Research School for
Socio-Economic and Natural
Sciences of the Environment
Your Training and Supervision Plan (TSP)
Each SENSE PhD candidate develops an individual Training and Supervision Plan (TSP). This plan is tailor-made for your
personal development with the aim of becoming a well-qualified independent researcher and professional in your field.
When you have fulfilled all the requirements for the TSP at the end of your PhD (see requirements at http://
www.sense.nl/education/training), you will obtain the SENSE Diploma. The road towards your SENSE Diploma consists of
three phases:
Phase
hase
1. Propose your training and education plan for
approval from SENSE. With an approved TSP
you are eligible for a reduced fee for the
SENSE courses and activities.
2. Obtain skills and experience by following the
courses and training activities. Keep track of
your activities by updating this form
throughout your PhD trajectory.
3. Finalise this form with all the activities you
have successfully completed and apply for
your SENSE Diploma by submitting the final
version of your TSP.
Within 6 months after
the start of your PhD
project
Action
Submit this form for approval by
uploading it on My PhD Roadmap at
step 2b ‘Your TSP Proposal’
Throughout your PhD
Keep track of your activities by
updating this form. You can save
the form on My PhD Roadmap
At least 15 weeks before
your for expected
defence date
Apply for the SENSE Diploma by
uploading it on My PhD Roadmap at
step 10 ‘Last step to complete your
PhD’
The TSP is divided into three parts:
1. My General Information
2. My Training Plan
3. My Supervision Plan
Please, fill in all three parts as complete as possible.
Contact and support
If you need help or support with filling in this form, please contact the PhD Education coordinator Monique Gulickx:
[email protected]
1. My General Information
First name
PhD project title
Surname
Your university
Your research group
2. My Training Plan
The training and education activities are assorted by five PhD competency categories. For each category several descriptions of
competencies are listed. This provides you a self-assessment of the competencies that are required to become an excellent independent
researcher. Please, assess your current level of development for these competencies, and identify the competencies you want to develop
further. Next, think of ways how can you improve these competencies, what type of courses, training or other activities do you need
(some possible ways are listed below each competencies category).
PhD competencies A: Research Skills and Techniques
How well-developed is your competency to...
Hardly developed
Slightly developed
Adequately developed
Strongly developed
...recognise environmental or
sustainability problems? (= identify and
understand research problems)
...be informed of recent advances within
your field? (= know about recent
advances in your research area)
...develop original research questions?
(= Be able to have your own ideas in
your research)
...produce critical and independent
ideas? (= think for yourself)
...develop sound theoretical concepts?
(= to be able to develop theoretical
ideas)
...appropriately apply research
methodologies and techniques?
(= know different research techniques
and know when to use them)
...work in multidisciplinary teams?
...critically evaluate research findings?
(= know what your results and results
of others mean and judge them)
Possible ways to develop these competencies further can be activities such as:
• Attending in-depth PhD courses or advanced MSc courses
• An (extended) literature study; literature reviews; literature discussion groups
• Specifying/writing your own PhD research proposal
• Specifying/writing a detailed research set-up, workplan and time schedule
• Participation in PhD discussion groups / research cluster
• External research skills training, for example, in the use of specific equipment or a training in lab - health and safety
• Writing scientific articles
• Review manuscripts that are submitted for publication in scientific peer-reviewed journals
Your education and training activities
Activity
Activity title
Space
Details / URL
ECTS
Year
Activity title
Space
Details / URL
Done
ECTS
Year
Done
Activity title
Space
ECTS
Details / URL
Year
Activity title
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Done
ECTS
Details / URL
Year
Activity title
Done
ECTS
Space
Space
Details / URL
Year
Done
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Published papers
Authors names
Title
Year
Journal
ECTS
Space
Sub-total number of credits (ECTS)
0
PhD competencies B: Position your research in a broader context
How well-developed is your competency to...
Hardly developed
Slightly developed
Adequately
developed
Strongly developed
...position your research in a broader
multidisciplinary context? (= know how your
research fits in with what others are doing in
the world)
...contribute to an improved understanding of
the causes, effects or solutions to
environmental problems or sustainable
development?
...actively communicate with researchers from
other disciplines? (= be proactive in
communicating your research with other
researchers and non-scientists)
...apply the Netherlands Code of Conduct for
Scientific Practice when doing research? (=
conduct research that is accurate, reliable,
verifiable, and independent)
...openly discuss the integrity of fellow
researchers?
...assess the integrity of your own research by
actively asking others for feedback?
