Training for PhD candidates

The Molecular Life Sciences PhD programme, organized by the Bijvoet Centre, as part of the Utrecht Graduate School of Life Sciences consists of the following components:

  • Tutorial Symposium: An annual symposium with renowned invited speakers and poster presentations by PhD candidates and postdoctoral fellows.
  • Bijvoet seminars: Seminars with invited speakers, where PhD candidates get a chance to meet top researchers.
  • PhD evenings: A regular evening seminar for PhD candidates and postdoctoral fellows with presentations by the PhD candidates. The seminar is concluded with a dinner.
  • Advanced courses: Thematic courses intended to teach a specific technique or increase knowledge in a specific field.
  • Courses and conferences: PhD candidates are encouraged to participate in (inter)national courses and conferences which address their specific needs for further education.

At the start of their PhD period, all PhD candidates complete their Training & Supervision Agreement (TSA), which includes a tailored Individual Training Plan of 20 ECs, which can be adjusted during your PhD journey. The TSA includes discipline-specific educational activities (min. 40%), general educational activities (min. of 20%) and other relevant activities (max. of 20%, such as participation in symposia and conferences).

The discipline-specific educational activities for the MLS PhD programme are:

  • Participation in at least 65% of the PhD evenings: 1.5 credits (obligatory)
  • Participation in at least 65% of the research group progress meetings: 3 credits (obligatory)
  • Attending at least 65% of the Bijvoet Seminars: 2 credits (obligatory)
  • Attending every Bijvoet Symposium: 2 credits (0.5 credit per symposium) (obligatory)
  • Several advances courses are organized (some irregularly, please inquire with the contacts below to ask for up-to-date information):

Please note that it is not obligatory for PhD candidates to follow the advanced courses. The other activities above are considered obligatory parts of the PhD programme.

For the general educational activities we recommend the following:

  • Please review the many courses organized by the Graduate School of Life Sciences, all of which are open to PhD candidates in the MLS programme through the PhD Course Centre.

For the other relevant activities, we advice the following:

  • Include activities based on the ECs as provided by the event organizers, or alternatively, on the basis of 1 ECs per 28 hours of effort.
  • Include poster or oral presentations at three (inter)national meetings for a maximum of 1.5 credits (0.5 per meeting).