KLI Introduction Course 2026

On Monday, March 16th, the annual KLI Introduction event welcomed new KLI PhD members in Utrecht. The day started with coffee and tea, a good chance to meet some familiar and unfamiliar faces before the programme began.

The morning session opened with a brief introduction round, followed by presentations from Terence Dores Cruz (Research Committee Member, VU Amsterdam) and Gert-Jan Lelieveld (Teaching Committee Chair, Leiden University), who walked us through the KLI’s structure, mission, and the research and teaching opportunities available to members throughout their PhD.

We were lucky to have lunch outside in the sun, which was a welcome pause that gave everyone time to recharge and get to know each other a little better.

The afternoon session featured three speakers. Ton Hol, the KLI’s confidential advisor, was unfortunately unable to attend in person and was briefly introduced via the information on the KLI website and personal experiences, though it was made clear that he is an important point of contact for any challenges that come up throughout the PhD. Eleni Giannakoudi (KLI PhD Representative, University of Groningen) shared honest and practical advice on PhD life, well-being, and making the most of what the KLI has to offer. Anneloes Kip (KLI alumna and postdoc, Maastricht University), reflected on her own PhD journey, the obstacles she encountered, and how she navigated them, which many in the room could already relate to.

Afterwards, we went on a guided walking tour through Utrecht, where we learned some fascinating things about the city’s history and landmarks. I particularly enjoyed learning about the canal system, including the fact that people actually live in the canal houses along the water, which I hadn’t known before. The tour was also a perfect opportunity to talk to others in a more relaxed setting after a day of presentations.

The day ended with dinner at De Rechtbank, which was a lot of fun and probably the best part of the day for getting to know fellow PhD candidates properly. With the more formal part of the day behind us, there was time for longer conversations and to find out a bit more about what everyone is working on.

All in all, a well-organised day that gave new KLI members a solid introduction to KLI and, perhaps more importantly, created space for PhD candidates from across the Netherlands to meet, share experiences, and begin forming a supportive network for the years ahead.