PhD students often want to use their time efficiently for research-related activities, such as lab/computer work and writing articles. The requirement to take professional development courses as part of their doctoral program may seem like a waste of time. ‘Au contraire!’, says Isabelle Kohler, who discusses why professional development courses not only enhance the doctoral journey but also the next steps in their career. She also offers tips on which courses to take and when.

As a PhD student, you might think that every waking hour should be dedicated to research, lab or computer work, and writing articles. But what if I told you that investing some of this precious time in professional development could not only enhance your PhD journey but also significantly boost your future career prospects?

Many Dutch institutes require PhD candidates to earn a certain number of credits in professional development courses. For instance, VU Amsterdam stipulates 30 EC (European credits) in their Training and Supervising Plan, equivalent to 840 hours of study.

Spending 840 hours on studying instead of doing research sounds like a lot, doesn’t it? You might worry that it will distract you from your research progress or delay your thesis completion. So, why would you invest so much time in professional development?