What should I do if a PhD student asks me for help?
The relays are resource people to which PhD students can turn when they face personal issues regarding their thesis… But what should I do in case of a request for help? Different solutions are possible (according to the type and severity of the situation):
- Show that you are open for a discussion: the first action is to listen. Sometimes, a nice conversation and an exchange of experience can be reassuring!
- For a confidential discussion with a totally neutral professional, people of trust are available at ULiège: https://www.ulg.ac.be/cms/c_3089421/fr/personnes-de-confiance
- If the issue in question is about the PhD student’s relationship with one or several members of the research environment ( colleague or supervisor), it might be wise to discuss it with her/his promoter or with the stakeholder committee. The PhD student in question might not realize how problematic the situation is, which induces that it is essential to (positively) raise his/her awareness to find a solution!
- If the problem persists, the college president might be another resource person who could resolve the conflict.
- It is also possible to get in touch with the ReD coordinators to present the situation: some of them members of the doctoral Office and are used to manage conflicts occuring within the doctoral context.
- In case of a severe and persisting problem to which no solution can be found at the level of the college (in case of harassment, for instance), you can inform the doctoral Office of the situation.
The different steps to take, of course, depends on the own intentions of the person asking for help and on the type of problem that she/he is facing, but do not hesitate to tell her/him about each of these solutions! Click here to learn more on the different bodies that surround the doctorate.
