Dear fellow PhD Candidates,
The last newsletter of 2025! Time passes by so fast, you actually forget to enjoy the journey towards that well-deserved doctorate. The best way to do so is, of course, by joining us during the Christmas drinks. Get your tickets here or scan the QR code below! For the €3 fee, you'll receive free drinks! Dress code: your ugliest Christmas sweater ✨
Also, don't forget to nominate a PhD candidate that goes above and beyond, as part of the Recognition & Rewards (R&R) movement in alignment with the LUMC Graduate School and Academia in Motion. The R&R Award celebrates PhD candidates who show that science is not only about experiments and papers, but also about daily contributions, either big or small, that make a real difference in your (personal) life. You can still nominate your favourite (fellow) PhDs until 8 December. Everyone can nominate, supervisors as well! We're planning a special surprise to celebrate all the nominees.
We wish everyone happy holidays and a cheerful new year. Till next year! 💕
Best wishes,
The LAP Board |
|
|
Cancellation of compensation for printing costs
A rather unfortunate, but important message: The Executive Board of Leiden University has been forced to end the compensation regulation for dissertation printing costs due to substantial budget cuts imposed on universities by the Dutch government. The budget cuts must be implemented in services and expertise centers in 2026 and following years, so the compensation regulation expires on 1 January 2026. All individuals who sign the license agreement this year are still entitled to the compensation, even if they will not complete their doctorates until 2026. So, the PhD must be planned to finish in 2026 (the end date has to be planned)!
Message from Ridderprint: Wrapping Up 2025 Together
Dear PhD,
As 2025 comes to a close, we want to thank you for choosing Ridderprint as your trusted partner for designing and printing your thesis. It’s been a joy to support so many PhD students in reaching this important milestone. Take this time to rest, celebrate with loved ones, and recharge. We’ll also be taking a short break over the holidays, but we’ve ensured clear communication and well-planned timelines for your projects. If your defense is coming up early in 2026, reach out soon to ensure a smooth and stress-free process. We wish you a joyful holiday season and can’t wait to see you in 2026!
Warm regards,
The Ridderprint Team
P.S. Don’t forget to visit our website for tips, design inspiration, and insights on sustainable printing.
Aanmoedigingsprijs Fleur (NL)
Voor deze prijs zijn we op zoek naar studenten en jonge onderzoekers die iets willen betekenen voor een groep die nog te vaak wordt overgeslagen in wetenschappelijk onderzoek; jongeren die kampen met complexe psychiatrische problemen en hun gezin. De jaarlijkse Aanmoedigingsprijs Fleur, ten bedrage van 5000 euro, is ingesteld door de ouders en zus van Fleur. Fleur was erg sociaal en zorgzaam en stond ondanks haar eigen mentale uitdagingen tot op het laatste moment open voor het gevoelsleven van een ander. Zoals ze zelf zei, worstelde zij met een ‘error’ in haar hoofd, wat haar uiteindelijk fataal geworden is. Haar familie heeft zich ingezet om deze prijs tot stand te brengen. Heb jij een idee of initiatief random deze doelgroep? Dien jouw voorstel in! Dit kan t/m 22 februari 2026. Op 20 april worden de pitches gehouden en de winnaar bekend gemaakt.
LAP is looking for new Board Members!
As a general board member, you will attend board meetings, and support the overall functioning of the board and its objectives. The LAP board currently consists of 10 enthusiastic PhD Candidates. While everybody has tasks of preference, we have board meetings every 2-3 weeks, and regular meetings with the Dean, the Graduate School, and other LUMC parties.
In return, you get to learn about the ins and outs of the LUMC, work with a diverse board of motivated fellow PhD candidates who want to make a difference for the PhD community, and you can have the chance to bring your ideas to life and see them flourish in practice! We look forward to meeting you! Send us an e-mail and we can plan a meeting to get to know each other!
PhD Safe Space Sweet
Do you have someone who made a difference in your PhD journey? This could be a fellow PhD candidate, supervisor, librarian or someone else at the LUMC whose contribution should not go unnoticed. Nominate them for the next PhD Safe Space Sweet! Share their story and let us celebrate the unsung heroes of academia.
Grant newsletter
The Grant Newsletter of November has been published on Albinusnet. If you have any ideas to expand your research, want to continue as a postdoc or just want to see what kind of grants are available to you in the future, make sure to check it out!
|
|
Sponsors
Check out our sponsors, Ridderprint and ProefschriftMaken.
 
|
|
External
KHMW interdisciplinary dissertation prize 2026
The Koninklijke Hollandsche Maatschappij der Wetenschappen awards a dissertation prize of €10,000 to recognize research with a particularly interdisciplinary character that bridges the boundaries between the alpha/beta/gamma science fields. The prize is awarded to a single researcher and is intended for Dutch or international researchers who have conducted their research at Dutch educational and/or research institutions. Researchers must have obtained their PhD between 1 September 2024 and 31 August 2025. Nominations can be submitted until 15 January 2026.
