Representative of the PhD student association

MESSAGE FROM THE PHD STUDENTS' REPRESENTATIVES

Dear prospective PHD student,

It is great that you are interested in doing a PHD at the HEC Lausanne. I am not only saying that on behalf of the PhDNet but also as a current management PHD student. The management department at the HEC (DEMA) is lively and consists of a diverse pool of professors and students. On my first day I came across PHD students fromMexico, Rumania, France and Sweden . In my first year I had doctoral courses with a Finnish, French and British professor. I love diversity and I guess I am at the right place. Hopefully, so are you.

Let me give you a short overview of what you can expect when you are pursuing a PHD at the department of management at the HEC. Quite a few things have changed since I started and I think for the better: The first two years are dedicated to the PhD School and its course work. 

The courses will provide you with the first theoretical insights on academic research. Some of them are obligatory, some of them are free to choose according to your research interests. The DEMA offers several specialisation courses in marketing or accounting for example. You also have the opportunity to do doctoral courses at another university (like the EPFL at the other side of the campus for example). I did several courses at the Swiss Summer School in Lugano and can highly recommend those.

What happens after you passed the courses? Well, write, write, write ... After the courses you are likely to be equipped with the tools and knowledge to do research and write you dissertation. I can recommend you to start writing early and to participate in conferences to exchange knowledge with other PHDs but also professors. The management department is eager to foster interdisciplinary knowledge exchange. Every month there are so-called “Brownbag Seminars” where either PHD students, HEC professors or even external professors present their research. This is highly valuable and you should take the opportunity and participate in those seminars.

What else can I say? Besides all the PHD work (courses, brownbag seminars, conferences...) there is always time for social activities. The PhdNet represents the interests of doctoral students and assistants at the HEC and also organises social events where PHD students from management but also from other departments of the HEC can exchange their research experience and knowledge.

You are not alone in your PHD journey!

Judith Schrempf

Ph.D. Candidate and President of the PhD student association