PhD network in a nutshell

If you are wondering, the organization’s name does not refer to a certain oval-shaped nut. The acronym P-NUT stands for the ‘PhD Network at the University of Twente’. The organization, run by and for PhD students, aims to secure good working conditions for PhD students, inform their target groups on UT and PhD-related issues, and offer a platform for social and professional discussion between PhDs.

India-born Raja Singaram, who is working on earning a PhD on entrepreneurship at Nikos Institute, is one of the first board members to meet and greet me. ‘I have only recently joined the board,’ he causally mentions. ‘Apart from our President Josine Verhagen and Treasurer Juan Carlos Casado, we do not have so many formally assigned positions, and when organizing activities, we often take turns,’ laughing, he adds, ‘which can be a good thing, because sometimes it can be pretty busy doing your PhD.’ Singaram currently focuses on establishing contacts with companies for planned P-NUT Company Days. ‘For undergraduate students there are quite a few Company Days (bedrijvendagen) offered to attend, but this is less the case for PhD students.’

Helping PhDs with their future careers by connecting them to potentially interesting companies is but one way in which the network aims to improve the position of PhDs in a sometimes difficult external environment. That the economic crisis, with its following political changes and organizational changes at the UT, may affect the course of undergraduates is relatively well-known, following periods of fierce undergraduate protests in Twente. Most likely, PhD students may also face challenges as a result.

The planned closure of 15 UT research groups as announced in December by the UT Executive Board is a case in point and not much has been said of the potential consequences for PhDs who are attached to these research groups. ‘What can this mean for the PhD students and how can we help them?’ wonders Juan Vercher, a Spanish national and PhD candidate. ‘Suitable places should be found for them.’

Fortunately, board member Björn Harink has already started lobbying in the University Council and said, ‘The rector promised to really take care of the PhDs last summer.’ It was decided that P-NUT is going to inform their members of their legal rights in this situation, including through postings in their newsletter - managed by board member Giovane Moura - and ask them to report any problems they may experience.

Another issue that P-nut monitors is the proposed new PhD structure linked to the Twente Graduate School (TGS), which was founded last year. ‘While the TGS can represent considerable advantages to PhDs, it is important that it does not erode the benefits of existing PhD models,’ observes P-NUT President Verhagen. ‘For example, some Dutch universities in the Netherlands, with a graduate school, banned their PhDs from participating in the courses of national research schools, which resulted in far less depth in their PhD projects.’ Furthermore, she mentions that the creation of a graduate school should not lead to the introduction of a system of bursary students, which some Dutch politicians have proposed. To discuss the TGS’ PhD structure with PhD students, an informative lunch meeting will be organized on 28 February in cooperation with TGS representatives.’

‘We essentially organize three types of gatherings,’ says TNW-affiliate Nicole Georgi, ‘the first is our lunch meetings where each one is organized around a particular topic while an expert explains, and participants get to enjoy a free lunch. Secondly, there are our social events. For example, this year we will offer a cocktail-making workshop and a summer barbecue.  Thirdly, we have our evening ‘get-togethers’, which are like a Dutch ‘borrel’, allowing PhDs to meet colleagues and have a nice chat. These take place every first Thursday of the month, with the exception of in February when it will be on a Friday’.

Clearly, no PhD student has to be bored in Twente. What is more, you do not even have to register to become a P-NUT member; every new PhD is automatically signed in to the network. ‘Normally you should automatically receive our newsletter by email, but with new students it can take a bit longer because of the way the university administration works,’ says Georgi who is from neighboring Germany. In case you are among the few PhDs, who are missing the opportunity to be involved, you can simply send an email to p-nut@utwente.nl or connect to the organization on Facebook.

The members of  P-NUT Board start the new year at the Faculty Club. (Photo: Gijs van Ouwerkerk)