As a PhD, there are many ways to participate in the academic life of the Institute and the University. We strongly encourage you to do this, as it will greatly enrich your PhD period. LUCAS has a vibrant PhD community, which organizes several initiatives. All PhDs are warmly invited to join, either as participant or as organiser.

Every two years, LUCAS PhDs organise the LUCAS Graduate Conference, a thematic conference attracting PhD speakers from all over the world as well as keynotes by well-known senior academics. A committee of four to five PhDs works together over the course of 1.5 year to formulate the call for papers, select speakers and chairs, and take care of the practical organisation.

The proceedings of the Graduate Conference are published in the open access, double-blind peer-reviewed Journal of the LUCAS Graduate Conference. The editorial board consists of LUCAS PhD candidates and a senior staff member, who collaborate to put together an edition of the journal.

The Leiden Arts in Society blog is run by LUCAS PhDs and provides a platform for PhD candidates and senior researchers affiliated with the Institute, as well as guest writers from the wider academic community. The blog aims to reflect the variety of academic disciplines that come together in LUCAS, and welcomes blogposts that reflect on languages, literature, art and / or cultures, and the interaction between them.