PhD student guidelines for all PhD students with a Form I signed before January 1 st 2015

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1 PhD student guidelines for all PhD students with a Form I signed before January 1 st 2015

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3 We are pleased to present these guidelines for PhD students at the VUmc Cancer Center Amsterdam (CCA). This book provides a summary of practical information. For instance, it includes information about doctoral training, guidance and assessment, tasks and rights relating to research and education, and information about our PhD student representatives. In addition, we include information about the VUmc CCA confidant service. Please note that these regulations apply to all PhD students with a signed Form I before January 1 st On January 1 st 2015, the new VU doctorate regulations came into effect. All PhD students who started their PhD trajectory after January 1 st, please consult our website for the guidelines for new PhD students ( These guidelines are provided by the education committee and the management of VUmc CCA. Prof. dr C.R. Leemans, chairman of the education committee Dr. Esther M. Ruhé-Hoogervorst, education coordinator

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5 Contents Page 1. Introduction 3 2. Doctoral study in the Netherlands 4 3. Starting your employment at VUmc and assessment 7 4. Tasks of the PhD student 8 5. Education plan 8 6. Subsidies and fees 9 7. Guidance plan The VUmc CCA confidant service PhD student representatives Contact information 12 Appendices I-X VUmc CCA Guidelines for PhD students 1

6 VUmc CCA Guidelines for PhD students 2

7 1. Introduction The aim of a doctoral study is to educate university students, and sometimes students from colleges of higher professional education (HBO), to become independent scientific researchers. At the VUmc Cancer Center Amsterdam (CCA), a large number of PhD students are working towards obtaining their doctoral degrees. 1 At present, more than 160 PhD students are working on doctoral projects that focus on cancer and/or immunology research. Most of those students have a Master s degree in Medicine, Biomedical Sciences, Oncology, Biomolecular Sciences or Biology. Our research institute, VUmc CCA, is the largest of the five research institutes at VUmc. Our research focuses on three major areas: 1) the development of early diagnostics to detect cancer and immunological diseases in the earliest phases, to increase the likelihood of curing a patient; 2) the development of personalized medicine strategies to select the optimal treatment for an individual patient, based on the characteristic biology of the disease (genetic, proteomic or other biomarkers and/or selection tools); and 3) individualized support to improve patients quality of life while undergoing treatment or after treatment has finished, for example in relation to diet, exercise and/or psychological assistance. About 70% of all of the VUmc medical departments are working on cancer or immunological diseases, involving almost 500 employees and more than 400 research projects. These research projects range from fundamental (laboratory) research to the translation of research results into clinical settings and new clinical trials. Our institute works with state-of-the-art technology, including tissue microarray facilities, an oncoproteomics laboratory, molecular imaging facilities, a flow cytometry facility, and tissue and serum biobanks. More information about our research programmes can be found at the VUmc CCA website: General information for all VUmc PhD students is provided in the brochure Informatie voor oio s en aiosko s VUmc over dienstverband, opleiding en onderzoek, which is available from the VUmc intranet ( kwaliteitsnet ). These Guidelines for PhD Students contain information about starting your employment, supervision and training, as well as specific information on undertaking doctoral research at the VUmc CCA. In chapter 2, the general doctoral system in the Netherlands is briefly described. The subsequent chapters provide more detail on certain parts of the PhD track and the VUmc CCA s rules and regulations. Undertaking your doctoral research at VUmc means that you will earn your PhD from VU University Amsterdam. Information about taking your doctorate from the university can be found on the VU University Amsterdam website: _tcm _tcm pdf. These doctoral regulations can also be found in Annex I of this book. These regulations cover issues such as admission to the programme, preparing for the doctoral examination, the tasks and authorities of those involved in the doctoral programme (the supervisor, doctoral examination committee, etc.) and the dispute settlement procedure. Please note that these regulations apply to all PhD students with a signed Form I before January 1 st On January 1 st 2015, the new VU doctorate regulations came into effect. All PhD students who started their PhD trajectory after January 1 st, please consult our website for the guidelines for new PhD students ( As a complement to these VU University regulations, VUmc uses the 'NFU Guidelines for PhD in biomedical sciences tracks in the Netherlands' (see also and Annex II). In the case of a discrepancy, the doctoral regulations of VU University Amsterdam will prevail. 1 In the past, the terms assistent-onderzoeker in opleiding (AIO) and assistent-geneeskundige in opleiding tot klinisch onderzoeker (AGIKO) were used. In September 2003, the term AIO was replaced by promovendus (doctoral student). The University Medical Centers (UMCs), however, use the terms onderzoeker in opleiding (OIO) and arts in opleiding tot specialist en klinisch onderzoeker (AIOSKO). In this book, we will use the term PhD student to cover the abovementioned terms. VUmc CCA Guidelines for PhD students 3

