PhD candidates usually work on their research for four years, after which they can continue their (academic) career with a doctorate. According to Kohlen, attending conferences is crucial in this. ‘PhD candidates present their work, gain ideas and make contacts that often lead to new collaborations. This network is a crucial result of a good PhD period. In addition, in some fields a conference is even the most important way to publish. However, due to the budget cuts, many PhD candidates no longer have access to travel budgets, which means that they miss out on these networking opportunities.’
Travel expenses
Kohlen says that P-NUT now fears that PhD candidates who do four years of research will not be able to build a network for the next step in their academic career. According to him, there is a significant group of PhD candidates with an appointment that doesn’t include travel expenses. ‘Sometimes they have been verbally promised that they would be allowed to travel on a department budget, but now that the UT is demanding that all faculties make budget cuts, it depends on where you do your PhD whether you can still attend the necessary conferences. The insights and especially the network that you gain there is essential, and certainly cannot be replaced by something like video calls.’
Educational support
Another area where the UT budget cuts affect PhD candidates is assisting in bachelor’s and master’s education. The UT is stopping the use of student assistants, which means that support must be found elsewhere. According to Kohlen, helping with teaching is a valuable part of a PhD position, but it should be kept within limits. ‘According to the PhD charter, teaching may not take up more than twenty percent of your time. It is important that this limit is maintained, and we want to call on supervisors to do so.’
However, due to the cuts in student assistants, there are concerns that PhD candidates will be used more often to make up for this shortage. ‘In my department, for example, a significant number of TA hours have also been cut. As a result, we had to cut course material, and part of the workload has been taken on by PhD candidates, with good agreements being made to comply with the 20% rule.’
Nevertheless, P-NUT is concerned. ‘We fear that due to the loss of TAs, PhD candidates will in some cases have to spend more time on teaching than is permitted. Although teaching experience can be useful for your development, research remains our priority. We therefore emphasise the importance of clear agreements. Fortunately, there are good channels for conflicts within the UT, such as the PhD charter and an ombudsman. As P-NUT, we also organize activities around this theme, such as a recent Know your rights session.’
Inclusivity and diversity
In addition to organizing activities around rights and support, such as the Know your rights sessions, P-NUT is also concerned about the future of events focused on inclusivity and diversity. ‘As a network, we offer a platform where members with shared interests come together. For example, we have a group that focuses on neurodiversity and organizes interesting meetings, such as a Minds of All Kinds event.’ These activities are made possible by specific budgets that are now under pressure. ‘The HR working group for neurodiversity is in danger of being shut down, and that would be a great loss for our members. We therefore call on the UT to maintain these important budgets, so that inclusive and supportive activities can continue to exist within the PhD community’, says Kohlen.
Unlucky generation
Thus, the cuts have an impact on PhD candidates, especially those who have recently started. ‘Although I have not received any signals that people are considering stopping because of the financial situation, people are worried about the future’, says Kohlen. As a fourth-year PhD candidate, he notices that some newcomers already see themselves as the ‘unlucky generation’. ‘They say: ‘You are almost finished and you still had the good times’.’
P-NUT also fears that the measures will scare off potential PhD candidates. ‘We are afraid that (master) students will disregard Dutch universities, and the UT in particular, because of these developments. For international candidates who want to do an English-language PhD, universities in other countries become more attractive. That is disadvantageous for the UT, because a larger pool of talent is of course always better for the university.’
