One of the most important aspects of the Ius Commune Research School is the participation of PhD researchers. Membership of the Ius Commune Research School implies that PhD researchers not only receive a training as junior researcher on the foundations of Ius Commune research, but also that the PhD researchers participate as full members in all activities of the Research School.

The training programme for PhD researchers consists of the following activities.

1. Introduction days – Maastricht University

This two-day meeting is meant as a first introduction to the research school and as a first acquaintance with other new PhD candidates. During these days we will explain the working of the research school, the content of the training programme, and the role of PhD candidates in the research school. We will also start with the content of the training programme, with a workshop on presentation skills and by asking PhD candidates to present their research topic. PhD candidates will mainly receive feedback on their presentation skills.

2. Masterclass – University of Amsterdam

This Masterclass focuses on research methodology. This Masterclass is primarily intended for PhD candidates in their first year of the Ius Commune Research School. PhD candidates will have the opportunity to present the methodological framework of their PhD project and discuss any related challenges. In preparation, they are asked to submit a short paper. During the Masterclass, they will give a presentation highlighting the methodological aspects of their research, after which an expert in their field will provide detailed feedback on their research project. This will be followed by questions and comments from fellow participants.

3. Comparative Law Methodology – Utrecht University

This training focuses on comparative law methodology. This training is primarily intended for PhD candidates in their first year of the Ius Commune Research School. Experts will teach the different methodological aspects of comparative law, and PhD candidates will engage in discussions with the experts and their peers on how they can implement comparative law in their own research projects. The following topics could be discussed, for example: phases of doing comparative law, translation and linguistic aspects, legal traditions, interdisciplinarity and comparative law.

4. Masterclass – KU Leuven

This training focuses on presentations of the preliminary findings of PhD candidates’ research project. This Masterclass is primarily intended for PhD candidates in their second year of the Ius Commune Research School. PhD candidates present their research project and preliminary findings, which will then be commented on by an expert in the field and by a peer. The goal of this Masterclass is to further develop the following skills: writing a paper; presenting and discussing a paper; and commenting on the work of peers.

In addition, within each separate programme, seminars take place in which the PhD researcher can participate.

Finally every PhD-researcher also follows an individual training programme. This individual training programme is aligned to the interests of the PhD-researcher.

Dr. Tom Vos (Maastricht University) is the coordinator of the PhD Training Programme and hence responsible for coordinating the training programme.

During the yearly Ius Commune conference specific attention is paid to PhD researchers. The yearly conference therefore provides them the opportunity to present their own research and to gain experience with presenting papers in the real academic world.

The PhD researchers of the Research School form together the PhD-council. This constitutes a meeting of all PhD researchers within the School. Every participating faculty has a representative of the PhD-researchers. This PhD-representative takes part in negotiations with other faculties. At this moment the following persons are the PhD-representatives:

• for University of Amsterdam: Yevai Gerber also chairman of the PhD-Council, and Jiabao Zhou
• for Utrecht University: Willem Rebel
• for KU Leuven: Paulina Salmun
• for Maastricht University: Blessing Eze

The chair person of the PhD-council also takes part in an advisory role in the meetings of the board of the Ius Commune Research School.