8 2. Doctoral study in the Netherlands General Students need to have a Master s degree in order to be eligible to carry out doctoral research. In short, doctoral research entails doing research on a particular subject for four years and writing a thesis on this subject, which one then defends in front of a committee of advanced scholars. After this, the student will be granted the title of Doctor. The project consists of independent research, supervised by a professor (a 'promotor'), who has consented to give his or her assistance. A PhD student immerses him- or herself in the research and has the opportunity to follow and give lectures. There are many ways to earn one s doctorate. Universities and other research institutes can appoint PhD students for full- or part-time positions, and dual programmes are also offered. In the Netherlands, PhD candidates tend to be recruited by universities or research institutes. PhD students have fixed-term appointments, receive salaries and pay social contributions. In addition, they obtain an employment history, which is important in the case of disability, unemployment and retirement. Of course, scientific research cannot be carried out without funding. The financial resources for research in the Netherlands are provided by the government, industry and other organizations, such as foundations. These types of funding can be divided into three main flows of funding, or geldstromen. The first geldstroom consists of funds that are provided by the government directly to Dutch universities. The second geldstroom is provided by the government to institutions such as the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW) and the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO). These agencies then provide grants to research institutes. The third geldstroom consists of funds provided by European-level institutions, business, civil society organizations and private institutes. For the majority of PhD candidates, the financing of a doctorate and the research costs will have already been arranged (either wholly or partly). However, in some cases, a PhD candidate will have to apply for a grant to fund his or her own research project. In addition to research grants, it is also possible to apply for grants for (temporary) residence and research abroad, organizing research meetings or attending conferences. Structure of the PhD track Starting a PhD track Your doctoral study will always be supervised by a promotor, who is in charge of the research. In some cases, the promotor will also fulfil the role of a daily supervisor, but most of the time you will have a separate supervisor in addition to a promotor. It is important that you make appropriate arrangements with your promotor and supervisor right at start of the PhD track (see Chapter 7). Writing a research plan, which clearly states the purpose of the research, how the research will be organized and how the results are to be documented, will give you a good start to your doctoral studies. A research plan gives clarity to your aims and what is expected of you. During the initial discussions with your promotor or daily supervisor, you will need to discuss what the general expectations for each stage will be. For example, it may be agreed that the initial period will be taken up by your finding your way in the research topic. Right at the start of the PhD track, you should fill in a training and guidance plan (Opleidings- en Begeleidingsplan, or OBP), together with your promotor and supervisor. This OBP and potential adaptations to it should be discussed regularly during your doctoral studies. VUmc CCA Guidelines for PhD students 4

9 Research, education and writing publications Conducting research and describing the research results are naturally very important parts of the PhD programme. Writing publications forces you to work with a clear structure and helps you to define possible gaps in your research results. The second and third years should be used to capture the research results in one or two chapters of the thesis. In this way, the promotor can evaluate your writing skills and can give extra advice if necessary. Starting the writing process on time will also prevent problems or unexpected questions from arising too late to be able to tackle them. At the end of the third year, the PhD student and the promotor should make a clear assessment of the status of the research. A detailed (research) plan for the final phase of the PhD track also needs to be defined. At this stage, it should be determined whether the doctorate can be completed within the final year or whether extra time is needed. Detailed planning has the advantage that the candidate knows exactly what needs to be done, and in what time frame. The PhD programme has a training aspect, in the form of taking or teaching courses. A distinction is usually made between specialized courses focused on knowledge acquisition relating to your research field, and general courses aimed at the acquisition of transferable skills (such as language courses and techniques for presentation and writing). At the start of the PhD programme, you should make agreements with your promotor about which courses you are going to follow (Chapter 5). These agreements should also be included in the OBP. In some cases, it is possible to work on your doctorate abroad, either partially or entirely. Working abroad is often seen as providing added value and widens your career opportunities. Undertaking research abroad has advantages both for the candidate and for science in general. It allows the PhD student to learn techniques that are not used in the Netherlands and expand his or her network. The exchange of knowledge and techniques also contributes to an acceleration of scientific development in general. If a PhD candidate wants to carry out all of his or her doctoral research abroad, he or she can either contact a Dutch authority that has contact with a foreign institution, or contact a foreign institution directly themselves. If you choose to carry out part of your research in a foreign country, it is more likely that the initial contact and agreements will be made by the institution you are working for. Even in this case, however, it is still possible to contact a foreign institution yourself. In addition to the scientific research, you will need to consider other important practical aspects, such as funding your stay and finding appropriate accommodation. Completion of the doctorate Following the abovementioned steps accurately will ensure that the final period of your doctoral project is clearly defined. In this case, the final stages will probably consist of tying together loose ends and writing the thesis. In this phase, you should closely monitor the planning, together with your promotor/supervisor. The goal, of course, is to complete the PhD with a dissertation. The university that confers your doctoral degree will have specific regulations that cover the requirements for the dissertation. Printing companies that specialize in printing dissertations will be able to give you advice on offset printing, quotations, the planning, design, use of colour, paper types and binding methods. After you have taken your doctorate During the last phase of the doctorate, you should also pay attention to career opportunities after your dissertation. Not every PhD student can or wants to continue with a career in academia. The competition for an appointment at the university is fierce, and only a few PhD students are offered permanent positions at a university after receiving their doctorates. The most logical step is to apply for a post-doc position. This is a temporary position for 2-4 years, focused on a specific research topic. Besides applying for a post-doc position, it is possible to write a grant application and thus create your own appointment. For those just embarking on their academic careers, the most common grants are the Rubicon grant (to gain experience at another VUmc CCA Guidelines for PhD students 5

