School of somethingFACULTY OF OTHER

Graduate Training and Support CentreSTAFF AND DEPARTMENTAL DEVELOPMENT UNIT

Effective Research Supervision:Policy and PracticeDr Heather Sears

Senior Training and Development Officer

Workshop outcomes

•What is a PhD?•What characteristics should a supervisor possess?•When can students expect help from their supervisor?•What systems and processes can help students and supervisors?

Developments in PhD training in the UK and

at University of Leeds

Sir Gareth Roberts Review (2001)

SET for success

The problem…

“the problem is that skills acquired by PhD graduates do not serve their long term needs. Currently PhDs do not prepare people adequately for careers in business or academia”

“Sir Gareth Roberts Review (2001) ‘SET for success’. (Chapter 4 Section 4.2)”

The solution….?

“…HEFCE and the RCs ... should make all funding related to PhD students conditional upon students’ training meeting stringent minimum standards. These minimum standards should include …two weeks of dedicated training per year, principally in transferable skills…”

“Sir Gareth Roberts Review (2001) ‘SET for success’. (Chapter 4 Section 4.2)”

The government has….

Leeds receives £350,000 (6,300,000,000 Rp) per annum for training in transferable skills

Provided ‘Roberts’ money

University of Leeds

The Vision….

To be the leading University for enabling research students to develop their Research Performance, Employability, Professionalism and Engagement with Society

“University of Leeds

Postgraduate Research Student Training and Development Strategy”

What are we doing?

Development of skills required for efficient completion of the research degree (Research Performance)

Development of skills required to maximise future employability

Skills training and development is targeted at:

In other words……

Have YOU got the full range of skills required to:

Produce a Thesis

which is Finished On Time and of Sufficient Quality for the award of a higher degree

and Publish your findings in an internationally renowned journal

and Present Your Research to world experts at a conference

and….

In other words……

protect and exploit your Intellectual Property

all the while Maintaining a Life by Managing Your Time with Minimal Stress

and keeping an eye on the Next Step

by Building a Network and Managing Your Career

all without falling foul of Isolation and the Second Year Slump

whilst keeping a Healthy Working Relationship with your supervisor and

In other words……

plan for a successful and fulfilling career?

What is a PhD?

What characteristics should a supervisor

possess?

When can students expect help from their supervisor?

Situations where students may OR may not expect help from a supervisor

Consider whether the students are being :

RealisticToo demandingProblematic

What issues are raised?What should you do to set up good practice from the start?

Students expect supervisors to be available when needed. Although you can plan regular supervisions, students need

to know you are approachable in between more formal sessions, if necessary to ask key questions.

Students expect supervisors to be friendly, open and supportive with academic issues and establish a

consultative, supportive relationship.

Supervisors need to be constructively critical, giving praise where relevant and informative (not harsh) criticism, so they

can develop their work further.

Gradually students should need less explicit guidance and criticism as they

develop autonomy and their own sound judgement.

Supervisors need to know to ask open questions, how to draw out ideas and clarify or define problems, and how to

elicit information.

Your student will need to interact with other students you supervise, those researching similar topics, students

supervised by other supervisors, and the broader academic community.