The success of a PhD candidate depends in part on the guidance they receive from the supervisor. Members of staff who are supervising a PhD candidate for the first time are required to follow the supervising PhD candidates course. This course provides insights into how supervisors can effectively mentor and maximise the potential of their PhD candidate. 

Upon accepting the role of a supervisor, it is your responsibility to fulfill the following tasks at the beginning of the PhD trajectory: 

• Training and Supervision Plan
  If you have been asked in writing to act as supervisor and have agreed, collaborate with the PhD candidate to draw up a Training and Supervision Plan in consultation with the PhD candidate. For PhD candidates with employee status and contract PhD candidates, this plan has to been drawn up within three months following the formal start date of the PhD programme. For external PhD candidates, the plan should be established within six months of admission to the Graduate School.

For PhD candidates admitted to the Graduate School on or after 1 January 2024, successful completion of the agreed training plan is a requirement for admission to the PhD defence.

• Academic and transferable skills 
  In addition to overseeing the quality of the dissertation, supervisors also have a responsibility to ensure that the PhD candidate dedicates time to personal and academic development. This includes allocating a specific number of hours for both academic and transferable skills training within the Training and Supervision plan. As a supervisor, you are accountable for monitoring and supporting these training hours. Here are some important points to consider:

  • Academic training activities
    The Training and Supervision Plan (TSP) should include 140 hours dedicated to academic training activities. These activities support the candidate’s research-related competencies and can include, for example, courses or training in the candidate’s field, participation in conferences, seminars, research methodologies, data analysis techniques, academic writing, and presentation skills.

  • Transferable skills training
    The TSP should also allocate 140 hours for transferable skills training. Transferable skills cover a broad range of abilities valuable both within and beyond academia. Examples include communication, project management, teamwork, leadership, time management, networking, research integrity, and career development. Supervisors should guide candidates in selecting activities relevant to their research and career goals. 

• Multiple Supervisors
  In cases where two or more supervisors are involved, it is important to clearly define and document the distribution of responsibilities in the training and supervision plan. 

The first year of a PhD is an important period for both the candidate and the supervisory team. As a supervisor, it is your role to support the PhD candidate in navigating this period, which can be accompanied by feelings of uncertainty or anxiety. Set clear expectations early on, provide guidance, and encourage reflection and improvement.

An important milestone during the first year is the Go/No-Go meeting, which serves as a checkpoint to ensure that the PhD candidate is on a realistic path toward completing a high-quality dissertation. Use the Go/No-Go guideline as a reference, but remember that this meeting should be a constructive and positive discussion, not a stressful assessment. Review progress, discuss planning, and provide constructive feedback. Any concerns should ideally have been addressed in prior discussions with the candidate, so the meeting itself is a supportive opportunity rather than a surprise.

As a supervisor, you are responsible for ensuring the quality of the dissertation. When the candidate is nearing completion, you evaluate whether the manuscript meets the standards required for a PhD. You should also review and approve any changes agreed upon with the candidate during the writing process.

If you believe that the manuscript demonstrates the candidate’s competency in independently conducting scientific research, you approve it according to the PhD regulations. At FGGA, the approval process may involve both LUCRIS/Converis and email communication via the Graduate School Office. It is crucial that you complete all steps for which you are responsible in a timely manner, to prevent any delays in the overall procedure. Further steps, such as the proposal of the doctoral committee and the approval of propositions, are also governed by the PhD regulations and coordinated with the Graduate School Office.

Each successful PhD candidate has to meet the requirements as described in the PhD Regulations. These regulations define the criteria for the dissertation manuscript, but also who is eligible to become a PhD candidate, and what your tasks as a supervisor are. In addition to the PhD Regulations, Leiden University employs a set of PhD guidelines. 

Some of the steps in the PhD process have to be registered for administrative purposes. We use LUCRIS/Converis to register these steps. LUCRIS/Converis supports various approvals (by the supervisor (promotor), dean, and secretary) that occur during the PhD track. Some documents, like the training and supervision plan (T&S/OBP) must be uploaded to LUCRIS/Converis by the PhD candidate and must be approved by the supervisor.

According to the Leiden University PhD Regulations associate professors (UHD's) can be granted ius promovendi , the right to award a PhD. You can request the ius from the Doctorate Board via the Dean. The rule on this policy can be found in appendix E of the PhD Regulation.  

The Doctorate Board will grant ius promovendi  to you on the substantiated recommendation of the Dean of the faculty, who has established that you satisfy the criteria and has consulted with a full professor in the relevant discipline. 

You will usually only be eligible for ius promovendi if you have already supervised at least two PhD candidates to a successful PhD defence at a Dutch university or in similar supervisory pathways at non-Dutch universities and has also completed a training course on supervising PhD candidates. Plus, you have independently acquired the funds that have financed the PhD candidates for whom the ius promovendi is requested or has personally recruited the self-funded or external PhD candidates. 

UHDs wishing to apply for ius promovendi should contact the Academic Director (WD) of their institute for guidance on the application process.