10 institution, also abroad) and the VENI grant (for post-doctoral research). However, the competition for these grants is also fierce. A career outside science is a serious option for PhD students: a policy position in government, for example, or management or consulting in the private sector. For companies, it is important that candidates have a broad education. Many companies in the Netherlands do not immediately see the added value of a doctoral degree (i.e. a qualification beyond a Master s degree). In addition to research-oriented education, it is therefore important to attend courses on so-called transferable skills, such as management and presentation skills. These skills are also of great value beyond the scientific world. That most PhD students end up enjoying successful careers is illustrated by the fact that of the 60,000 students who took doctorates in the Netherlands in the period between 2007 and 2010, more than 80% have jobs at a scientific level. People with PhDs also have a higher employment rate than people without PhDs, and they are more likely to work full-time. For more information, see and VUmc CCA Guidelines for PhD students 6

11 3. Starting your employment and assessment at VUmc All of the relevant information about doctoral study at VUmc is described in the document, In dienst treden: OIO - regeling VUmc (available from the VUmc intranet and in annex III). The training and supervision plan PhD students are generally appointed by one of VUmc s medical departments. All new PhD students are required to submit an Opleidings- en begeleidingsplan (OBP) to the P&O office. A hard copy should also be sent to the VUmc CCA office (PK 7Z182), accompanied by a PhD project proposal that has been approved by the CWO (see and annexes IV and V). The OBP form can be sent to the VUmc CCA office for signature by the chair of the education committee. Clinical PhD students (AIOSKOs) are required to submit a 'training and supervision plan for clinical researchers to the VUmc CCA office ( and annex VI). In addition to a number of general issues, such as the goal of the appointment and a general description of the tasks of the PhD student, the OBP covers a number of specific aspects. For instance, it sets out where the PhD student will be working, under whose guidance, and for what period. Agreements on annual progress reports are also made, and an education plan is drawn up (see also Chapter 5). If it is not possible to draw up a definitive education plan at the very start of the appointment, a preliminary overview will suffice, which at a minimum should list the compulsory courses and other courses to be followed. The final course overview should then be drawn up during the first assessment, after nine months (see below). All PhD candidates who submit an OBP to VUmc CCA automatically become members of our research institute. If they are conducting research in the area of oncology, they also become members of the Graduate School Oncology Amsterdam (OOA). Being a member of the research institute means that you receive information about grants, courses, meetings and other activities, and can apply for courses and course-related funding. Annual reports and assessment reports Your supervisor will assess your progress with your PhD work nine months after your appointment, and again after three years. The purpose of the nine-month assessment is to determine whether the progress and quality of the work are acceptable and that, as such, you can reasonably be expected to complete your doctorate within the remaining term of employment. The assessment at the end of the third year focuses on the last year of employment, and more specifically on the completion of the research and the intended dissertation. You should submit the report on these assessments (the verslag beoordelingsgesprek ) to the P&O office (copy to the VUmc CCA office). See part 1 of the form, which is available on the intranet ( kwaliteitsnet ) and in annex VII. In addition to the abovementioned assessment interviews, all PhD students are obliged to attend a regular annual assessment with their promotor or supervisor (see annex VII and the kwaliteitsnet ; part 2 of the form). VUmc CCA Guidelines for PhD students 7

