Postdoc Appreciation Week-NL
From 15-19 September 2025, the first edition of the Postdoc Appreciation Week NL will be co-organized by Amsterdam UMC and the umcs after inspiration by USA and Germany. This is a nation-wide collaboration between several academic institutes of the NFU, incl. Amsterdam UMC, Erasmus MC, LUMC, Radboud UMC, MUMC+, UMCG, Donders Institute (Radboud University), RUG, and the national postdoc network Postdoc NL.
The complete program is published on the Postdoc Appreciation Week NL LinkedIn page and PostdocNL website.
You can find all the information and registration links in the PDF below.
Online Kick-off Postdoc Appreciation Week- Monday 15 September-15.30-17.00
We are pleased to launch the very first Postdoc Appreciation Week in the Netherlands (#PAW_NL) with an online kick-off on Monday 15 September, 15:30-17:00. This session welcomes postdocs as well as academic staff who work with or support them. The program features a panel discussion with three deans who are closely involved in supporting postdocs: Prof. dr.Fred van Leeuwen (dean Postdoctoral Affairs at Netherlands Cancer Institute), Prof. dr. Ingrid Molema (dean Talent Development at University of Groningen), and Prof. dr. Yvo Roos (dean Faculty of Medicine, University of Amsterdam). They will share their perspectives on the position of postdocs in research and academia, followed by an interactive Q&A session where your questions take the stage! Together we will touch upon unique postdoc challenges, share good practices regarding postdoc support, and hear the latest updates from PostdocNL. You will also get a preview of the exciting program for the week.
You can register here for the kick-off!
Get your professional portrait photo taken!
The Research Institutes of Amsterdam UMC are organizing professional photo shoot session taken at either location AMC or VUMC for postdocs affiliated to the Research Institutes. The registration form contains the overview of the time slots.
There are a limited number of places available. Spots will be assigned on a first come, first served basis, taking into account a distribution across the various Research Institutes, and therefore we cannot guarantee a place. We will try to take your preferred time slot into account, but cannot guarantee it. Confirmation of the assigned time slot will be sent by email.
Open consultation confidential advisor during PAW
When you are experiencing difficulties or you encounter an issue during your PostDoc work, and you don’t know where to seek advice, then stop by or make an appointment. We’ll together have a look at your question(s) and what options you may have. No strings attached and fully confidential.
You can make an appointment via Vertrouwenspersoon-AMR@amsterdamumc.nl (or 06 21 964 964). During the open consultation hours (only during PAW) you can walk in without an appointment (please wait if the door is closed). Only for postdocs in Amsterdam UMC.
Open consultation hours during PAW:
Monday Sept 15th: 15:00-17:00 A3-355 (AMC)
Tuesday Sept 16th: 10:00-12:30 Teams*
Friday Sept 19rd: 10:00-12:30 Teams*
*call or chat, Blom, F. (Fenneke)
Online workshop-Lunch & Link-Tuesday September 16-11.45-13.00-online
You never get a second chance to make a good first impression is a well-known expression.
This also applies to the professional social media platform LinkedIn: you only get one chance to make a first impression.On an employer, fellow scientist, colleague, etc.In this online session, I'll share five tips for an improved first impression. Participants will get started with at least one tip."Carefully and thoughtfully design your personal LinkedIn profile so it works for you."
Trainer: Erna van Poppel
Limited to 10 participants – reserve your spot today!
Spots will be assigned on a first come, first served basis. If we receive more registrations, we will create a waiting list.
Practical information:
Location: online
Date and time: September 16th 2025, 11.45-13.00This event is open for all postdocs in the Netherlands
Organized in collaboration with: Poets je Profiel - Hart voor jouw Zaak
Registration link: https://forms.office.com/e/7EdsGVrwvP
Online workshop - How to manage stress & pressure at work on 16th of September-09.30-12.00 - online
In this interactive online workshop for postdoctoral researchers we will explore effective strategies for managing stress in the workplace. Discover how to mitigate its impact and prevent excessive complaints. Gain valuable insights, practical tips, and actionable techniques to effectively cope with workplace stressors.
Trainer: Dr. Sofieke de Jonge is passionate about science and helping scientists navigate the pressures of high-performance environments. She is a Research Fellow at the Amsterdam UMC, specializing in MRI-based assessment of gastrointestinal motility. With a background in both medicine and engineering, her work bridges clinical need and technological innovation to improve understanding of gut function in health and disease. Dr. de Jonge is a also a certified coach, supporting professionals in science, technology, engineering and healthcare to build resilience, work-life balance, and navigate high-performance environments. She is a member of the International Coach Federation and coaches through the Amsterdam UMC coachpool as well as her own online practice, CSJ health, working with professionals worldwide.
Limited to 20 participants – reserve your spot today!
