Keywords: support, peer-to-peer learning, connection, personal and professional development, exploration, community, and joy.
PhD Circle: to connect, share, and build upon each other’s knowledge, expertise, and stories.
Pursuing a PhD can feel isolating, and you will undoubtedly face personal challenges. However, it’s essential to recognise that many of your peers share similar questions and struggles, such as: ‘How to set up my life to complete my PhD successfully?’, ‘How do I effectively set priorities and create opportunities?’, ‘How to deal with feelings of shame, blame, jealousy, disappointment, chaos or anxiety?’, ‘How to establish and maintain a professional relationship with my supervisor?’ ‘What are quick fixes to improve my writing?’ or ‘How can I enhance my job prospects in academia or industry?’.
Joining a PhD Circle in Groningen may be the solution you need.
PhD circles are designed for PhD candidates who are eager to learn from each other’s experiences and life journeys. These circles create a compassionate, caring and safe environment that encourages participants to connect with their peers while sharing and exploring their personal stories, challenges, and opportunities. The aim is for these circles to serve as a supportive space where you can feel empowered, gain a stronger sense of direction, and act as your authentic self. Ultimately, they function as a support group to help guide you joyfully and exploratively through both your PhD journey and personal life.
During the sessions, you will be encouraged to shift from a protective mindset to a learning mode. This means using the time to share your story, struggles, and opportunities instead of shielding them. You will be challenged to confront the similar issues your peers face, empowering you to learn, think, and create again. This supportive and enjoyable community, led by an experienced Academic Career Coach, will help you progress in your PhD by providing clarity, focus, joy, and a better work-life balance.
For whom?
The PhD Circles are designed for individuals pursuing a PhD who are seeking support and connection with peers in Groningen. They are meant for those who wish to share their experiences, challenges, and opportunities in a safe and nurturing environment.
These are some outcomes you can expect. You are going to learn how to:
- Understand your own story.
- Develop awareness of your unique talents and interests.
- Define a clear and confident vision about the choices you want or need to make.
- Accept uncertainty.
- Learn to show up.
- Deal with your failures, and failures are feedback.
- Dare to be seen and to occupy space.
- Improve your writing because being open to your context will enable this.
- Sense more joy in your PhD journey.
Ultimately, engaging in PhD Circles will significantly elevate your personal and professional development, strengthen connections with peers, spark new conversations and collaborations, and it will help you to build resilience.
How does it work?
The principle behind the PhD circles is both practical and straightforward: it provides PhD students with the opportunity to delve into common themes, challenges, and opportunities encountered during their PhD journey. These circles foster explorative conversations, allowing participants to create space for the unknown and embrace new perspectives, all while honouring each other’s differences and strengths. This environment nurtures mutual trust, respect, and relaxation, ultimately unleashing creativity, proactivity, and a sense of responsibility.
Each meeting follows a structured format where a specific problem or topic, introduced by one of the participants, is discussed from various angles. Each member brings their unique viewpoint, which helps the person facing the issue gain a deeper understanding of their situation and sparks new ideas for improvement or change. The focus is more on analysis than on directly providing solutions, as participants are encouraged to ask questions about context and background rather than jump straight to answers.
As a group, we will reflect on the provided topics, and in my role as facilitator, I will provide support and structure throughout the meeting. I guide the group while sharing my own observations, expertise, and experiences.
Join!
This collaborative approach to problem-solving can be tremendously beneficial, resulting in new insights and a supportive network.
Key details of the PhD Circles:
- The group will comprise 5 to 8 PhD participants, representing a diverse mix of genders, years of experience, and research areas.
- Meetings are held every six to eight weeks at a mutually convenient time for all members.
- Each session lasts for 1.5 hours.
- Available in Dutch or English
- The cost is €25 per person.
Ready to join? Apply now for your spot in a PhD Circle.
You can apply at any time. After you apply, I will contact you to match you with a suitable group.
For universities, faculties and/ or research institutes
Over the years, I have collaborated with universities to develop support structures for their PhD students, utilising the concept of PhD Circles. These circles provide PhD candidates with the chance to break free from their isolation and connect with, share experiences, and learn from their peers. This process helps them overcome challenges and fosters growth. Additionally, it stimulates the PhD community within an organisation, sparking conversations and fostering future networks. Research does not exist in a vacuum; it thrives on the interaction and collaboration with other researchers and their work.
Please feel free to contact me if you’re interested in exploring what a collaboration could offer for your PhD candidates and your organisation.
