Compulsory training

For PhD candidates that have started after 1 September 2020, training in supervision (if applicable) and research integrity is compulsory. This holds for all PhD candidates at Utrecht University and is based on PhD candidates’ advice to get better educated on these subjects. Include this training in your Individual Training Plan of the TSA.

If you have questions about the compulsory training, please send an email to pcc@uu.nl.

Research integrity

The GSLS organises the "Responsible Conduct of Research" training years 1 - 4. During each training, you will discuss different aspects of research integrity, illustrated by a wide variety of cases, and share your experiences with fellow PhD candidates. All GSLS PhD candidates must follow this training, we don't make exceptions. Attendance of a similar course elsewhere doesn’t exempt you from this training. You can find course descriptions and training dates here.

Please note: if your PhD is shorter than 4 years, you are still required to follow all 4 trainings. You can participate in training 1 in your first year, training 4 in your last year, and the two e-modules of training 2 and 3 in between when it is most convenient for you.

Being a scientist is complicated. You must deal with responsibilities towards your colleagues, your profession, science in general and society. And on top of that, you must perform state of the art research providing thrilling results and new insights for the life sciences. Everyone knows that one should not cheat in science, but still it happens. Why?

This course will help you to remain a good citizen in science. The main aspects of responsible conduct of research will be discussed in short by examples taken from the life sciences. Tools will be provided to withstand the seductions and challenges put on you by supervisors, “the system” and your own ambitions. In this course, we will also discuss daily life experiences in research practice which will help you to responsibly manoeuvre through the grey areas of science.

Year 1: reading articles + 3 hours in person meeting consisting of an introductory lecture, outbreak groups and a plenary feedback session. This meeting introduces you to the main aspects of RCR and provides you with several resources and tools to be a responsible researcher.
Year 2: E-module "Integrity in academic publication: authorship and peer review" + 1 hour in person plenary feedback session.
Year 3: E-module “Responsible research through supervision, mentoring and working together” + 1 hour in person plenary feedback session.
Year 4: reading articles + 3 hours in person meeting consisting of an introductory lecture, outbreak groups and a plenary feedback session. This meeting prepares you for your next steps in science, and will focus on responsible writing of grants, collaboration and mentoring.

E-modules

"Integrity in academic publication: authorship and peer review"
This e-module will focus on how to be or become a good author and fair reviewer. Our aim is to stimulate you to become aware of relevant issues in your academic publishing practice and ways to approach them. The three learning units are as follows:
1) Authorship – who qualifies, order, publication strategy.
2) Academic publishing – FFP and retraction, predatory journals, dilemmas and grey areas.
3) Reviewing – peer review types, a constructive review.
“Responsible Research through supervision, mentoring and working together” This e-module will learn you how and why supervision, mentoring, and collaboration are key ingredients to support responsible conduct in research (RCR). The five learning units are as follows:
1) Introduction to RCR – history, present and future of RCR.
2) Expectations and responsibilities in supervision and mentoring – styles of supervision and mentoring, power relations and RCR, mutual expectations.
3) Culture, colleagues and communication – communication on RCR in your research practice.
4) Collaboration outside the research team – conflicts of interest, competing responsibility, IP.
5) Learning to take responsibilities and its boundaries – conversation with your supervisor/mentor.

Education

The GSLS, Utrecht University and UMC Utrecht offers training for various types of education like teaching and supervising Master students.

Teaching: Start to Teach. Please visit the UU Development guide for more information.
Supervising students: The GSLS offers three types of courses with different levels: GSLS Master's Supervision Essentials, Supervising MSc Students: Starter Kit and Supervising Research of MSc Students. You can choose the course that fits you best. Please find below more information including course descriptions and training dates.

GSLS Master’s Supervision Essentials can be followed during any phase of the PhD trajectory. Ideally, the participant just started supervising a GSLS Master’s student, however, also PhD candidates who have not yet started, but plan to start supervising a Master student, are welcome.
Attention: This course is designed for Supervisors of GSLS Master’s Students and during the course we will discuss the GSLS vision and tools for supervision. With this in mind, PhD candidates supervising non‑GSLS Master’s students may still decide on enrolling for this course, and they will benefit from the more general principles, skills, and methods covered.

Supervising MSc Students: Starter Kit is for PhD candidates that have no or little experience with supervision. This basic course can be followed shortly before you start with supervision of students or during the first months of supervising your first student.

There is no need to follow both of the above-mentioned basic courses, because they overlap.

Supervising Research of MSc Students is for PhD candidates that have at least a couple of months experience with supervising a student. It is a requirement that you are supervising a MSc student during the time period of the course.

You will find detailed Course Descriptions and the Course Schedule on the website of the PhD Course Centre.

Does one of basic courses: GSLS Master’s Supervision Essentials or Supervising MSc Students: Starter Kit, fit you best at this moment, but would you like to go more in depth after finishing one of those courses? You are more than welcome to follow Supervising Research of MSc Students as well. Best scenario is 6 months or more after you followed the Supervising MSc Students: Starter Kit or GSLS Master’s Supervision Essentials courses, but at least 3 months after and only if you supervise new students. There is no point in following both courses at the same time because you could experience some overlap. The follow-up course is not compulsory when you have followed the Starter Kit course.

If you would like advise which course to follow, please send an e-mail to pcc@uu.nl.

Compulsory training

Research integrity

More information on Responsible Conduct of Research years 1-4

E-modules

Education

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