12 4. Tasks of the PhD student As described in the document 'functietypering Onderzoeker in Opleiding (see kwaliteitsnet and annex VIII), the purpose of a PhD appointment is to conduct research with the goal of completing a doctorate, in order to contribute to the scientific knowledge and understanding in the research field of the corresponding department. This aim is complemented with teaching activities. Most of a PhD student s work time (about 65%) will be spent on research. Educational activities take up approximately 35% of a PhD student s work time (see also Chapter 5). The conditions of employment for PhD students are defined in the collective labour agreement of the University Medical Centers ( The collective labour agreement defines, among other things, research and educational activities. 5. Education plan The primary task of a PhD student is to conduct research, leading to a thesis. A further important aspect of the PhD programme is to attend courses. In some cases, a PhD student s tasks may include teaching courses. The nature of this task and the amount of time it demands will depend on the agreements made with the promotor, and these aspects are set out in the OBP. Teaching is a task that should not be underestimated. The education centre of VU University Amsterdam organizes several courses in the field of education, such as a basic course for teachers, a course on giving lectures and a course on giving education in small tutorial groups (onderwijscentrum.vu.nl). You are expected to follow a specialized educational programme (as described in the OBP, see Chapter 3). This educational programme exists of: - On-the-job training, supported by the project leader, a post-doc and/or a technician; - Scientific staff meetings, work discussions, journal clubs, and (if applicable) patient meetings; - Participation in conferences and symposia; - Courses on general (transferable) skills, as well as courses on oncology or immunology. The educational programme should cover about six months of your appointment (i.e ECTS). A description of the compulsory education programme for PhD students at VUmc CCA is available in annex IX. Please note, this programme differs from that of PhD students starting their trajectory after January 1 st All PhD students at VUmc CCA who work in the field of oncology are automatically affiliated with the Oncology graduate school Amsterdam (OOA, see OOA is joint graduate school between VUmc, the Netherlands Cancer Institute (Nederlands Kanker Instituut or NKI) and the Amsterdam Medical Center (AMC). The OOA s graduate students are scientists-intraining who receive theoretical and practical education on various subjects related to cancer research. About 320 PhD students are currently members of the OOA. The OOA provides an annual retreat, meet-the-expert sessions and courses that cover specific topics in the field of oncology. This programme is flexible and focuses on cutting-edge scientific topics, ranging from functional genomics to animal models in cancer and from protein structure to invasion and metastasis. Students make a selection from these courses on the basis of their interests and research background. Students working in the field of Immunology are offered the specialized course on Advanced Immunology by the Amsterdam-Leiden Institute for Immunology (ALIFI). You can get an exemption for an obligatory course if you are able to show that you have followed the course at another site. VUmc CCA Guidelines for PhD students 8

13 6. Subsidies and fees In most cases, the financing for the PhD position and research costs will be covered at start of the PhD track. In some cases, however, the PhD candidate will have to apply for a grant to cover part of the employment or research costs. An overview of the most common funding agencies can be found on our intranet site: intranet/afdelingen/instituut/vumccca/research/ /. Our research institute also provides funding for specialized courses and participation in conferences or laboratory visits. Please see our website for more information about funding. In addition to this, several subsidies are available from VU University Amsterdam. More information can be found on the website at The VUmc CCA offers a specialized education programme for PhD students (see Chapter 5), including courses on general skills as well as on Oncology and Immunology. There is a central budget available for these courses, meaning that students can participate free of charge in most cases. In addition, VUmc CCA will reimburse the costs of a number of external courses and visits to conferences or laboratories. For more information on the procedure and conditions, see or annex X. The PhD student should consult his or her supervisor on financing a programme of courses. The most convenient way to do this is to discuss the entire training programme at the very beginning of the appointment, along with the expected costs. The project manager can then determine whether these will be covered by the project s budget. In addition, each employee of VUmc has a personal budget at his or her disposal, which can be used for expenditure on personal development. For more information, see the intranet/p&o service. The PhD ceremony, of course, also costs a certain amount of money. These costs are taxdeductible, including the costs associated with the ceremony (e.g. rental of ceremonial gowns and the cost of the reception). Furthermore, it can be possible to obtain sponsorship from private companies, for example in exchange for naming the company and supplying it with some copies of the thesis. VUmc CCA Guidelines for PhD students 9

14 7. Guidance plan A PhD student s guidance plan is included in the OBP. Guidance is provided by the promotor, and may be provided together with one or more members of staff or the project leader (supervisor). Guiding a PhD student is an important task that should not be underestimated. Many courses are available to help supervisors improve their guidance abilities (for example, at the VUmc Amstel Academy or the VU University training centre). In addition, the promotor has an important role to play in a student s doctoral studies. The promotor is often an experienced supervisor, who can serve as a coach for younger supervisors. According to the regulations of VU University Amsterdam and VUmc, each supervisor should have an annual assessment with his or her superior. The success of your PhD project depends, in part, upon yourself. You need to take a number of actions to ensure that your doctoral studies are successful. In particular, you should: - Make advance arrangements with your promotor and supervisor regarding who is responsible for which aspects of the research, how often progress with the project is discussed, and how to fund visits (including foreign travel). In the case of conflicting advice, it is highly recommended that you reach a consensus. - Make clear agreements about authorship of the publications. - Make fixed appointments on a regular basis. This will guarantee you allotted time with your supervisor, and will oblige you to take a regular critical look at your progress. We advise you to make a report on these appointments. - Discuss problems that are taking a long time to solve, or problems that are adversely affecting the project, with your supervisor and/or promotor. If this does not lead to a solution, we recommend that you contact the VUmc CCA confidant (see Chapter 8). - Guarantee the continuity of the project, e.g. by planning well and checking your plans with your supervisor/promotor. - Take advantage of the assessment interviews and the annual assessments to discuss (or re-discuss) any problems, including problems with guidance. - Make sure that you have a number of people around you with whom you can share your problems or frustrations (such as your roommates or fellow PhD students). VUmc CCA Guidelines for PhD students 10