...write research proposals in a way that is
attractive for funding institutions?
...adequately present research outcomes for
users in the academic, social and commercial
sectors?
Possible ways to acquire these competencies can be activities such as:
• Active participation in the introductory SENSE PhD course A1 (mandatory)
• Conduct the A2 'Research in context' project (mandatory)
• Courses or workshops on 'from science to practice', 'achieving sustainable development', 'action science'
• Activities on the science - policy interface
• Stakehoder participation
Your education and training activities
Activity
Activity title
Space
Details / URL
ECTS
Year
Activity title
Space
Details / URL
ECTS
Year
Activity title
Space
Details / URL
Done
Done
ECTS
Year
Done
Activity title
Space
Details / URL
ECTS
Year
Activity title
Space
Details / URL
ECTS
Year
Activity title
Space
Details / URL
Done
Done
ECTS
Year
Done
Space
Sub-total number of credits (ECTS)
0
PhD competencies C: Management skills
How well-developed is your competency to...
Hardly developed
Slightly developed
Adequately
developed
Strongly developed
...set SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable,
Relevant, and Time-bound) research goals? (=
manage research efficiently, set goals to
achieve targets)
...set intermediate milestones? (= break work
up in manageable parts)
...effectively prioritise activities? (= be able to
prioritise your work adequately)
...identify appropriate sources of relevant
information? (= search for information and
references in an effective way)
...use information technology appropriately for
database management, recording and
presenting information? (= record data properly
in databases or spreadsheets)
...effectively organise scientific meetings in your
field?
(= coordinate and pay attention to practical
issues to make a meeting successful)
Possible ways to acquire these competencies can be activities such as:
• Courses on project and time management
• Courses on information literacy
• Member of (SENSE) PhD council, scientific board or committee
• Organising PhD days, workshops, sessions at conferences and symposia
Your education and training activities
Activity
Activity title
Space
Details / URL
ECTS
Year
Activity title
Space
Details / URL
ECTS
Year
Activity title
Space
Details / URL
Done
Done
ECTS
Year
Done
Activity title
Space
Details / URL
ECTS
Year
Activity title
Space
Details / URL
ECTS
Year
Activity title
Space
Details / URL
Done
Done
ECTS
Year
Done
Space
Sub-total number of credits (ECTS)
0
PhD competencies D: Didactic, communication and presentation skills
How well-developed is your competency to...
Hardly developed
Slightly developed
Adequately
developed
Strongly developed
...write clearly and in a style appropriate to
purpose in English language? (= clearly, at the
correct level and length for a variety of
purposes)
...construct coherent arguments and articulate
ideas clearly to a range of audiences, formally
and informally? (= make clear arguments and
explain ideas effectively to a range of audiences
using different methods)
...communicate on the research progress? (=
write down your progress clearly)
...constructively defends research outcomes at
seminars and the PhD defence? (= defend your
research outcomes fluently and confidently)
...promote own research in a way that
contributes to the public understanding of your
research field
...effectively support the learning of others
when involved in teaching, mentoring or
demonstrating activities? (= help in the learning
of others when involved in teaching, mentoring
or demonstrating activities)
Possible ways to acquire these competencies can be activities such as:
• Writing popular articles / newsletter articles
• Oral and poster presentations
• English language courses
• Courses on scientific or academic writing, presentation skills, communication with press, policy and public, intercultural communication
• Didactic courses
• Teaching activities, for example supervising MSc students; giving lectures; developing short courses
Your education and training activities
Activity
Activity title
Space
Details / URL
ECTS
Year
Activity title
Space
Details / URL
ECTS
Year
Activity title
Space
Details / URL
Done
Done
ECTS
Year
Done
Activity title
Space
ECTS
Details / URL
Year
Activity title
Space
ECTS
Details / URL
Year
Activity title
Space
Done
Done
ECTS
Details / URL
Year
Done
Space
Presentations
Name
conference /
meeting
Title presentation
Dates
attended
Place and
country
ECTS
ECTS
ECTS
ECTS
ECTS
ECTS
ECTS
ECTS
ECTS
ECTS
Space
Sub-total number of credits (ECTS)
0
PhD competencies E: Personal effectiveness
How well-developed is your competency to...
Hardly developed
Slightly developed
Adequately
developed
Strongly developed
...identify own training needs based on a real
understanding of own strengths and
weaknesses and career goals? (= able to
evaluate your own skills and plan future
training)
...work independently and to be self-reliant?
