Studying for a PhD
You have chosen to do a PhD at Leiden University. The 2021 PhD Regulations, which were established by the Doctoral Board, specify what you must do to be granted a place on a PhD programme.
Please go to the overview of the steps in the formal procedure leading to the public defence of a PhD dissertation.
Getting Started
Below you will find more information on LUCRIS/Converis, and a time table that provides an overview of actions up to your graduation. However, new PhD candidates might find the following documents helpful.
- A checklist for settling in, listing what you will need to get started smoothly.
- A list of 10 actions that are useful in the first 100 days of your PhD, which is supported by a list of questions for critical reading.
LUCRIS/Converis Graduate School Management module
The Graduate School Management (GSM) module is a registration and monitoring module for PhD candidates and their supervisors. All information is stored in a uniform way and made accessible in 1 place. Converis is the software behind LUCRIS.
The GSM module offers functionalities that are designed to facilitate the administrative processing of the PhD track:
- All parties involved in a PhD track will now have access to relevant files.
- Training- and supervision plans (OBP) have to be uploaded here.
- As a PhD candidate you can register the training courses you have followed. Courses offered by HRM will automatically be linked to your course overview.
- The system supports various approvals that occur during the PhD track.
- A large number of forms (annexes) pertaining to the Leiden University doctorate regulations are integrated into the system and will subsequently seize to exist on paper.
- LUCRIS GSM is divided into 3 flows:
- Admissions: Starts with the PhD-candidate’s application and ends with admission to the Graduate School.
- Supervision Plan: Research and writing phase. Ends when the manuscript is finished.
- Graduation Formalities: Organisation of the defence. Ends with the registration of the result of the defence.
Manuals and short instruction videos can be found in LUCRIS at the Help page. Or check out the Converis GSM tutorials channel.
In addition, the Graduate School Office can support you with the use of the LUCRIS/Converis.
Time table PhD Programme: During the PhD programme
| When | Who | What | Status Converis GSM | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Within three months after the start of the contract | Supervisor | 7 | Within three months after the start of the contract, the supervisor draws up a training and supervision plan (OBP) in consultation with the doctoral candidate. | For upload of OBP by PhD student |
| PhD candidate | 8 | The PhD candidate uploads his/her OBP in Converis GSM. | ||
| Supervisor | 9 | The supervisor approves/rejects the OBP. | For approval of OBP by supervisor | |
| Annually | PhD candidate/ supervisor | 10 | Each year, the supervisor will hold a Performance and Development Interview (R&O-gesprek) with the PhD candidate. The supervisor registers these meetings for contract PhD candidates in Converis GSM. | Ongoing |
| PhD candidate/ coach | 11 | Each year, the PhD candidate has a review or monitoring meeting with an independent coach and registers this meeting in Converis GSM. | ||
| During the PhD programme | PhD candidate | 12 | The PhD candidate registers courses on academic activities and transferable skills in Converis GSM. Transferable skills courses that are organized by HRM will be automatically registered in Converis GSM. | |
| PhD candidate | 13 | The PhD candidate writes a dissertation with the nature, content and scope of the dissertation conform article 10, 13-17 of the Regulations. | ||
|
PhD candidate/ |
14 | When the PhD candidate is ready to proceed to the graduation formalities, he/she requests in Converis GSM the start of the graduation formalities. | Request for start of graduation formalities, start of graduation formalities approved by GSO |