15 8. The VUmc CCA confidant service The easiest and most convenient way to solve a problem relating to your doctoral studies is to discuss it directly with your supervisor and/or promotor (see also Chapter 7). It is important to make a record of this communication. If a problem becomes insurmountable, the VUmc CCA can help you to find a solution. To get the right help, it is important to specify the type of problem you are experiencing. It might be a problem relating to: 1. Project progress 2. Guidance 3. Facilities 4. Workload 5. Education 6. Contract 7. Illness or pregnancy 8. Unwanted intimacy 9. Others If a problem arises in relation to project progress, guidance, facilities or workload (items 1-4), we advise you to contact our counsellor, Professor Bernard Uitdehaag (an independent counsellor who is not based at VUmc CCA). Professor Uitdehaag can be contacted by (bmj.uitdehaag@vumc.nl). In the case of psychological problems due to an excessive workload, for example, our counsellor can refer you to a psychologist with experience in this field. Problems in the field of education (item 5) can be discussed with the chairman of the education committee (Professor René Leemans; chr.leemans@vumc.nl). In the case of problems relating to your contract, illness or unwanted intimacy (items 6-8), our P&O advisor Brigitte Bakker can be contacted (brigitte.bakker@vumc.nl). Of course, all consultations will be treated as confidential. Depending on the nature of the problem or dispute, the consultations may be held in the presence or absence of the supervisor/promotor. Naturally, the promotor is ultimately responsible for the guidance of a PhD student. Before you contact one of the abovementioned persons, you can always contact Esther Ruhé for initial advice (e.ruhe@vumc.nl). 9. PhD student representatives In 2010, an organization was set up to represent the interests of PhD candidates at VUmc CCA: ProPhD. ProPhD represents the interests of all PhD students and discusses these interests (e.g. relating to education, programme management and communication) with the VUmc CCA board. ProPhD is made up of PhD students and can be contacted by prophd@vumc.nl. In addition, the interests of all PhD students working at VU University Amsterdam or VUmc are represented by ProVU ( ProVU also organizes interesting events for young researchers. VUmc CCA Guidelines for PhD students 11

16 10. Contact information If you have any questions or comments, or would like to receive more information about our PhD programme, please contact: Dr. Esther M. Ruhé-Hoogervorst VUmc Cancer Center Amsterdam (CCA) De Boelelaan 1117, PK 7 Z HV Amsterdam Tel: e.ruhe@vumc.nl VUmc CCA Guidelines for PhD students 12

17 DOCTORATE REGULATIONS Title I General provisions Article 1 These regulations assume the following definitions: the University: the VU University Amsterdam VU statute: the statute containing the regulations of the Vrije Universiteit, laid down by the Board of the Association for Christian Higher Education, Scientific Research and Patient Care (Vereniging voor christelijk hoger onderwijs, wetenschappelijk onderzoek en patiëntenzorg) in accordance with Article 9.76, paragraph 2, of the Higher Education and Scientific Research Act (Wet op het hoger onderwijs en wetenschappelijk onderzoek) the Act the Higher Education and Research Act Faculty: the faculty within which the doctoral application is made Candidate: the person who qualifies for admission to the doctoral programme or who has been admitted to the doctoral programme as a special case by the College of Deans Supervisor: the professor appointed in this capacity by the College of Deans Co-supervisor: the professor or doctor who assists the supervisor in his supervision of the candidate, appointed in this capacity by the College of Deans Doctoral Examination Committee: the committee referred to in Article 13 Thesis Committee: the committee referred to in Article 12 Final degree examination: the final examination of a study programme with a study load of at least 240 credits or, in the case of study programmes with a study load of more than 240 credits, the examination concluding a part of this programme which amounts to at least 240 credits Doctoral thesis: the academic discourse in the form of a book or a collection of papers which meets the requirements set in these regulations Doctoral: the adjective used to refer to matters pertaining to the doctorate, for example the public defence of the doctoral thesis, the conferral of the doctoral degree

18 Article 2 1. The doctorate may be obtained from the University after the candidate s successful public defence of his doctoral thesis. 2. The doctorate is conferred by the College of Deans. 3. The public defence of the doctoral thesis takes place in the presence of a Doctoral Examination Committee. Article 3 Where these regulations make reference to the supervisor and/or co-supervisor, these terms should be read as supervisors and/or co-supervisors in cases where more than one person has been appointed in these capacities. Article 4 The masculine form of the personal pronoun is used throughout these regulations and should be read as feminine in cases where the positions referred to are held by women. Article 5 All participants in the closed sessions referred to in these regulations are required to treat all matters discussed in such sessions as strictly confidential.

