A PhD trajectory starts with producing a Training and Supervision Plan describing entitlements to supervision and education. Each PhD thesis consists of at least 5 first-author, high-quality papers, submitted to international, peer reviewed, scientific journals (at least 3 papers accepted for publication and 2 submitted).
Training and Supervision Plan
All PhD candidates (internal and external) are obliged to complete a Training and Supervision Plan (TSP) within three months of appointment, available via the HR officer or the PhD co-ordinator. The TSP is considered as a tailored and flexible plan that can be adapted during the PhD trajectory, according to the needs of the PhD student and the skills needed for the project.
During the first three months, the PhD candidate writes a project plan, including a sound publication plan and time schedule. The CAPHRI promotor (and co-promotor) assess the scientific quality and feasibility of the project plan. Based on this plan, participants perform research under guidance of their supervisor(s), and report the results in peer reviewed international journals of the highest possible impact in their field of study.
PhD candidates are encouraged to attend international conferences on research in their field and preferably present papers or posters on the research as this provides excellent opportunities for contacts with other researchers.
PhD candidates are also encouraged to follow courses to develop into highly qualified, independent and critical researchers. The national Research School CaRe, presided over by CAPHRI, is responsible for organizing the PhD education and training programme in the area of primary care and public health (see www.researchschoolcare.nl). The aim of CaRe is to develop PhD students into highly qualified, independent and critical researchers. CAPHRI PhD students are free to choose CaRe courses that fit their specific educational background and work experiences, and which offer the theory and skills needed in their research project. CAPHRI finds it undesirable to oblige all PhD students to follow a prefixed set of courses due to the diversity of PhD students and projects. Each PhD student lists the CaRe courses he/she plans to follow in the Training and Supervision Plan.
In addition, CAPHRI PhD students can follow courses offered by the FHML, the Department of Education Development and Education Research, and the UM Career Centre. Finally, they can follow extra courses organized by CAPHRI (e.g. debating, thesis layout) and courses offered by other research institutes. CAPHRI supports the education of PhD candidates by a Personal PhD student budget.
For more information, please, visit the website of Research School CaRe.
Personal budget for visiting conferences and courses/workshops
In addition to project funds, CAPHRI offers a personal budget to PhD students of €4.100,= for the duration of the PhD trajectory, which can be used for courses, conferences, workshops and related travel costs. The budget is only made available when CAPHRI has a complete dossier of the PhD student (see the 5 requirements).
Costs for which this budget is used have to be announced beforehand and settled according to the Maastricht University procedures (see website – Administrative Service Centre for procedures and declaration forms). The PhD student should send an email with an overview of the expected costs to Margareth Stevens of CAPHRI (M.Stevens@CAPHRI.unimaas.nl). She will check whether there is still sufficient personal budget available. The supervisor of the PhD student is responsible for the PhD student budget. Costs will only be registered by the management office of CAPHRI when the supervisor has agreed. Any possible remaining money will not be paid out. When the budget is overspent, this will be settled with a project budget or department number of the supervisor of the PhD student. When an external PhD student decides to end the PhD trajectory without graduation, the amount spent should be settled by the supervisor’s budget.
Please note: this regulation is valid per 1 January 2011 and makes the PhD student budget available for internal as well as external PhD students (see the requirements in the regulation).
CAPHRI wants to cherish its top-talents and has a ‘breeding ground policy’ to identify, stimulate, and provide support. Five postdoc positions are available per year for excellent PhD graduates with the single purpose of preparing an individual grant proposal, such as a ‘VENI’ proposal (NWO Vernieuwingsimpuls). The postdoc is given sufficient time and support to write a well-balanced research proposal and at the same time acquire adequate experience abroad to enrich their resumé. Also, every year, grants are made available to offer young talented researchers the opportunity to conduct scientific research abroad.
During all steps of the PhD trajectory, supervision will be provided by expert CAPHRI researchers, consisting of feedback during the writing process, methodological advice on data analysis or similar issues. In case of external PhD candidates, especially those from abroad, communication mainly takes place from a distance via e-mail, Skype, and telephone. Preferably, based on the interdisciplinary perspectives in CAPHRI’s primary care research, the supervisors work at different departments, the Academic hospital, or research institutes elsewhere in the Netherlands or abroad, for example associated with the institute where the PhD candidate is employed. The minimum requirement for an external supervisor is a doctorate degree.
A supervision team consists of 2 - 4 (co-)promoters, of whom one has the daily supervision. Supervisors are experienced researchers with content expertise in the topic and research methods, and work at different departments, the Academic hospital, and Dutch or foreign research institutes to ensure interdisciplinary perspectives. Through the PhD student quality system, TRACK, the progress of the project and the quality of the supervision is monitored.
TRACK is an innovative support and monitoring system that is part of CAPHRI’s PhD student Quality and Monitoring System. It is a web-based application that has three main tasks:
- to register all CAPHRI PhD students
- offer transparent ways of communication between PhD students and their supervisors
- to monitor the progress of PhD projects and quality of the supervision
Detailed information about TRACK