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PhD Coordinator

Currently: Marco Loog and Erik Poll
Assistant PhD Counselors: Simone Meeuwsen

1. Task

  • To support, and protect the interests of, PhD students at the Institute for Computing and Information Sciences (iCIS) at the Radboud University Nijmegen, in a general sense (not concerning the contents of the PhD work).
  • To give advice on PhD matters to individual PhD students, their supervisors, or to the board of iCIS. In these matters, the Counselor has an independent position. Confidentiality is an important aspect in individual contacts.
  • Confidential counselor for the PhD students.

2. Approach

  • Soon after appointment, every new PhD student will be invited by one of the Counselors for an introductory meeting. The Counselor is not (in view of his task as PhD counselor) involved in advertising or selection for PhD positions.
  • On a regular basis (ideally once a year), the Counselor meets with each PhD student to (confidentially) discuss conditions of work, supervision, progress, and potential or actual problems. Input for such meetings is formed by standard progress reports (OBP, PPP).
  • In case problems are identified, the Counselor may decide to talk to other people involved (notably the supervisor). This may lead to an explicit advice to the supervisor on the basis of the conversations.
  • Every PhD student can him/herself take the initiative to meet the Counselor to (confidentially) discuss relevant matters.
  • The Counselor is supposed to be informed of general developments which are relevant to PhD students, stemming from:  
    * relevant decisions by the board of iCIS, science faculty, or university board, provided by the Research Director; 
    * the Counselor's own intelligence gathering.
  • The Counselor will encourage mutual contacts between the PhD students

3. Advice

  • The Counselor can always, whether on request or not, give advice on PhD matters to the board of iCIS.
  • The supervisor will consult the Counselor when preparing decisions in case of negative or doubtful advice relevant for PhD students, including the formal evaluation  after one-and-a-half years.
  • The Counselor is asked for input (typically by the supervisor) during preparation of an assessment interview with a PhD student.

4. Support

  • The Counselor can, to a reasonable extent, make use of departmental facilities for his/her tasks.

5. Appointment

  • The Counselor is appointed by the board of iCIS, which may also decide to dismiss (replace) the Counselor.

6. Special situations

  • The Research Director can take over certain tasks of the Counselor in case of a conflict of interest, for example, in a situation where there is a problem and the Counselor him/herself is the PhD-supervisor.

7. PhD students

  • The above applies to all PhD students who have an appointment at iCIS as well as to PhD students with a scholarship (e.g., NUFFIC PhD students).
  • W.r.t. external PhD students (“buitenpromovendi”), the Counselor can take a more reactive stand. That is, the Counselor does not have the obligation to keep track of the student’s progress and well-being, but can decide to act when considered appropriate.

Back to the general PhD page.

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