National Consultation of UMC PhD Candidates (LOUP)
In addition to PhD programs at universities, many PhD programs take place at university medical centers (UMCs) and peripheral hospitals. These PhD candidates fall under different regulations than their colleagues at universities. As a result, there are partly different issues at play for these PhD candidates, to which the PNN is also committed.
PNN-LOUP
PNN has set up a separate working group for the specific topics from these groups; the National Consultation of UMC PhD candidates (LOUP). This working group consists of PhD representatives from the eight UMCs and a number of peripheral hospitals who meet once every six to eight weeks. At these meetings both local and national themes are discussed, and together we arrive at a plan of approach.
Labour conditions
PhD candidates at UMCs are covered by the cao-UMC's . Here it is important to note that different conditions apply to doctors who do a PhD (physician-researchers) than to PhD candidates with other academic backgrounds (trainee researchers (OIOs)). For physician-researchers, the minimum salary scale is 10.2, while OIOs start in a separate salary scale. In addition, peripheral hospitals also have their own collective labor agreement, the CAO Hospitals. PNN is committed to improving working conditions and awareness of rights and obligations among PhD candidates.
Quality of education and supervision
As a PhD candidate, you are a beginning researcher, and good supervision and quality courses are indispensable in this regard. In contrast to the CAO for universities (CAO-NU), the CAO-UMC does not provide protection regarding the quality of the PhD trajectory. As a result, the initiative for making agreements with the supervisor and any daily supervisor lies with the PhD candidate. A good format for establishing agreements regarding the pathway is to draw up a training and supervision plan (TSP) . In addition to daily supervision, courses are needed to acquire the necessary skills. Currently, there are large differences between UMCs and peripheral hospitals in the number of required credits (ECTS) that must be obtained during the doctoral program. The PNN is committed to ensuring high-quality PhD tracks for all PhD candidates. Specifically for the UMCs, some LOUP members participate in national committees such as the NFU Graduate school consultation and the BROK committee.
Are you currently experiencing issues during your PhD that you need help with?
Most institutions have a number of contact points for help. This compass is designed to help you find the right support.
In the drop-down menu you can select the institution that you are doing your PhD at. Then the roadmap will show you available contact points. In most cases it makes sense to start by considering contact points in your immediate work environment first and then progress to higher levels (like institutional or national).
At the bottom of the page you can find some examples of problems you can run into and a list of descriptions of each contact point.
Your first contact points
Colleagues: Sometimes it can already help to talk with your colleagues about the issue you are experiencing. This will help you judge the severity of it and can provide you with allies in taking further action.
Daily supervisor*: Naturally, your daily supervisor is the first contact point for all issues. They can help you determine the next steps. Of course, you may not feel comfortable discussing everything with your supervisor, or maybe your daily supervisor is involved in the issue. In these cases have a look at the other available contact points.
Promotor or Co-Supervisor*: Especially, in cases of issues with your daily supervisor, consider reaching out to your promotor or another member on the supervision team and ask for a one-on-one meeting. Maybe they can (temporarily) step-up and help you resolve the issue.If you have a conflict with your supervisor(s), you can also have a look at the PNN PhD supervisor conflict roadmap.
*Note that your annual review talk with your supervisory team is a good opportunity to address issues or suggestions for improvement.
National contact points
Labor unions: Organizations representing the interests of academic staff, offering support on employment-related matters, rights, and fair treatment.
NWO Scientific Integrity Desk: A specialized desk addressing scientific integrity concerns in projects related to or funded by the Dutch Research Council (NWO).
Netherlands Board of Research Integrity (LOWI): An independent body handling complaints related to scientific integrity, providing a platform for fair investigation. If you feel like the local scientific integrity committee at your institution did not handle a case correctly, the LOWI can be the next contact point.
Making a police report: In cases involving a criminal offense, please consider contacting local law enforcement to report incidents and seek assistance.