19 Title II The candidate Article 6 1. The following requirements apply to every doctoral candidate: a. The candidate must have successfully completed his final degree examination within a university programme at Master s level or have obtained an equivalent qualification at another Dutch institute of higher education. b. The candidate must have written a dissertation as proof of his ability to carry out independent academic research. c. The candidate must meet all other requirements set out in these regulations. 2. In special cases, the College of Deans may admit to the doctoral programme persons who fulfil the requirements stated under subsections b and c of paragraph 1 but who do not fulfil the requirements stated under subsection a. Article 7 1. The person engaged in the preparation of a thesis is required to submit a written application to the College of Deans at an early stage, requesting admission to the doctoral programme and the appointment of a supervisor. This application must be made through the mediation of the intended supervisor and the chairperson of the Doctoral Examination Committee of the faculty in which the intended supervisor is appointed. 2. The candidate is required to submit the application referred to in paragraph 1 on a form available for this purpose from the faculty office. His application must be accompanied by a certified copy of the certificate of the examination referred to in Article On the form, the candidate shall state his name and address, the nature of the examination and the subject of the thesis, as well as the name, address and field of specialization of the desired supervisor. 4. The form shall be countersigned by the proposed supervisor and submitted to the chairperson of the Doctoral Examination Committee of the faculty in which the supervisor is appointed. 5. After consulting the proposed supervisor, the chairperson of the Doctoral Examination Committee shall add the name of the co-supervisor (where applicable) and the relevant Doctoral Examination Committee to the form and, after signing it, shall forward it to the College of Deans. 6. In cases where the chairperson of the Doctoral Examination Committee is not yet able to give the name of the co-supervisor (where applicable), the name of the supervisor and that of the relevant Doctoral Examination Committee shall suffice. Having completed the form, the chairperson shall sign it and forward it to the College of Deans, to be followed at a later date by an additional proposal for the appointment of a cosupervisor if necessary. 7. In cases where a Doctoral Examination Committee is proposed other than that of the faculty in which the supervisor is appointed, the chairperson referred to in paragraph 4 shall consult with the chairperson of the proposed Doctoral Examination Committee regarding the possible appointment of a co-supervisor.

20 Title I The supervisor and the co-supervisor Article 8 1. For each doctorate the College of Deans, having heard the advice of the Doctoral Examination Committee which submitted the application, shall appoint a professor at the University as supervisor. In addition the College, having heard the advice of the Doctoral Examination Committee, can decide to appoint a professor at the University as a second supervisor. 2. In cases where two supervisors are appointed, the conditions pertaining to the supervisor in these regulations shall apply to both supervisors. 3. Having heard the advice of the Doctoral Examination Committee, the College of Deans may depart from the conditions stated in paragraph 1 and appoint a professor from another Dutch university, the Open Universiteit (the Dutch Open University) or an institute of higher education outside of the Netherlands as supervisor. 4. In cases where the Doctoral Examination Committee proposes the appointment of a professor at an institute of higher education outside of the Netherlands as supervisor, this professor must occupy a position equivalent to that of professor at a Dutch university. 5. In cases where more than one supervisor is appointed, the supervisors shall consult one another to determine their respective tasks and responsibilities, having heard the wishes of the candidate. Article 9 1. If a professor appointed as supervisor is given an honourable discharge subsequent to his appointment, the decision to allow the candidate in question to proceed to the public defence of the thesis shall be taken within five years of the date of said discharge. 2. If this decision is not taken within the period specified in paragraph 1, the appointment expires. Having heard the candidate and the Doctoral Examination Committee, the College of Deans shall appoint another supervisor, except in cases where more than one supervisor was appointed and where the College therefore does not deem a new appointment necessary. Article The supervisor shall be responsible for the supervision of the candidate and shall ensure that the thesis meets the requirements which apply to it in accordance with these regulations. 2. During this period of supervision and the production of the thesis, periodic consultation between supervisor and candidate shall take place. Article Having heard the Doctoral Examination Committee, the College of Deans may appoint one or, if necessary, two co-supervisors on the recommendation of the supervisor. The supervisor shall ascertain the willingness of the individual(s) in question to accept the appointment as co-supervisor. 2. The co-supervisor shall assist the supervisor in the supervision of the candidate and shall make his assessment of the quality of the thesis known to the supervisor.

