The Confidential Advisor for PhD’s

As a PhD you are apprenticed to become a researcher. In a close relationship with your supervisor and promotor you develop the skills and knowledge to do independent research. As in all working relationships, sometimes the supervision may not be to your complete satisfaction. For example when the supervision is poorly arranged or there is a lack of supervision; the working relationship between you and your supervisor may have difficulties or you lack sufficient contact with peers from the research field. Ideally you discuss your troubles with your supervisor – and maybe other PhDs or members of your department – and you can work out a solution that is acceptable for both. If this does not work out you may have to take it higher up. Before your troubles turn into a true labor conflict that has to be put to the HRM-office, you can go to the MB confidential advisor to discuss the issue. He can listen to your dissatisfaction, help to analyze the issue and find the causes for concern. He has no formal authority but, if necessary, can mediate between you and your supervisor/promotor in order to solve your problem.

The MB Confidential Advisor for PhD’s functions as a sounding board and mediator, but he does not pass judgment. He can advise individuals, mediate between parties, and, if necessary, arrange professional mediation. He can also obtain information necessary to understand problems that are being addressed. Your best interests always come first.

Confidential Advisor SMG

The Confidential Advisor for PhD’s at our School is dr. ir. Fokko Jan Dijksterhuis (tel. 3318).

Tasks and competences:

The Confidential Advisor for PhD’s has the following tasks and competences:

·	To function as a sounding board;

·	To redirect the PhD’s to other institutions or persons within our outside the UT/SMG;

·	To take care of the confidentiality of the matters;

·	After permission of the PhD, find a way and mediate to get to an (informal) solution;

·	At request of the PhD, help with filing a written complaint and eventually provide help during the formal administrative procedure that follows;

·	After permission of the PhD, inform and advise the dean of the faculty on the existing situation.