The Graduate School helps you navigate the PhD journey
A PhD at Leiden Law School is an individual journey, but you are supported every step of the way. The Graduate School is there for everyone who is part of the PhD journey: PhD candidates, supervisors, co-supervisors, and daily supervisors.
Earlier this year, Katrien Klep started as Director of the Graduate School, though she has been a familiar face for many years at the faculty as a lecturer, researcher, and PhD dean. In this latter role she learnt what PhD candidates really need: they don’t want more rules; they’d rather have more dialogue. Her interest in the PhD journey at Leiden Law School began when the Institute of Private Law asked her to become a PhD coach. Together with colleagues, she organised open-door sessions for PhD candidates, asking them how they were doing and offering a listening ear.
For example, ‘a PhD candidate submits a chapter to her supervisor but still hasn't received any feedback. What should she do?’ The good thing about these sessions, Klep says, is that it turns out there is no correct answer. ‘One person might lie awake at night worrying, while someone else submits a chapter and then goes off on holiday. It’s good to realise that everyone does things in their own way.’
‘It’s good to realise that everyone does things in their own way.’
What the Graduate School offers
The Graduate School is a small, close-knit team: staff members Mieke van Barneveld and Belinda Helder manage all administrative processes and procedures, such as registering (external) PhD candidates and guiding the completion of the PhD track. PhD Deans, Jim Been, Ekaterina Pannebakker and Cecily Rose, are the point of contact for PhD candidates and their supervisors, for example for questions about courses and more complex matters to do with supervision or progress. Finally, Katrien Klep, who oversees the department and is supported by Karin van Heijningen, management assistant at the Department of Research.
The Graduate School has four roles. Next to managing administrative tasks and providing support, the Graduate School's PhD Deans identify areas for improvement. There is also a Confidential Counsellor for PhD Candidates of Leiden Law School, in addition to two psychologists for PhD candidates. They are well aware of the unique position of PhD candidates and can identify at an early stage where additional support is needed. Finally, the fourth role of the Graduate School is to further develop training. The Graduate School encourages PhD candidates to select courses that are aligned with their individual research path.
Katrien Klep is responsible for developing the faculty’s PhD policy and monitors all aspects of the PhD track. De Graduate School also has a Management Board with the following members: Suzan Stoter (portfolio holder for research), Professor Eric De Brabandere, emeritus professor Mark Rutgers, and PhD representative Maria-Lucia Rebrean. The board advises the Director on strategic matters, serves as a sounding board, and meets several times a year.
‘Come and talk to us. The Graduate School is here to listen, advise, and help you think things through.'
TSP is a conversation guide
Progress meetings are held at set points throughout the PhD track. The Training and Supervision Plan (TSP) provides a framework for these discussions, helping to establish agreements on progress, expectations, training, and reflection. These conversations are valuable because they make explicit what might otherwise remain implicit. For example, the go/no-go meeting – chaired by the PhD deans – with the PhD candidate, team of supervisors, and an external assessor. Katrien Klep: ‘A successful evaluation meeting is one where everyone walks away feeling that they’ve learned something during the past hour.’
For PhD candidates and supervisors
The Graduate School is explicitly also for PhD supervisors. ‘Supervisors, too, can face challenging issues. Our supervisors are experts in their own field, but supervision is about much more than mere expertise on subject matter. It’s perfectly normal to want to discuss these issues and use others as a sounding board from time to time. The Graduate School aims to be an approachable partner for a conversation in such situations.’ If you are supervising a PhD candidate for the first time, you can turn to the PhD deans for support. In addition, a mandatory training course for new supervisors on Supervising PhD candidates has been introduced, providing an opportunity to reflect on their own supervisory practices and to exchange experiences with colleagues across the university.
The Graduate School team’s goal for the coming years is to develop into a centre of expertise on PhD training and supervision. ‘The Graduate School is a serious discussion partner – we’re here for you to exchange ideas and reflect on challenges. Every PhD journey is different. Instead of offering a one-size-fits-all solution, the Graduate School offers a place where knowledge and experience on pursuing a PhD come together and continue to develop through ongoing dialogue.’
‘If a group of PhD candidates wants to organise a peer-to-peer session but doesn’t know how to go about it, come and talk to us. If a supervisor keeps running into the same issues, come and talk to us. And then take what you’ve learnt and share it with your department or institute.’
Any questions? Come and talk
Leiden Law School has around 400 PhD candidates and 150 supervisors. More information about the Graduate School is available here.
Do you have a question about the PhD track, supervision, training courses or something else? The Graduate School is here for everyone involved in a PhD track.