PhD Council

Education

During your time as a PhD student, you will have ample opportunity to develop yourself both within and outside of the fields of science. For a significant part, this will happen naturally as you do your research, but aside from that there are some educational schemes to help you during and after your PhD years. Some of them serve to raise or maintain your knowledge about a certain field of physics whereas others teach presentation and negotiation skills. A list of obligatory and optional educational opportunities is outlined below.

Obligatory

  • The topical lectures occur thrice per year and last three days. Every set of lectures has its own topic (hence the name), such as the quark gluon plasma, gravitational waves or symmetries in physics.
  • Two editions of a graduate school need to be attended by all PhD students. The majority of people will attend the BND school, but the theory department has its own DRSTP school. Students may always suggest a different school that they find to be more relevant.
  • All students must take the NWO-I course Taking Charge of your PhD Project.
  • For foreign students are obliged to take the Dutch welcome course.

Optional

  • Foreign students are recommended to take a Dutch language course.
  • Additional graduate schools may be attended in agreement with your supervisor and/or promotor.
  • Certain master courses by the UvA and VU may be followed.
  • CERN has a list of upcoming conferences, workshops, schools and symposiums all around the world that may be interesting to PhD students.
  • NWO-I has many useful optional courses for PhD students.