We are looking for new members!
The PhD Council represents more than one hundred PhD candidates in the Dutch Research School of Philosophy (OZSW). Our two main aims are to create a strong community amongst the student members of the OZSW and to stand up for their interests in addressing issues related to PhD training, supervision, and career perspectives on a national level.
Participating in the PhD Council offers a range of great opportunities for you. If you have an idea for an event that could interest other philosophy students, if you see something that could be done better in PhD supervision, or if you want to connect with other philosophers from all major Dutch universities, then the PhD council is for you. We are supported, both organisationally and financially, by the OZSW, which gives us great freedom in organising the events that we think best benefit the student community.
For example, we have organised philosophical debates, writing workshops, weekend trips to Texel island and the Ardennes, career events, and the Dutch-Flemish Day of Philosophy. Its great fun to get something done with like minded peers, and the PhD Council is just the right place to dive right into it! If you are interested, please contact any of the current members of the PhD Council. They will be happy to help you further.
Members of the PhD Council
Ana Barbosa Mendes
Erasmus University Rotterdam
Ties van Gemert
Tilburg University
History of Philosophy
Sonia de Jager
Erasmus University Rotterdam
Theoretical Philosophy
Wouter Wiersma
University of Groningen
Ethics & Practical Philosophy
Matteo Michelini
Eindhoven University of Technology
Barbara Bziuk
Utrecht University
Practical Philosophy
Upcoming activities
More information
The PhD Council consists of at most 12 members. The intention is to have at least 1 member from each of the 12 Dutch universities participating in the OZSW. In addition, the PhD Council strives to be representative of the different philosophical disciplines present within the OZSW. Considering the size of the different sections, this means that the following composition is roughly what is aimed at:
- 4 members from the section Ethics & Practical Philosophy
- 4 members from the section Theoretical Philosophy
- 2 members from the section History of Philosophy
- 2 flexible members (could come from any section or sub-discipline of philosophy)
The PhD Council has two main tasks within the OZSW:
- Providing advice and feedback to the OZSW – The PhD Council can submit solicited or unsolicited advice to the scientific director of the OZSW, as well as to the board of the OZSW, regarding the training and supervision of PhD candidates. Furthermore, the PhD Council is allowed to select 3 of its members, one for each of the three OZSW sections, to attend meetings of the 3 section steering committees.
- Organizing activities for the PhD candidates of the OZSW – These activities include, but need not be limited to, a number of 1-day seminars throughout the year. These seminars aim to stimulate the exchange of experiences and ideas among PhD candidates. More specifically, they aim to (a) deepen and broaden the knowledge of PhD candidates on a specific philosophical issue or topic, or (b) expand the generic skills of the PhD candidates, contributing to their success as a PhD candidate, or a career inside or outside academia.
PhD-candidates and junior researchers in philosophy may address the PhD-Council and/or the Scientific Director in case of conflicts occurring between individual researchers and their supervisors. If necessary, the Scientific Director (Frans de Haas) will take up the case in question with the dean of the faculty or the head of the department concerned and act as an informal mediator between the junior researcher in question and his or her institution.