Training and Supervision Agreement (TSA)

• the name of the PhD programme that you have been admitted to;
• the names of your supervisory team and your independent advisor(s);
• your individual training plan (see below for more information), detailing your intended training activities such as thematic and general training and research-related meetings;
• after you uploaded your TSA in MyPhD, it has to be approved in MyPhD by all members of your supervisory team, PhD programme coordinator and divisional research manager (Faculty of Medicine)/ head of department (Faculty of Science)/ vice dean of research (Faculty of Veterinary Medicine).

As part of the TSA, you make an individual training plan. It details your intended training activities such as thematic and general training and research-related meetings. By following these trainings you will build your PhD Training Portfolio.

The individual training plan can be adjusted during your PhD journey. It should be a living document and be discussed during the annual PhD progress meeting. As your PhD progresses, it is common to adjust your initial training plan, for example, in relation to the monitoring of your development with the self-assessment tool and your annual PhD progress meetings.

Discipline-specific educational activities

The discipline-specific training is offered by your PhD programme. You may also take discipline-specific courses of other PhD programmes, if space permits (PhD candidates of the specific programme have priority). Please contact the appropriate PhD programme coordinator(s) for more information. You can participate in discipline-specific education outside the GSLS as well (UU/UMCU or other institute), however, you have to arrange funding via your supervisors.

General educational activities

The GSLS maintains a PhD Course Centre that organises trainings on academic and transferable skills and competencies for PhD candidates at the GSLS. The development of transferrable skills becomes increasingly important in pursuit of a career inside or outside academia. You are challenged to model your learning process to be well equipped for your next step. The PhD Course Centre offers courses tailored to develop the competencies described in the PhD Competence Model.

When you make your individual training plain, please take the following requirements for the PhD Training Portfolio into account to be sure that you can apply for a GSLS Training Certificate at the end of your PhD.

• Your training should comprise a minimum of 5 credits (according to the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS), 1 credit = 28 hours and 1.5 credits = 1 week) for each fulltime equivalent year of research appointment, which will be at least 3 years (at least 15-20 ECs in total).
• A minimum of 40% of the total credits should consist of discipline-specific educational activities (e.g. courses/training/events) of the PhD programme that you are enrolled in or another PhD programme or institute.
• A minimum of 20% of the total credits should include general educational activities (e.g. courses/training/events).
• A maximum of 20% of the total credits may comprise of symposia/conferences where you are an oral/poster presenter.