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Employment conditions PhD students: an overview

This overview shows the employment conditions and facilities for PhD students employed by the UT, which deviate from the employment conditions applicable to other UT staff.

The Collective Labour Agreement Dutch Universities contains that employment conditions for PhD students.

The table below show the steps in the PhD student scale. Please note: the scale amounts in this table may change in the future due to salary agreements laid down in new Collective Labour Agreements.

PhD students may resort to the same facilities as other staff. For example the optional model employment conditions, but also the training scheme UT. Below, we provide deviating schemes for PhD students.

Appraisals

Salary increases take place after an appraisal in accordance with clause 3.10 Collective Labour Agreement. This is not an appraisal in the sense of the appraisal rules UT. Appraisal rules and an assessment form for PhD students have been developed, which can be found on the website of the Personnel department.

Annual interview

It may be opted for not to conduct an appraisal (see for this the rules in the appraisal scheme for PhD students). In that case an annual interview is conducted. A format has been developed for this, which can be found on the Personnel department website.

Extension and duration of the employment

The Collective Labour Agreement does not include limitations as to the duration and extension of employment of PhD students. Starting points within the UT remain that as a rule, the PhD students is appointed full-time and is to obtain his PhD within four years. At the UT, a PhD student is given a four-year employment contract. After one year, an appraisal takes place to conclude whether or not there is sufficient confidence that the PhD student will be able to obtain the PhD within four years. If this confidence is lacking, the employment will be terminated prematurely.

At the discretion of the dean the employment may be extended after four years. Extension takes place for a maximum period of one year, unless the dean is of the opinion that certain circumstances justify a longer period of extension.

In deviation of the rule that a PhD student has a full-time appointment, an appointment for four days a week is also possible. Also in this situation, the PhD student will first be given an employment contract for the period of one year. After a favourable appraisal, the employment is extended for a period of four years. Because of the 32-hour working week, the PhD student will have five years within which to obtain his or her PhD. At the discretion of the dean the employment may be extended after five years. Extension takes place for up to a maximum of one year, unless the dean is of the opinion that certain circumstances justify a longer extension.

More information can be found under a list of possibilities.

Training and counselling plan for the PhD student

Clause 6.8 of the Collective Labour Agreement states that for each PhD student a training and counselling plan is drawn up. The PhD student is provided with this training plan within three months after entering the employment. The training and counselling plan is further given shape by the end of the first year, and if necessary is adjusted every year. The training and counselling plan includes at any rate the following items:

a)	the knowledge and skills to be acquired and how this is to take place

b)

the person acting as a supervisor for the PhD student, i.e. under whose supervision the PhD works on his or her thesis. If the person supervising the PhD student is not the actual PhD supervisor, it is also laid down that, upon commencement of the doctoral research as well as on defining moments for the progress of the research, but at least once a year, the PhD student will have an interview with the PhD supervisor about the doctoral research.

c)	The extent, in hours per month, of the personal supervision to be provided by the supervisor appointed for the job, which the PhD student is entitled to as a minimum.

The format for a training and counselling plan can be found on the website of the Personnel department.

The training and counselling programme contains a number of agreements that the PhD student may rely on, namely:

-	During the PhD process the PhD student may attend at least one national and one international conference.

-	Up to a maximum of 20% of the PhD student’s working hours may be spent on teaching or other tasks.

-	A Dutch language course for foreign PhD students, financed by the Executive Board.

Removal costs

In deviation of the expense allowance scheme for removal costs a PhD student with a one-year employment contract who for the remainder meets the criteria laid down in the expense allowance scheme for removal costs, will receive an expense allowance for removal costs.

Costs of printing the doctoral thesis

Costs of printing the doctoral thesis are fully for the account of the chair. In advance, agreements are made between the chair holder and the PhD student about the number of copies and the printing costs.