4 ms·

You mention eight weeks of holiday, and taking three weeks off at a time. That is no different than any non-remote office job in the EU, and it is nowhere near

You mention eight weeks of holiday, and taking three weeks off at a time. That is no different than any non-remote office job in the EU, and it is nowhere near close to being able to leave cold Europe for the entire northern hemisphere winter. I realize that I am fortunate to have found a day job where I can work fully remote (though remote work is fairly mainstream now in my own country), but once you enter this lifestyle, it is really hard to ever go back. > Boring is I guess a matter of opinion - you're expected to hear what other people in your field are doing. Obviously anyone interested enough in a field to do a PhD, is going to be interested in the work all the other people are doing. However, that would preferably be done by reading, where one is free to schedule that reading at the times one sees fit, and one is free to skim (which I know everyone does, because otherwise it would be impossible to keep up with the volume of publications). If you have to attend a weekly seminar, you’re on someone else’s schedule, and then you’re stuck there for the entire time of the seminar.

joshvm 6y ago
Honestly, I think most institutions would be accommodating to your requests - particularly for mature students who have lives outside the university. Most places aren't going to kick you out if you don't turn up to the weekly seminar, but some people might frown upon it because it would be seen as not integrating. We also encourage PhD students to both give talks and to ask questions at seminars. Ultimately your PhD is not granted on the basis of your attendance to some talks. I think the deciding factor is probably where your money is coming from. In the UK if you're paying for your tuition, you can usually demand whatever conditions you like. If you're being funded by a specific grant, that might confer some additional requirements defined by the department. This may not be the case in your particular sub-field, but we have plenty of fully remote students and staff. I know several academics who work half the year in one institution and half in another - though usually that's due to family, not being unhappy about the weather!

joshvm 6y ago

Honestly, I think most institutions would be accommodating to your requests - particularly for mature students who have lives outside the university. Most places aren't going to kick you out if you don't turn up to the weekly seminar, but some people might frown upon it because it would be seen as not integrating. We also encourage PhD students to both give talks and to ask questions at seminars. Ultimately your PhD is not granted on the basis of your attendance to some talks. I think the deciding factor is probably where your money is coming from. In the UK if you're paying for your tuition, you can usually demand whatever conditions you like. If you're being funded by a specific grant, that might confer some additional requirements defined by the department. This may not be the case in your particular sub-field, but we have plenty of fully remote students and staff. I know several academics who work half the year in one institution and half in another - though usually that's due to family, not being unhappy about the weather!