Support for PhD Students

The University of Groningen offers a number of options for PhDs to raise issues, file complaints, or seek out support for various difficult situations. Your options partly depend on your faculty, but we’ve tried to make a comprehensive overview for you below. If you’re unsure where to go with your question, don’t worry - most likely, whoever you approach will be able to refer you to the proper channels. The most important thing is that you ask for help when you need it!

  • PhD Councils: PhD Councils are parts of Graduate Schools to bring systemic issues to the attention of the University, both within and, where appropriate, outside the Faculty. Should you as a PhD Student have an issue or complaint that you believe may be systemic, you can always reach out to your PhD Council.

  • GRIN: GRIN is here for your complaints regarding your PhD trajectory. You can always  contact us for your problems, complaints, and questions.

  • Confidential Advisor: You can approach the confidential adviser to discuss personal problems, problems in your research or about your career choices. Every Faculty has their own confidential advisors.

  • Confidential Advisor of the University: If you need to talk to a confidential advisor outside of your Faculty, you can get in touch with the University confidential advisor. You can reach out the confidential advisors if there is bullying, discrimination or (sexual) harassment, if you are wrongly accused of something, if you are witness of or you suspect malpractices within the organisation, or if you are involved in a work-related conflict.

  • PhD Counsellors: For PhD related issues can be directed to the PhD Counsellor, however, not every Faculty has a PhD Counsellor.

  • PhD Coordinators: Some faculties have a PhD Coordinator you can contact.

    • Sandra Zwart-Slagter, Faculty of Medical Sciences

    • Björn Mitzinneck,Faculty of Economics and Business

    • Andan overview of the coordinators at the Faculty of Science and Engineering.

  • Occupational Health and Safety Service (AMD): The AMD is tasked with supporting employees who are on sick leave or who might require sick leave for physical or mental health reasons. If you think you might be unable to work for a longer period of time because of physical or mental health reasons, you can make an appointment with the AMD for advice and counselling by occupational physicians and occupational social workers.

  • Student Service Centre  (SSC): You can contact the SSC if you have problems with personal effectiveness, communication or assertiveness, psychological and/or physical stress complaints, brooding, listlessness, insomnia, depression or mood problems, feeling fearful or tense, concentration or motivational problems.

  • Diversity and Inclusion Officers: A number of UG faculties have their own faculty diversity and inclusion representatives. Their tasks are to assess the state of diversity and inclusion in their own faculties, to determine what has to be tackled within faculties themselves or at a central level, and to learn from one another.

  • Human Resources (HR Experts): You can contact to HR if you have any questions about the job and your own functioning, doubts about going on with your PhD, or questions about your future career (inside and outside academia).

  • Ombudsperson:The purpose of this new position is to identify and investigate undesirable patterns of behaviour that have a negative impact on a healthy and safe learning and working environment. If you, as a staff member, experience a problem and do not know where to turn with it, then you can contact Marianne Dijkhuizen.

For further information please check

the University’s website on PhD support.

You can also check the “Mental health during your PhD”poster.