21 Title IV The Thesis Committee Article For each doctoral thesis, the Doctoral Examination Committee shall appoint a Thesis Committee on the recommendation of the supervisor and subsequent to the supervisor s approval of the thesis. As a part of this process, the supervisor shall ascertain the willingness of the individuals in question to accept their appointment to the Thesis Committee. 2. In addition to the supervisor, a Thesis Committee shall consist of a minimum of four members, at least one of whom shall be a member of the faculty in question. Only one committee member may come from the supervisor s department or working unit. 3. The committee members are required to hold the title of doctor and/or have the ius promovendi (i.e. the authority to supervise a doctoral candidate). The co-supervisor is not eligible for appointment as a member of the Thesis Committee. 4. The supervisor shall act as chairperson and convenor and shall issue a written recommendation to the Doctoral Examination Committee on behalf of the Thesis Committee. 5. The Thesis Committee shall assess the quality of the doctoral research as a whole, with regard to the research question as defined and agreed upon by the supervisor and candidate, the treatment of the subject, the command of the literature and the systematic presentation of the research. 6. At least one member of the Thesis Committee shall assess the manuscript as a whole; the evaluation of the other members of the committee may be limited to parts thereof. 7. The Thesis Committee does not attach conditions to its decision. However, the individual members of the committee are free to add suggestions and/or recommendations to their assessment. 8. Decisions shall be taken on the basis of a majority vote. In cases where the votes are equally divided, the Thesis Committee shall advise the Doctoral Examination Committee not to allow the candidate in question to proceed to the public defence of his thesis.

22 Title V The Doctoral Examination Committee Article Each faculty has a Doctoral Examination Committee, made up of the professors of the faculty in question. 2. The Doctoral Examination Committee decides whether the candidate shall be allowed to defend the thesis and decides on the conferral of the doctorate. 3. Notwithstanding paragraph 1, in cases where there are fewer than eight professors in a faculty, the College of Deans shall decide upon the constitution of the Doctoral Examination Committee. 4. On the recommendation of the Doctoral Examination Committee, the College of Deans may install one or more subcommittees within a faculty, to which the authority of the Doctoral Examination Committee can be transferred. Such a subcommittee shall have at least eight members. 5. For each doctorate, a maximum of five additional members may be appointed to the Doctoral Examination Committee. 6. For the defence of each doctoral thesis, the Doctoral Examination Committee shall be augmented by the supervisor, the co-supervisor (where applicable) and those members of the Thesis Committee who are not already members of the Doctoral Examination Committee. The chairperson of the Doctoral Examination Committee is responsible for this process. 7. For the defence of each doctoral thesis, the relevant Doctoral Examination Committee may recommend that the College of Deans appoint other additional members to the committee. These shall be individuals who, in the opinion of the College, possess sufficient expertise to serve on the Doctoral Examination Committee. Article 14 The committees and subcommittees referred to in Article 13 shall be chaired by the dean of the faculty in question. He may arrange for his replacement in this capacity by the Rector or a vice-rector, a member of the College of Deans or the vice-dean of the relevant faculty.

23 Title VI The doctoral thesis Article The thesis shall consist of either a single academic discourse on a given subject or a collection of a number of separate academic discourses, all or part of which have been published, on condition that these separate discourses demonstrate sufficient cohesion in relation to a specific subject. 2. In accordance with Article 2.25, paragraph 4 of the VU Statute, the thesis may not contain anything that is contra Deum aut bonos mores. 3. In cases where the thesis consists of a collection of papers as referred to in paragraph 1, the required cohesion between these papers shall be made clear in an introductory and/or concluding chapter. Article 16 The thesis shall demonstrate the ability of the candidate to carry out independent academic research. Article In the case of joint research conducted by two or three candidates, the results of the research may be expressed in a joint thesis, provided that the following conditions have been observed: a. Each of the authors must have made an independent, clearly identifiable contribution which merits the award of a doctorate. These conditions must be fulfilled to the satisfaction of the supervisor. b. Each of the authors shall bear personal responsibility both for a clearly identifiable part of the thesis and for the cohesion of the whole. c. The thesis shall clearly state the part played by each of the authors in the production of the thesis. 2. In the case of a joint thesis, the supervisor shall submit to the chairperson of the Doctoral Examination Committee a written declaration as to the contribution of each of the authors. The chairperson shall forward this declaration to the College of Deans. This declaration must be signed by the supervisor and all the authors of the thesis. 3. In the case of a joint thesis, the procedures and rules laid down in these regulations shall apply to each candidate individually. Article The thesis shall be written in Dutch, English, French or German, or in another language subject to the approval of the College of Deans. 2. In cases where the thesis is written in Dutch, a translation of the title and a summary of the content shall be appended in English, French or German. 3. In cases where the thesis is written in English, French or German, a translation of the title and a summary of the content shall be appended in Dutch. 4. In cases where the thesis is written in a language other than Dutch, English, French or German, a translation of the title and a summary of the content shall be provided in Dutch, as well as a translation of the title and a summary of the content in English, French or German.

