Short:
Andrea Kis delivers invited talks on PhD well‑being and responsible academic assessment
In early 2026, META/e member Andrea Kis delivered a series of invited keynote and symposium talks addressing two interconnected themes at the heart of contemporary discussions on research culture: PhD well‑being and responsible academic assessment.
Long:
Andrea Kis delivers invited talks on PhD well‑being and responsible academic assessment
In early 2026, META/e member Andrea Kis delivered a series of invited keynote and symposium talks addressing two interconnected themes at the heart of contemporary discussions on research culture: PhD well‑being and responsible academic assessment.
PhD Well‑Being and academic freedom
On 14 January, Andrea Kis gave a keynote at the Tilburg University PhD Day, focusing on mental health, research integrity, and the conditions under which PhD candidates can flourish. Drawing on her work across responsible academic assessment, research climate, and ethics, she framed the PhD not only as a demanding professional trajectory, but as a deeply formative personal journey.
A central message of the talk was that meaningful improvement in academic well‑being cannot rely on individual resilience alone. Instead, it requires institutional design choices - in policies, evaluation systems, and decision‑making practices - that are explicitly shaped for and with the people they affect. When such structures are responsible, transparent, and humane, they support PhD candidates in thriving rather than merely coping.
During the discussion, participants raised a recurring question in debates on research culture: Do mandatory research integrity trainings threaten academic freedom? Reflecting on well‑known cases of research misconduct and on the historical role of norms and codes of conduct, Kis argued that academic freedom and integrity are not opposing values, but mutually reinforcing principles. Responsible research practices protect both scientific credibility and the freedom needed for curiosity and creativity to flourish.
Responsible academic assessment and research culture change
Later in the spring, Andrea Kis and Julma Braat presented their joint work on Responsible Academic Assessment at two invited events: an Open Science Community Eindhoven (OSC/e) session on 31 March, and the NRIN Symposium on 10 April.
Their work is part of a co‑funded initiative supported by Open Science NL, with TU/e as the embedding institution, and focuses on strengthening academic assessment in line with Recognition & Rewards principles. Universities rely on assessment for high‑stakes decisions on hiring, promotion, and recognition, yet assessment practices are often under‑studied, unevenly implemented, and insufficiently supported.
The project integrates three core pillars:
- A review of good academic assessment practices,
- Evidence‑informed interventions and practical tools for assessment committees,
- The development of a sustained internal and external community of practice.
Grounded in social psychology, ethics, and research integrity, the initiative connects policy ambitions to everyday committee work and lived academic experience. Its goals include reducing bias and strain on well‑being, improving procedural fairness and transparency, and contributing to a healthier and more inclusive research culture.
At the NRIN Symposium, Kis concluded with a broader reflection on institutional change in academia. She emphasized that durable transformation does not come from individual “star” figures, but from collective effort, aligned incentives, and systems that are resilient beyond any one person. Sustainable change, she argued, requires evidence‑based processes, checks and balances, and strong academic communities capable of carrying reforms forward.
Together, these invited talks highlight ongoing efforts within META/e to critically examine how academic structures - ranging from PhD training environments to assessment systems - shape both scientific quality and the people who produce it.