At LACDR, cutting-edge drug research is closely integrated with the education of skilled professionals at bachelor, master, and PhD level, ensuring a strong foundation for future innovation in the field. Within this mission, we view the development of teaching and supervisory skills as an essential component of a PhD track at LACDR.

Teaching and learning how to supervise is not only crucial for PhD graduates who pursue academic careers, where such competencies form a basic requirement for faculty positions, but also for those moving into roles outside academia. It builds transferable skills such as communication, leadership, and the ability to convey complex ideas clearly, competencies that are valued across many sectors.

PhD training at LACDR provides structured opportunities for teaching/supervision and personal/professional development, with candidates typically spending around 15% of their time on supervision/teaching activities and 5% on training for personal/professional development. In this context, supervision/teaching may count for a total of 20 hours toward the training in transferable skills. In some situations, a PhD candidate may also obtain the (partial) BKO during the PhD-track. The core of the PhD, however, remains conducting original research, which occupies approximately 80% of the candidate’s time and allows them to develop their research expertise and contribute to advancing scientific knowledge.

PhD candidates at LACDR can develop their educational skills through two distinct forms of student engagement: supervision and teaching. Supervision focuses on mentoring and supporting students in their independent research projects, preferably aligned with each PhD candidate’s expertise and directly coupled to the topic of the PhD. Teaching involves structured instruction, such as guiding students through practical exercises or classroom-based learning activities, under direct supervision of a course coordinator.  Both forms provide valuable opportunities for PhD candidates to gain experience, develop professional competencies, and enhance their ability to support student learning and development.

During the PhD-track at LACDR the development of experience in supervision and teaching is supported through the course ‘Introduction to Supervision & Teaching’, dedicated supervisor information sessions for the bachelor and master research projects, and practical experience in teaching/student supervision. 

At LACDR, there are ample opportunities for PhD candidates to develop their supervision skills. While opportunities for teaching, such as contributing to practicals, workgroups, or bachelor courses, may vary depending on the type of PhD position. All PhD candidates are expected to supervise master students as part of their research responsibilities. Involvement in supervision and teaching is monitored via the SP administration system and serves as an acknowledgment of development of supervision/education skills.

Supervision & Teaching Course

All LACDR PhD candidates receive training in supervision and teaching. As part of this program you follow the course “Introduction to Supervision & Teaching for PhD candidates” in your first year, which is designed for you. The course is presented by education specialists of Leiden Learning & Innovation Centre (LLInC).

This course aims at the formulation of learning goals, choosing the format for teaching and learning activities, student motivation and, of course, at supervision and teaching of students.

You will be invited to participate in the course by the LACDR PhD office. This course will give you 28 training hours in total.

Assignments

This course contains classroom sessions and preparation assignments, self-evaluations and a teaching statement, which have to be prepared and will be evaluated in the follow-up sessions or by written comments of the lecturer:
•    Preparation assignment in a classroom/ laboratory setting;
•    Supervision assignment of a bachelor and/ or master research project;
•    Teaching statement.

Teaching and Basiskwalificatie Onderwijs 

Considering the fact that PhD candidates spend a lot of time on teaching and develop valuable transferable skills in this process, the University Doctorate Board agreed that teaching hours (for a max. of 20 hours) can be included as transferable skills. So teaching can be counted as part of the compulsory 140 hours of transferable skills. It is also possible to include the obtaining of the partial Basiskwalificatie Onderwijs (BKO) certificate as transferable skill hours. This counts as 20 education hours as well.

Supervision points administration system

The Supervision points administration system allows PhD candidates to record and monitor their teaching and supervision activities, with each activity assigned supervision points (SP) based on responsibility and effort. It provides clear expectations for PhD candidates and their (co)promotors, supports fair distribution of teaching/supervision responsibilities across the institute, and enables transparent tracking of experience and professional development. It is important to note that this system serves as a monitoring tool and an acknowledgement of development of supervision/education skills, not as a criterion for graduation.