Check this page to learn more about the support and advice options available to PhD candidates at a VU level. Below you will find more information about the support system at the Graduate School and faculty level.
PhD advisors
The Graduate School program managers are also PhD advisors. Both PhD candidates and PhD supervisors can contact any of the Graduate School program managers if they face issues (preoccupations about your PhD, well-being, your relationship with your supervisors or other members of your research environment). See Who is who for contact details. If you want to talk confidentially, make that clear beforehand. We will listen to you and, in case you want, advise you on how to proceed and whom to further contact.
PhD trustee
PhD candidates who are experiencing issues can contact the SSC PhD trustee for confidential matters, also if they are uncertain about the course of a conflict, the influence of private matters on work progress, or other things. A meeting with the PhD trustee is confidential, and the PhD trustee does not take the initiative to consult with other parties involved to resolve the issue. The current PhD trustee is Dr. Freek Colombijn. PhD candidates who prefer talking to a female trustee can contact Dr. Liesbeth Geudeke (School of Humanities).
Confidential counselors
In case you prefer to talk with someone else than the PhD Trustee, you can contact another confidential counselor. The Confidential Counsellor for inappropriate conduct is Prof. dr. Bastiaan van Apeldoorn. The Confidential Counsellor for academic integrity is Prof. dr. Henk Overbeek.
More information on confidential counselors here.
Mediation
The VU mediation pool offers mediation and counselling when friction arises between employees. If you have a dispute with a colleague (such as your supervisor or manager), consider turning to the mediation pool for help. Under the guidance of an experienced mediator, you can enter into a conversation with the other person. Read more here or contact the mediation pool directly at mediation.personeel@vu.nl.
Are you an external PhD? Contact the Graduate School for advice.
PhD support
Occupational Social Work (OSW) offers advice and short-term counseling to employees who are at risk to get sick for work and/or private reasons. That may be functioning problems, dismissal, reorganization, problems in collaboration (with colleagues or management), inappropriate conduct, and traumatic events at work. It also covers work/life balance issues, relationship and family problems, coping with grief and loss, and other psychological problems. The occupational social worker is bound to professional secrecy. The counseling is voluntary and confidential. For more details, check here.
Head of Department
PhD candidates and PhD supervisors can contact the Head of Department to raise issues.
Procedure for PhD candidates and supervisors in case of an issue in a PhD trajectory
For internal and external PhD candidates, and for supervisors, there is an extra procedure at GSSS in addition to the VU Doctorate Regulations. The purpose of the GSSS procedure is to resolve any problems in the working relationship between the PhD candidate and supervisor and vice versa in an easily accessible and satisfactory manner. Please consult the Procedure for PhD candidates and supervisors in case of an issue in a PhD trajectory for more information.