Why you should join PhD Academy

Moving to a new country for your PhD can be very stressful, but you are not alone. PhD Academy is full of people who have gone through the same experiences as you and are there to make your time in Maastricht more enjoyable. They know that getting your PhD can be challenging and want to give you the chance to connect with your colleagues and enjoy yourself.

PhD Academy was founded by PhD candidates who wanted an association that represents their interests. It was officially launched in 2007 with financial support from Maastricht University. The association is run by a board of volunteers that takes care of administrative and financial aspects. PhD Academy also contains six different committees, each dedicated to a different aspect of PhD life. There are the Academic Committee, Sport Committee, Social Committee, Dance Committee, Movie Committee, and Theater Committee.Each of these groups consists of volunteers that come together over a shared interest. Together they create the exciting range of events that PhD Academy is known for.

Perhaps most famous are the events organized by the social committee, such as the annual Winter Ball or Summer boat party that draw the largest crowds. They have become corner stones of the event calendar and many PhDs tell stories about them for years to come. They also host the monthly After-work drinks in a busy pub in the center, bringing many PhDs from different departments together.

The Movie Committee cooperates with a local cinema to organize special screenings for PhDs. At a reduced price, PhDs can enjoy current and selected critically acclaimed films and a chat with a drink afterwards.

The Sports Committee organizes a yearly ski trip to the Swiss Alps in January or February. The trip usually lasts around 5-6 days and is subsidized by the university so that PhDs only pay a small contribution.

The Dance Committee organizes workshops in different styles of dance, like Hip-hop, Belly dance, or Swing.

The Theater Committee hosts the weekly Improv theater night every Thursday. Participants play games where they spontaneously create scenes and act together.

The Academic Committee organizes talks and workshops. They have hosted panels on career goals and personal growth. Additionally, they organized a Pecha Kucha night where PhDs could present their work in short presentations.

Coming out of the Covid pandemic

The Covid-19 pandemic brought the PhD Academy to a standstill. Most events were cancelled, some were moved online. The Improv theater group organized themselves to play theater games online over a weekly Zoom call. The Academic Committee also organized a career webinar. Old members told us how much they missed our events and were asking when they would be back. Many new PhDs who started during the pandemic were not aware of PhD Academy and were missing connections with their colleagues.

As restrictions slowly lifted, some small events could be organized again. A Halloween movie night with fancy dress was one of the first events that brought people together again. In 2021 we continued by hosting smaller events with a limited number of participants. Instead of the summer boat party, we hosted a small dinner in a local restaurant. We also wanted to give back to local businesses, that had been hit hard by the pandemic, so we collaborated with a pizzeria and a cocktail bar to host a pizza baking and a cocktail making workshop. The sports committee also launched Acro Yoga, where members could learn acrobatic partner figures on the ground. During the summer they practiced in the city park every week and moved to an indoor location for the colder months.

In 2022 we were finally able to organize the often-requested summer boat party again. Our biggest event since the pandemic started, the 1920’s themed party was a big success. The over 100 guests enjoyed themselves on a boat with two decks and an outdoor area, served by a bar and a fantastic DJ.

Most importantly for the continuation of PhD Academy, we were able to recruit new members for the different committees. They attended meetings with the board and immediately stared to participate in organizing events. They threw themselves into the work, quickly learnt a lot of new skills, and greatly contributed to the success of the events this year.

Community

One of the most rewarding things is hearing from participants at events how much they enjoy the PhD Academy activities. They are very happy to have an association that helps them get out after a busy workday and lets them connect with other PhDs and meet new friends. They also appreciate learning new skills in the different career and social workshops. Moreover, the events give them a chance to explore the city of Maastricht and discover new places and activities.

The members that chose to get involved and organize events have an even deeper connection to PhD Academy. They get to shape the organization by bringing in their own ideas and set up activities that they are passionate about. They gain new organizational and communication skills, but most importantly they become part of a group that supports every individual and makes being a representative for the PhDs of Maastricht a very enjoyable task.