General & Mental guidance

PhD candidates who face problems during their PhD programme can contact the PhD advisor(s) of their own graduate school. We give confidential advice and coaching on how to tackle the problem or challenge, and when needed we direct the PhD candidate to other advice, support or counseling bodies within or outside the university.

Doctoral candidates can contact the WUR ombudsperson for independent, impartial and confidential advice, interventions and investigations in the workplace or the academic environment. Examples include collaboration issues, workplace conflicts, and undesirable behaviour that is persistent and ongoing.

PhD candidates who are confronted with undesirable behaviour can contact us to ask a question, file a report or a complaint, or seek advice on a situation they are not sure how to handle. All questions and complaints are treated confidentially and you, the person who files the issue, is free to decide what happens to the information provided.

For issues involving scientific integrity or undesirable behaviour, PhD candidates can also directly contact the confidential counsellors for undesirable behaviour or the confidential counsellors for scientific integrity.

For physical and mental well-being, you can contact an in-house medical officer. We will also contact you if you, for example, have been ill for a longer period.

PhD candidates can ask support from one of our HR advisors.

PhD candidates who experience problems in their relationship with supervisors or colleagues, or have personal complaints (e.g. burnout or mental fitness issues) can also directly contact Occupational Social Work (BMW).

WUR provides a broad programme for all PhD candidates of Wageningen University Vital@work. This helps you to work on your health and stay fit and vital.