition, your ambitions with regard to the continuation of your career will be addressed. A timely orientation on the job market will be emphasized.

A finalization meeting will only take place upon request by the PhD candidate, a member of the PAC or the PhD director. A request can be send to PhD office. In case of a request for an extraordinary extension of contract, a finalization meeting with the PAC will be organized to discuss the progress and planning for the completion of the PhD track. (Extension of the contract on the basis of teaching activities doesn’t require a finalization meeting on forehand).

Portfolio

You, your promotor and the PhD director will sign the corresponding PhD Education & Supervision Plan form. The signed form needs to be uploaded in LUCRIS GSM.

To file all important documents on your PhD, you can collect a LACDR PhD Portfolio binder from the PhD program office.

Performance & Development

The meetings are planned in conjunction with the annual Performance & Development interviews and cycle. You will receive an invitation by e-mail from your promotor to fill in the Performance & Development form. You can upload the signed PhD forms in the Performance & Development form via self-service, to avoid duplications.