24 Article The thesis shall include a title page in accordance with the model stipulated by the College of Deans.This title page requires the approval of the Rector before the thesis may be reproduced. 2. The name of the supervisor and (where applicable) the co-supervisor shall be stated on the page following the title page of the thesis. 3. In cases where the candidate was given appreciable assistance by another member of the academic staff in the preparation of the thesis, this person s name may be included on the page referred to in paragraph 2, subject to the approval of the Doctoral Examination Committee. 4. In cases where the doctoral research was partly made possible by support from outside the University, this may be mentioned on the page referred to in paragraph 2, subject to the approval of the Doctoral Examination Committee. Article Responsibility for the reproduction and distribution of the thesis lies with the candidate. 2. The thesis may be printed or reproduced in some related way, at the discretion of the candidate, as long as the requirement of reasonable legibility is met. 3. The thesis shall be produced in a conveniently sized format and in glue-bound or spiralbound form, or with a stitched binding. 4. At least four weeks prior to the public defence of the thesis, the thesis shall be sent to the Rector, to the Doctorate Examination Committee, to the Executive Board and to the University library. The number of copies to be supplied shall be determined by the College of Deans. 5. At least four weeks prior to the public defence of the thesis, an electronic version of the thesis shall be published by the University library. In cases where the thesis or part of the thesis is subject to an embargo, the electronic publication of the thesis will take place once the longest embargo has expired. In that case the electronic publication of the thesis shall be limited to the cover, the title page and the summary of the thesis in Dutch and in English. 6. With regard to the provision of copies of the thesis, the following stipulations apply: a. For the purposes stipulated in Paragraph 4 and for other purposes of the University, apart from the electronic archive of the University library, the candidate shall submit a number of copies to the beadle (pedel) of the University at least five weeks prior to the public defence of the thesis. The College of Deans shall determine the number of copies to be submitted. b. For the purposes of the electronic publication of the thesis as stated in Paragraph 5, the candidate shall submit an electronic version of the thesis, in its definitive form and layout, according to a procedure to be determined by the University librarian. This version of the thesis shall be submitted at least six weeks prior to the public defence of the thesis. 7. With a view to arranging the electronic version of the thesis as stated in Paragraph 6 subsection b, the following conditions apply: a. At least eight weeks prior to the public defence of the thesis, the candidate shall provide the University with a licence for non-exclusive publication of the thesis in electronic form, if necessary with a temporary embargo. b. With regard to the provision of this licence, the candidate is obliged to sign the standard licensing agreement drawn up by the Executive Board c. The licensing agreement specifies a reimbursement for the candidate in exchange for the provision of the thesis in accordance with the stipulations of Paragraphs 4 and 5.

25 Title VII The appraisal of the thesis Article The thesis shall be subject to the appraisal of the supervisor. 2. Where applicable, the supervisor shall take into account the assessment of the cosupervisor in his appraisal of the thesis and shall evaluate the thesis in the light of the requirements stated in Articles 15, 16, 18, 19, 20 and, where appropriate, Article If the supervisor has been appointed in accordance with Article 8, paragraph 3, the chairperson of the Doctoral Examination Committee shall ensure that the thesis fulfils the requirements stated in Article 15, paragraph 2. Article When the supervisor is satisfied that the thesis meets the requirements of the doctorate, he shall give his approval to the thesis. 2. The supervisor shall immediately notify the Doctoral Examination Committee and the candidate in writing, to inform them of the assessment of the thesis as referred to in paragraph The supervisor shall submit the thesis to the members of the relevant Thesis Committee for assessment. 4. Within 30 days of the receipt of the thesis, the Thesis Committee shall issue its recommendation to the Doctoral Examination Committee and the candidate shall be informed of this recommendation by the supervisor. 5. Should circumstances so dictate, the Doctoral Examination Committee may extend the period referred to in paragraph 3 by a single additional period of 30 days. Article Having taken due notice of the supervisor s approval of the thesis and the recommendation of the Thesis Committee, the Doctoral Examination Committee shall decide whether the thesis provides evidence of the candidate s ability to carry out independent academic research sufficient to allow him to proceed to the public defence of the thesis. 2. The decision on whether the candidate may proceed shall be taken by majority vote in the Doctoral Examination Committee. If the votes are equally divided, the permission to proceed referred to in paragraph 1 shall be withheld. 3. The chairperson of the Doctoral Examination Committee shall ensure that the College of Deans and the candidate are directly informed of the Committee s decision either to permit the candidate to proceed or to withhold this permission. Article 24 In cases where the Thesis Committee s recommendation regarding the thesis is not in agreement with the approval given by the supervisor, the Doctoral Examination Committee shall take the final decision on whether to permit the candidate to proceed to the public defence of the thesis, having consulted the supervisor and the Thesis Committee. The Doctoral Examination Committee shall make its decision known to the College of Deans, the supervisor, the co-supervisor (where applicable), the Thesis Committee and the candidate.