Doctoral school

Please find more information on the last part of your PhD, in this presentation:

Still got questions? >> do register for one of the monthly workshops 'Last part of the PhD trajectory'

Interesting for PhD candidates whose manuscript is (about to be) assessed

Ellen Dijkstra (Amsterdam UMC Doctoral School) will inform you on practical matters in the run-up to, during and after your defence. For instance on how to prepare for the day of the defence, on the Laymen's talk, the structure of the ceremony. On where to find information on media attention for your thesis, on reimbursments to which you might be entitled. In terms of information this workshop will partially overlap the 'Meet the Beadle' meeting (below), but will also be complementary to it. You are very welcome to join one of these online meetings; to sign up, please send an email to e.dijkstra@amsterdamumc.nl:

• Thursday 22 May 2025, 14.00-15.00

• Tuesday 10 June 2025, 10.00-11.00

  • The next meeting will be scheduled for August

Invitation: 'Meet the Beadle'

The VU beadles Ellis Verkerk and Eef Bergs (Beadle’s Office) and VU PhD policy advisor Fernie Maas (Institutional Affairs) organize ‘Meet the Beadle’ sessions. You are very much invited to join them. During the session, Ellis Verkerk and Eef Bergs will explain all about the PhD ceremony and take you to the sites that will be relevant: the Aula and Auditorium, the promovendus room and the Forum room. Explore the Aula and Auditorium and experience how it feels to be on the stage! You will also learn about the technical equipment. And of course: plenty of opportunity to ask your questions to the Beadles. An excellent way to prepare for your defence!

• Wednesday 3 September 2025
• Wednesday 5 November 2025

The meetings start 16.00 and take place in the Aula VU Main Building and the Auditorium

If you want to join one of these sessions, or in case of questions or comments, please contact Fernie Maas (f.g.t.maas@vu.nl)

Note: Places are limited. Registrations are accepted on a first-come-first-serve basis. The session is open to all VU PhD candidates, particularly PhD candidates who are approaching their defence date

• Professors wear gown and beret with dark clothing / shirt with dark tie, dark (socks and shoes) underneath. That means, among other things, no jeans, no shorts, no T-shirts, no sweaters, no colored pumps, no sneakers
• Co-supervisors and opponents who are not professors wear dark, occasion-appropriate clothing / tenue de ville / shirt with jacket and dark tie. That means, among other things, no jeans, no shorts, no T-shirts, no sweaters, no colored pumps, no sneakers
• During the PhD ceremony, the PhD candidate and the two ceremonial assistents (paranimfen) wear dress suit or other clothing suitable for the occasion (tenue de ville). Appropriate clothing can also be understood to mean appropriate traditional clothing from the country of the PhD candidate. The PhD candidate conforms to the judgment of the beadle