Spots will be assigned on a first come, first served basis. If we receive more registrations, we will create a waiting list. Practical information
Location: online Date and time: September 16th 2025, 09.30-12.00
This event is open for all postdocs in the Netherlands
Organized in collaboration with: Home - CSJ health
Registration link: https://forms.office.com/e/pGTw62EEa1
Online masterclass - Careers beyond your postdoc- Tuesday September 16-15.30-17.00-online
Would you like to know what your perspectives are after your postdoc period? What do most postdocs do several years after their postdoc period? Where do they work, are they happy in their work and do they still do research?
Dr. Elizabeth Koier (UMCG) will take you through the statistics of careers of postdocs and will debunk several myths on the way. Dr. Chiat Cheong (Erasmus MC) will show you how you find the career path that suits you and what you need to do to get there. She is a very experienced researcher developer specialized in postdoc careers.
Practical information
Location: online
Date and time: September 16th 2025, 15.30-17.00 This event is open for all postdocs in the Netherlands
Registration link: Online masterclass - Careers beyond your postdoc
Networking-Ping pong & dinner-Wednesday September 17-17.00-20.00
Need a break from the lab or your laptop?
Come hang out with us for a fun night of ping pong, dinner, drinks, and chill vibes, as we celebrate Postdoc Appreciation Week!
Practical information
🗓️September 17, 2025 🕔17:00-20:00
📍PONG, Jan van Galenstraat 315
Open for Amsterdam UMC postdocs
Limited to 30 participants – reserve your spot today! Spots will be assigned on a first come, first served basis. If we receive more registrations, we will create a waiting list.
This event is for postdocs of Amsterdam UMC.
Registration link (open until 5th of September): https://forms.office.com/e/im1V2awbat
Organized by: The AI&I Postdoc Committee
Workshop-Coaching as a leader- Thursday September 18-9.30-12.00
You might be familiar with this scenario: you're supervising a Master's or maybe a PhD student, and initially, things are going well. But at some point, you notice that the student starts to fall behind, becomes less motivated, or fails to deliver on their promises. Something is clearly wrong, but you're not sure what. You can provide feedback, but it doesn't seem to have much effect. Such moments call for a different kind of leadership skill—one we call coaching. Instead of telling people what to do, you ask them to come up with their own solutions by first identifying the underlying problem. The ability to coach people is one of the most important skills a leader can have.
Are you curious and would you like to know exactly what coaching as a leader entails? Would you like to practice this to see how you can apply this in your work? Then join the workshop “Coaching as a leader” during the Postdoc Appreciation Week on September 18th from 09:30 to 12:00.
During this highly interactive workshop you will practice with attentive listening, the basis of effective coaching conversations. We will explain the do’s and don’ts of coaching and you will practice with a case of your own.
In the second half of the workshop, we will work with the PhD Coach Kit, a coaching tool to help you reflect on well-being, personal development, and your career. As a bonus, you'll receive this fantastic tool for free!
Trainers: Lara Solms & Louise Mennen
Limited to 30 participants – reserve your spot today! Spots will be assigned on a first come, first served basis. If we receive more registrations, we will create a waiting list.
This event is for postdocs of Amsterdam UMC and VU.
Practical information
Location: 02 building location VU Date and time: September 18th 2025, 09.30-12.00
Including coffee/tea and cookies
Organized in collaboration with: Mennen Training & Consultancy (https://www.mennen-tc.com/)
Registration link Amsterdam UMC postdocs: https://forms.office.com/e/0wyVruKVcm
Registration link VU postdocs: https://forms.office.com/e/QrnUsYX81y
For questions or remarks, please contact Raiza Hasrat (Research Policy Office) researchsupport@amsterdamumc.nl.
Amsterdam Public Health activities for Postdoc Appreciation Week (#PAW_NL) for all Amsterdam UMC Postdocs
Check out the flyer below for a brief overview of the full week program of APH activities during Postdoc Appreciation Week, or read the detailed descriptions below. These workshops are open for all postdocs of Amsterdam UMC.
Workshop: Let your voice be heard
Wednesday September 17, 13:30-17:00
Postdoc researchers are often very busy with various tasks and regularly take work home or on vacation. At the same time, it is often difficult to say no when someone asks them to do something. How can you politely say what you mean? And stand up for your own interests without damaging the relationship? How can you raise your voice occasionally without getting a headache? During this workshop, we will do many short exercises, including different styles of conflict management and different ways to say no. We will also work on cases from the participants. We will conclude by formulating goals: what will participants change? This workshop is provided by Kiki Hohnen (Hertz training).
Location: VU campus, NU-building
Participation is free, but there are limited spots available. Register here!
Workshop: Overcoming the imposter syndrome
Thursday September 18, 13:30-17:00
Unfortunately, many scientists suffer from the so-called Imposter syndrome, or imposter phenomenon. They constantly evaluate themselves critically: “I'm not adding anything new”, “Others would probably have done this much better”. How do you deal with these paralyzing thoughts? In this workshop, you will receive tips on how to overcome the imposter syndrome. For example, by learning not to relate all failures to yourself. We will also discuss factors that contribute to imposter syndrome and how you can reduce them. This workshop is provided by Kiki Hohnen (Hertz training).
Location: VU campus, NU-building
Participation is free, but there are limited spots available. Register here!