An environmental change is a mandatory part of your PhD program. It gives you the opportunity to become part of an active research environment outside SDU – at an international university, a research institution, or a private company.
The stay must last between 2 and 6 months (minimum 3 continuous weeks).
Note: It is primarily your supervisor who is responsible for ensuring that you establish contact with active research environments outside SDU in order to organize your environmental change.
Get an overview of what you should consider before, during, and after your stay.
At the bottom of the page (black box), you can also read the advice that previous PhD students wish they had received before going abroad.
For a more detailed checklist of what you should investigate and clarify in connection with your environmental change or research stay abroad, you may want to contact the International Staff Office (psssst… I’ve heard rumors that they’ve actually created a whole checklist just for this!)
12 personal tips for surviving your environmental change
When you move to a new place, there are often insights and tips you wish you had known earlier – advice that could have made the transition smoother or maybe saved you time and/or money.
I asked our PhD students what advice they wish they had received before going on an environmental change stay abroad.
Here’s what they said:
- Establish a routine as soon as you’ve settled in. It helps make the transition smoother and reduces the confusion often felt when moving to a new place.
- Plan your sightseeing activities in advance. You’ll be busy with your own work and the new group’s activities, and it’s easy to postpone sightseeing until it’s suddenly time to go home.
- When choosing a destination for your environmental change, consider how accessible the host is. Do they have a large lab with many staff/guests, or can they be more attentive and available during your visit? Sometimes it’s better to choose a place that may sound less exciting on paper but where you get more attention.
- Always keep in mind that your stay is short and should be used to the fullest. Even if you are normally introverted, try setting that side of yourself aside for a while. Participate in various activities and discussions, present your research, and spend as much time as possible with other researchers at the host university. This will give you a richer experience, plenty of learning, and possible opportunities for scientific collaborations. Remember, international collaboration looks excellent on your academic CV.
- Discuss your ideas openly with your host supervisor. Don’t be too modest, and don’t assume you’re new so your input doesn’t matter. Even if you are working on a completely new topic, many great ideas can come from discussions and brainstorming sessions.
- If possible, it can be extremely helpful to go with someone you know – a colleague or partner. Sharing the load, both physically with the move and administratively, is very helpful. And of course, it also provides emotional support.
- If you’re alone, find activities and places you enjoy. Go to cozy cafés to read, visit museums, dance, exercise, etc. This helps the new place feel more familiar and allows you to maintain some of the good routines you had at home.
- Engage with people in the new department if possible. Attend lectures, team lunches, or social events outside work to meet new people.
- Prepare for the emotional aspect of living alone in a city where you don’t know anyone. Make sure to get out and experience things, even on days when you work from home.
- Be aware that work culture and hours may be very different from what you’re used to. Ask your host about working near others – having a single office can feel isolating and make it less motivating to go to the office.
- Make sure you have something enjoyable for your free time. Environmental change stays are mostly about work and research, but you can’t research every waking hour. Bring things that allow you to relax so you maintain some of the leisure routine you had at home.
- Consider time zones, especially if you want to stay in touch with family and friends at home. Think about when you’re awake and when they are, so you can communicate at a time that works for both of you.
Environmental change in Denmark?
If you are a PhD student with a foreign master’s degree, the change of environment can take place in Denmark.
If you are a PhD student with a Danish master’s degree, the change of environment should normally take place abroad, but you can apply to your PhD school to have your change of environment in Denmark. The application must include strong academic reasons explaining why this would benefit your PhD project.