(NL): De Koninklijke Hollandsche Maatschappij der Wetenschappen stelt jaarlijks een proefschriftprijs van € 10.000,- beschikbaar ter bekroning van onderzoek met een bijzonder interdisciplinair karakter dat de grenzen tussen de klassieke alfa/bèta/gamma-wetenschapsgebieden overbrugt. De prijs wordt aan één onderzoeker toegekend en is bedoeld voor Nederlanders of internationals, die hun onderzoek hebben uitgevoerd aan Nederlandse instellingen van onderwijs en/of onderzoek. Onderzoekers dienen in de periode 1/9/2024 – 31/8/2025 gepromoveerd te zijn. Voordrachten kunnen tot en met 15 januari 2026 worden ingediend.
Call for Research Projects: Regenerative Medicine and Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products (RAMP-UP)
This call invites Principal Investigators from the Beneficiary (Lund University) and Implementing Partner institutions (LUMC, Hannover Medical School, and the Technical University of Denmark) to submit interdisciplinary and innovative research project proposals in line with RAMP-UP's thematic priorities in regenerative medicine and advanced therapy medicinal products. The selected projects will form the core offering in the subsequent doctoral fellow recruitment call and should aim to attract top early-stage researchers across Europe and beyond. More details on this call, including submission guidelines and timelines can be found here.
PhD Psychologist Newsletter
We all know how challenging it can be to ask for help, especially in the middle of a demanding academic path. The PhD Psychologist Team at the Leiden University has created a newsletter for you about the services available, and to make it easier to share this information with PhD candidates and their support networks. In het latest version you'll find among others:
- A new peer support group for gifted PhD candidates to connect, reflect, and grow.
- Workshops and courses to help PhDs navigate cultural challenges, manage stress, and strengthen emotional resilience.
- A reminder of the services they offer, providing a safe, confidential space to reflect, gain tools, and move forward with confidence.
|
|
An overview of all courses within the LUMC and Leiden University can be found here. Course dates have been updated for 2026.
LUMC PhD Onboarding Module
The e-learning “Onboarding LUMC PhD candidates” will help new PhD candidates to find their way in the LUMC to provide an optimal start of their PhD trajectory. The e-learning is available via the LUMC Learning Environment.
Register now! PhD Statistics Courses 2026
Boerhaave Nascholing offers several statistics courses for PhD candidates, and registration for the following courses in 2026 has been opened:
Click on the links above to register. Click here for a brief description of the courses
Share these courses!
Supervising PhD candidates - Leiden University (universiteitleiden.nl)
Successful PhD supervision - Online Course (futurelearn.com)
Academic writing courses
HRM cursus: Academic Writing for PhDs - Leiden University (universiteitleiden.nl)
- Onsite start dates: February 3, February 4, March 31, April 1
- Online start dates: January 19, February 6, February 13, April 13, April 24, June 26
E-health
Caring Universities: Home - Caring Universities (caring-universities.com)
Gezondeboel: e-Health van Gezondeboel | Een innoverend e-healthplatform (log in SURFconext - Select an account to login to Gezondeboel)
Leiden University Workshop Scientific Conduct for PhD's
This workshop is part of the Leiden University mandatory wide program to make PhD candidates familiar with the different concepts related to scientific conduct and integrity. The workshop is taught by the LUMC Graduate School. Click here to register for one of the start dates.
- January 15 (EN)
- January 29 (NL, online)
- February 12 (EN)
- March 5 (EN)
- April 2 (EN)
Leiden Bio Science Park
LBSP organizes many relevant events for PhDs and PostDocs, so always keep an eye out on their agenda.
HRM Learning & Development courses
Click on one of the links below for more information about the course.
|
|
Contact
The Graduate School Office
If you have any additional questions regarding the administrative aspects of your PhD studies in the LUMC, you can contact the Graduate School Office at GraduateSchool@lumc.nl, or find them on LinkedIn or their website.
LAP
Please don't hesitate to contact us if you have a question to ask, an idea to discuss, or just want to say hi. You can always send us an email at LAP@lumc.nl.
Stay in contact on our Whatsapp community, click here to join!
You can also follow us on social media. Use the buttons below to check out our LinkedIn, Instagram, and our website.
|
|
|
LAP Board
Kiki Kuijpers
Madda Debiasi
Ivana Kancheva
Amar Levens
Giovanni Loe-Sack-Sioe
Yasmin van der Velden
Noor Kuhlemaijer
Jenia Makarevich
Merel Wilmsen
Iveta Dzivite
Fieke Teertstra
Coen Bijns
|
|
|
|
|