(= Show that you can work on your own when
necessary)
...ask for help on time and when appropriate?
...be flexible and open to alternative approaches
to problems/tasks?
...listen to evaluations by others and to learn by
changing your behaviour, position or methods?
...contribute effectively to teams by knowing
how the way you behave affects the success of
others and the group?
...build, maintain and use a network of people
who are interesting or useful for achieving your
goals? (= get to know people at work and at
other institutions, and keep good working
relationships)
...promote your personal qualifications and
skills, e.g. through effective CVs and job
applications?
Possible ways to acquire these competencies can be activities such as:
• Doing a PhD competence assessment
• Courses to enhance personal effectiveness (for instance 'Effective behaviour in your professional surroundings')
• Active participation in chair group research meetings and seminars
• Participation/networking in local, national and international (scientific) meetings, symposia, congresses and workshops
• PhD courses career assessment, orientation and perspectives
Your education and training activities
Activity
Activity title
Space
Details / URL
ECTS
Year
Activity title
Space
Details / URL
ECTS
Year
Activity title
Space
Details / URL
Done
Done
ECTS
Year
Done
Activity title
Space
ECTS
Details / URL
Year
Done
S
Spade
Networking
Title conference/meeting/workshop...
Dates attended
Place and country
ECTS
Space
ECTS
Space
ECTS
Space
Spade
TOTAL NUMBER OF CREDITS (ECTS) OF YOUR TSP
(pls note: a minimum of 30 ects is required)
0
3. My PhD Supervision Plan
In this section you state the agreements you have made with your supervisors regarding the supervision. It is important to have the
same expectations of the supervision as your supervisors. Such as: amount of time spent by supervisors on your PhD project, who is
involved in which chapter or with which publication, number of meetings to evaluate the progress of the PhD project. The Supervision
Plan is an agreement between the PhD candidate and the supervisors, therefore, both parties must agree with the content and with the
specified arrangements.
It is advised to assess your supervision plan with your supervisors at least once a year, but preferably every 6 months. Evaluate together
with your supervisors if the agreements work well or if there is room for improvement. You can adjust the plan accordingly.
Supervisor
first name
Supervisor
surname
Role supervisor
Frequency
of meetings
Format meetings
Promotor
Face-to-face
Co-promotor
Skype
Daily
supervisor
Email
Other
Promotor
Face-to-face
Co-promotor
Skype
Daily
supervisor
Email
Promotor
Face-to-face
Co-promotor
Skype
Daily
supervisor
Email
Promotor
Face-to-face
Co-promotor
Skype
Daily
supervisor
Email
Promotor
Face-to-face
Co-promotor
Skype
Daily
supervisor
Email
Please, discuss your Training and Supervision Plan with all your supervisors
and make sure you all agree with this plan
I declare that my supervisors agree with this Training and Supervision Plan,
Space
Space
Frequency of
progress
evaluation
Other
Other
Other
Other
Date (dd-mm-yyyy)
Approval of proposed TSP (Phase A), updating TSP (Phase B) and applying for
SENSE Diploma (Phase C)
PHASE A. Submit SENSE TSP for approval
Please, fill in this form as complete as possible. For several education or training activities you do not know yet which courses you
will follow, when and where you will present your research or what the title of your publication will be. In these cases, you can
indicate the type of courses you would like to take (even though you do not know yet if this is possible), that you will present at an
international conference (even you do not know which one yet, just 'state to be determined'), and give a working title for expected
papers. After approval you can adjust and enhance this form, as long as you meet the SENSE Diploma requirements.
For approval, please upload this form on My PhD Roadmap at step 2b ‘Your TSP Proposal’
PHASE B. Update TSP form
Throughout your PhD project you can add and update education and training activities using this very same form. We also
recommend you to use this form for the yearly or half yearly evaluation meetings with your supervisors, both to discuss your
education progress as to discuss the supervision agreements.
PHASE C. Apply for SENSE Diploma
Toward the end of your PhD trajectory, please fill in the the following:
Full name (this name will be shown on your SENSE Diploma)
Date of birth (dd-mm-yyyy)
Place and Country of birth
Place of graduation
Graduation date (dd-mm-yyyy)
Name of your first Promotor
Postal address of first Promotor
PhD thesis title
PhD thesis abstract (max. 150 words)
To apply for your SENSE Diploma, please upload this form on My PhD Roadmap at step 10 ‘Last step to complete your PhD’
Contact and support
If you need help or support with filling in this form, please contact the PhD Education coordinator Monique Gulickx:
[email protected]