Universiteit Leiden

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Leiden Institute for Area Studies (LIAS)

Support & Representation

This section contains information on:

Support and facilities
Representation
Finding your way
If you need help

Support and facilities

The LIAS management works hard to mitigate differences in the support and facilities provided to employee candidates on the one hand, and scholarship candidates and self-funded candidates on the other, but some differences remain. (These differences have long been controversial nationwide, but this discussion lies outside the scope of the present document.) On the whole, a fair level of support and facilities is in place for all candidates, regardless of the status of their funding.

Library

All PhD candidates have full access to the University Library, including its rich digital resources and the Special Collections.

Work space

Candidates with employee positions are entitled to personal desk space and laptop computers and a docking station. Scholarship candidates and self-funded candidates are welcome to use the flex desks and the common room in the basement of de Vrieshof building 3 (down the stairs just outside the LIAS Secretariat) until June 2024. In addition, the University Library has many study areas, some with computer facilities.

Web page and LUCRIS

Ideally, all PhD candidates should have a personal web page on the University website, and access to LUCRIS to register any publications and a publications tab on their web page. As with other aspects of the administration of PhD research in the Faculty of Humanities (e.g. online registration for coursework), development of these facilities across all categories of candidates is ongoing.

Scanning, photocopying and printing

PhD candidates can make scans, photocopies, and print-outs using their Leiden University card (LU card). In LIAS the same rules hold for all candidate categories:

  • Scanning is free.
  • Self-funded and external PhD candidates may make a maximum of 750 A4 photocopies and/or printed pages (€25) per year free of charge, for a period of four years. They will be charged for any additional copies/prints.
  • Employed candidates can copy and print the same amount as other LIAS staff members.

Incidental financial support

For PhD candidates with externally funded employee positions, all incidental financial support (for travel, equipment, training, etc) will normally come from the project budget. For any employee positions that are funded from the regular institute budget, incidental support for the candidates in question will be made available according to the rules for self-funders (see below).

Scholarship candidates:

  • DIKTI, KEMENAG, and LPDP scholarship candidates should contact the manager for individual arrangements.
  • Other scholarship candidates: see under self-funded positions, below.

Self-funded candidates may apply to LIAS for a total of EUR 1.000 in financial support for the full duration of their project, starting from year two. This funding is meant for coursework and training only. Candidates and their supervisors are advised to plan carefully, and to keep an eye out for other funding sources, including local research networks, dedicated foundations, and so on.

  • Priority will be given to travel funding for conference participation and study trips (fieldwork, library visits, etc). Applications for travel funding will only be considered if the training and supervision plan shows that optimal use is being made of opportunities to obtain funding from LUF during the course of the project.
  • If the project’s supervisors are considering inviting examiners based abroad and will require financial support in this respect, they must clear this with the management ahead of time. Resources for travel by and accommodation for examiners are limited.

Financial support will only be granted if the candidate is in good standing and the project is making good progress.

Expenses for printing the dissertation

Candidates may be obliged to supply printed copies of their dissertation for the examination committee and the defense. Employee candidates on externally funded projects are sometimes supported from the grant money. Requests for support from LIAS will be considered with rules provided above, under ‘Incidental financial support.’
The University Library offers each candidate EUR 500 for the printing costs of the dissertation.This compensation is paid by the UBL after receiving four printed copies of the dissertation, a digital copy of the dissertation and the signed license for the non-exclusive publication of the dissertation in digital form. More information on the University Library webpage Submitting your PhD dissertation.

Co-participation

Representative bodies for PhD candidates exist at the institute, university, and national levels.

PhD Council

A PhD Council represents all PhD candidates affiliated with an institute and promotes their interests. The LIAS PhD Council regularly meets with the Academic Director to monitor the PhD programme. It also organizes academic and social events. Council membership is for a period of two years, but practice is flexible. New members are recruited through an open call for expressions of interest.

Advisory Council

Two of the seats on the LIAS Advisory Council is held by a LIAS PhD candidate, University-level and national bodies

At the University level, PhD candidates are represented by the Leids Promovendi Overleg (LEO). LEO maintains contacts with other PhD candidate organizations in the Netherlands. It also organizes social events.

At the national level, PhD candidates are represented by the Promovendi Netwerk Nederland (PNN).

Finding your way

Candidates who have recently joined Leiden University and/or arrived in the Netherlands may want to have a look at these web pages (one primarily addresses employees, but has some information that is potentially useful for stipendiates and self-funded candidates as well).

If you need help

If candidates encounter problems, they should ask for help early on. Their supervisors are their first port of call. If the supervisors are unable to help, or if the candidate wants to see someone else – for instance, because the problem is with the supervisors – there are several options. At the candidate’s request, consultations can occur in confidence.

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