The CWTS PhD/ECR Council represents all PhD candidates and early career researchers (ECRs) at CWTS. The Council serves as a platform for PhD candidates and ECRs to stay updated on university wide and faculty developments, voice concerns, discuss relevant issues and provide a sense of community and support.  

The PhD/ECR council is led by two chairs who also act as intermediaries between PhD candidates/ECRs and other bodies at Leiden University and CWTS. This includes the CWTS Coordinators Council, the FSW Graduate school and the PhD Councils of other institutes at FSW.  In those different settings, the chairs stay informed and discuss opportunities and issues about university-wide and faculty developments, as well as institute-specific matters affecting PhD candidates and ECRs.  

Another key objective of the Council is to foster social cohesion and a sense of community among PhD candidates and ECRs. To achieve this, it organizes monthly meetings, and coordinates activities for knowledge exchange, alongside informal events to strengthen connections within the PhD/ECR community.