Counselling and Support: tips for PhD and EngD students

Source: https://www.utwente.nl/en/education/tgs/currentcandidates/phd/counselling-and-support/ Parent: https://www.utwente.nl/en/education/tgs/about-us-contact/

Are you facing problems with or related to your PhD / EngD research, or are you confronted with health or personal problems? And do you feel these issues may affect your work? Take action and get help. This help is available for all PhD / EngD candidates irrespective of their status (employed, bursary or external).

There are several organizations and people both within TGS and your faculty that can provide support during your PhD track, as well as online resources:

• Online resources to help you through your PhD track (incl. stress-related resources)
• What to do with problems affecting your PhD research and/or personal effectiveness
• A beginner's guide to Dutch Academia (a guide for foreign researchers who would like to work in the Netherlands)
• Building a House of Integrity @ UT: A visual guide to help you identify the right contact points which can provide information, support and help is available. It displays the various routes you can take depending on the issues you are struggling with.
• Geeting started guide for students (practical guide)

In case you need advice but are not sure where to go, or in case you have questions about the PhD or EngD Charter, please approach us at TGS” (via tgs@utwente.nl).

Contacts

PhD / EngD Counsellor

If you face any (personal) problems or issues during your PhD or EngD track regarding e.g. motivation, productivity, cultural differences (for instance in your group), combining personal life with the heavy workload, self-confidence, etc., you can contact PhD / EngD Counsellor.

Confidential Advisor for Scientific Integrity

In case you experience a matter dealing with scientific integrity (ref. The Netherlands Code of Conduct for Academic Practice) you can consult the webpage on scientific integrity and read the  University of Twente Scientific Integrity Complaints Procedure. The first point of contact is the university's confidential advisor for scientific integrity. Possible violations of scientific integrity as well as any follow-up steps can be discussed with him in all confidence.

Confidential Adviser

You can talk to a confidential advisor for advice and support whenever you have to deal with unacceptable behaviour, such as intimidation, (sexual) harassment, aggression, violence or discrimination, or when faced with a conflict in your work situation connected to such behaviour (ref. the Code of conduct on (sexual) harassment, intimidation, aggression, violence and discrimination).

Confidential advisors can also be the first point of contact when you are not quite sure where to go when faced with a problematic situation. Their names and contact details can be found here.

Ombuds officer

Both students and employees of the UT can be referred to the Ombuds Officer for advice on issues/problem situations related to studying or working at the UT. The ombudsperson initially has a listening ear, can offer advice and/or guidance and/or can refer you further if necessary.  The Ombuds Officer is independent and does not report to any authority in this position. You can contact the Ombuds Officer by making an appointment by mail: h.g.warmelink@utwente.nl

Integrity guide

For doctoral candidates there is a separate guide in the support structure for ethical and integrity matters: phd-integrity-guide.pdf (utwente.nl)

In addition, also the assistance structure guide for employees applies to all doctoral candidates: staff-integrity-guide.pdf (utwente.nl)

Building your UT network

During your PhD, there may be times when, for various reasons, you might feel anxious and all alone. To offset this possibility, a support network of colleagues and friends is essential. Building this network of friends may not be so easy at first, especially if you are new to the area. The best way to make new friends is to join activities and organisations (sports, leisure, culture, religion, etc.) that promote the things that you enjoy doing.

The PhD Network of the UT (P-NUT) is an association created and run by PhDs to Inform, Represent and Connect all PhD candidates at the UT.

In troublesome times, it may be good to share your concerns with nearby colleagues and staff from your department. But when you need an outsider to listen to your situation or the challenges you are facing, you can always contact TGS.