Support during your PhD

Supervisors

The relationship between you and your supervisor determines the experience of transferring the knowledge and skills leading to a doctorate. You will develop a research oriented mind-set through interaction with your supervisory team. Therefore TU Delft Graduate School puts great emphasis on the responsibility the supervisor has in guiding the doctoral candidate.

A supervisory team typically consists of a minimum of two supervisors:

• a daily supervisor (Assistant or Associate Professor);
• at least one promotor (a full Professor)

The team may include additional researchers or educators, for example  in case of collaboration between departments, faculties or organisations. Preferably, the supervisory team provides both junior and senior research and PhD coaching expertise.

The promotor selects the members of the supervisory team:

• from within the departments and institutes involved in the research project;
• on the basis of matching expertise and skills regarding the chosen research topic;
• in agreement with the PhD candidate.

PhD Mentor

The Faculty Graduate School appoints a mentor to each PhD candidate.

The intended roles of the mentor are:

• To act as a sounding board;
• To provide support to the PhD candidate, focusing on the PhD process and reciprocal relationship and drawing attention to potential bottlenecks;
• To refer the PhD candidate to other relevant people within the organisation.

For more information contact your faculty Graduate School.

Career Support

The Graduate school offers career counselling and several career trainings and workshops to help you get the most out of your PhD and the career steps that follow. Within the TU Delft Career Centre there is a dedicated PhD Careers Counsellor with whom you can make a one-on-one appointment to discuss your career questions. These can range from: “Should I continue my career in science?”,  “How do I find a job at an (international) company?”, “How can I best present my PhD education to have a better chance at a career in business”,  to questions such as “How can I increase my motivation and/or reduce stress?”

PhD candidates are also welcome to join TU Delft Career Centre activities that are open to students. 

Student Support

A team of licenced psychologists is available for all TU Delft PhD candidates. The focus is on short term support and treatment for all kinds of personal issues or experienced difficulties in the PhD research process. All contacts are strictly confidential.