The Amsterdam UMC Doctoral School - both the institute and the website – is live. This fulfills a long-held ambition: a joint training institute for all PhD candidates at Amsterdam UMC. The Doctoral School will offer advice, support and a range of free training courses to more than 3,000 PhD candidates at locations AMC / UVA and VUMC / VU University.

Janine Stolwijk, director of the Amsterdam UMC Doctoral School, is proud that she and her team have established the first steps towards a full training institute, including an accessible English website.

The Amsterdam UMC Doctoral School offers a central and accessible place where both PhD students and the mentoring team can go to not only for practical information about the academic promotion process, but also for independent advice or support in case a PhD candidate hits a roadblock during their training.

The website was developed at lightning speed in close collaboration with the online team of the communication department. Stolwijk: "The successive phases of the promotion process are stylishly visualized. In a well-organized way, the website guides PhD students through their training process in a stepwise manner."

Advice and coaching

The free courses offered to PhD students at the Doctoral School are a valuable resource. "The plan is to expand the number of available courses from ten to approximately 35 in the next academic year," say Janine Stolwijk. The range of courses offer PhD students flexibility in choosing training that meets their individual needs to best support their development into independent scientists.

There are also PhD student advisors ready to give guidance and coaching interviews with PhD students who request support. If necessary, PhD students can also go to a confidential counselor specifically for PhD candidates.

Expansion in phases

In the coming period, the Amsterdam UMC Doctoral School will harmonize the services offered to PhD students and their mentoring teams at Amsterdam UMC. Differences in the academic promotion process at Vrije University and UvA will continue to exist, however, due to divergent promotion regulations of the two universities. "We are working hard to optimize and harmonize this situation. We will be expanding our services in phases as soon as possible," says Janine Stolwijk.

Want to know more about the Amsterdam UMC Doctoral School? Take one minute and watch our informational video or consult our website: amsterdamumc.org/phd.

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