Aligning supervision with student needs

Aligning supervision with research student needs

It is a complicated relationship

From time to time PhD students have voiced their dissatisfaction with supervisors being either too directive in their style or being unengaged. The dissatisfaction may reflect inappropriate supervision, but it may also reflect situations where PhD student and supervisor did not discuss mutual expectations and align supervision accordingly.

Quality supervision is implicitly perceived as facilitation or coaching, hands-off, not taking ownership, guiding the PhD student from the side-line. But this is not always appropriate: Sometimes PhD students need instructions, and sometimes they need to try things out for themselves.

No general answers – only individualised solutions

The role of a supervisor is very complex and depends on a number of factors, so setting general priorities will not help developing quality supervision.

Instead the art of good supervision may boil down to the ability to adjust one’s style to the needs of the PhD student, drawing from a range of techniques and approaches, and being open to discuss and reflecting on one’s practice.

Individual needs

The type of support different PhD students need depends on a number of factors such as

· experience – how far into PhD studies, and experience before PhD studies

· educational and cultural background

· personal preferences, self-confidence, etc.

· career goals and aspirations

· nature of the project, e.g. individual project or part of a larger project

· focus on the research and thesis, or education of a researcher – what is given higher weight

· the issue in question

Discuss openly the needs of the PhD student

PhD students are encouraged to reflect on and voice their needs. Supervisors are encouraged to ask. Without open dialogue it is very difficult for supervisors to know what their PhD students expect, and the dialogue should be continuous, since needs change over the course of the three years.

The supervisor’s toolbox

Supervisors need to be able to judge what is appropriate, and to have a range of techniques and approaches in their toolbox, in order to offer appropriate supervision in the situation. You will find links to courses and more tips to expand your toolbox under Strengthening Supervisory Competences.

Facilitation and communication are often included in supervision courses because many supervisors feel a need to develop their ‘coaching’ skills. PhD students are also encouraged to visit this page, and to participate in the supervision courses open to them, since supervision is a two-way process.

The role of different supervisors

The principal and supplementary supervisors have different roles and responsibilities, and this also needs to be negotiated and made explicit.

Keep adjusting your supervision

Offering appropriate or situational supervision must be based on a dialogue between the individual PhD student and their supervisor(s) in an iterative cycle of evaluation, reflection, negotiation and action. Talk about your practice and be ready to make changes!