Beyond the Thesis: Relationships, Power, and Wellbeing in the PhD

14/04 12:30h -14:00h, room to be confirmed

Completing a doctoral thesis is a long and demanding journey, filled with moments of doubt, unexpected challenges, and also satisfactions. But beyond the academic challenges, the doctorate involves navigating complex working relationships, often marked by implicit power dynamics: dependence on the principal investigator (PI), difficulty setting boundaries when one's professional future largely depends on a single person, or the feeling that certain situations aren't quite right but one doesn't quite know who to talk to about them.

These dynamics may go unaddressed, or it may be difficult to communicate them—whether out of fear of consequences, not knowing who to turn to, or because academic culture often normalizes situations that deserve to be questioned.

The session will be led by two external facilitators who will offer some formative insights as well as space for conversation and exchange. This meeting was created with the intention of establishing a different kind of space: a moment to pause, offer tools, and listen.

Objectives

• Create a space to discuss the relational dynamics of the doctorate, including the relationship with the PI and situations of asymmetric power.

• Identify individual and collective needs that may go unnoticed or be difficult to raise through internal channels.

• Present the external support service and make it accessible to everyone.