The next dates for the How to be an Effective Doctoral Supervisor (HBEDS) series will be scheduled in Tri B. We are currently focussed on the roll-out of the training for supervisors on the new Student Information Management System (SIMS).
Invitations to HBEDS and all other relevant supervisory workshops are sent via email to the members of the ‘All Doctoral Supervisors’ mailing list. Please get in touch with your School Programme Coordinator (Research Degrees) who will be able to add you onto your School-specific all supervisors mailing list to ensure you receive information on workshops.
Would you like to learn useful tips for successful research supervision or hone your skills by sharing the latest ideas on supervision? This four part series of workshops is designed to be taken in any order.
Who is this course for?
1) Supervisors of postgraduate students
2) Staff who would like to supervise postgraduate students
3) Mentors of new supervisors
Starting from the basis of assuming that supervisors are doing a good job already, this course does not focus on the basics of supervision; rather it concentrates on activities which will increase the effectiveness of the supervision process for postgraduate researchers.
All four workshops are highly discursive, interactive and allow the opportunity to share experiences, explore the assistance available to first time supervisors and take away practical tools and suggestions.
Session 1 consists of an introduction to the Graduate School and Researcher Development provision at GCU and considers the responsibilities of the Academic Schools, supervisors and students at the outset of the doctoral journey. We explore the options for supervisory support, including the role of the supervisor-mentor as well as the initial process and procedures (RDC Forms) required in the first year of the PhD journey. HBEDS 1 is essential for all new supervisors.
Session 2, entitled Establishing Roles and Working Practices, draws upon the experience of established supervisors and examiners to showcase best practice in doctoral supervision. As well as opening up the discussion on the student-supervisor relationship, this session also outlines the nitty-gritty of record keeping, form filling and explores the university procedures for dealing with the unexpected by examining the implications of the RDC3 forms. HBEDS 2 is essential for all new supervisors, but is also available as a refresher session for experienced supervisors who would be welcome to contribute to the discussion.
Session 3, entitled Supervising the Research Process, looks quite specifically at the mid-section of the PhD journey when the student and the supervisor have moved on from the enthusiasm of the first year into what can become the hard work stages of the second and third years. In this workshop we revisit the RDC forms and the processing that this doctoral supervisory stage might entail, and the discussion is enlivened by a range of Top Tips from the ADRs. HBEDS 3 is essential for all new supervisors, but is also available as a refresher session for experienced supervisors who would be welcome to contribute to the discussion.
Supporting, Motivating and Developing your PhD student concludes the HBEDS series. In this final session we focus on the end stage of the PhD journey and how you can effectively support your doctoral student towards successful completion. We will discuss the Personal Development Portfolio (PDP), the composition, drafting (redrafting) and submission of the completed thesis and consider appropriate preparation for the Viva Voce examination. We’ll consider the experiences of a recently graduated PhD candidate and hear from an experienced Viva Chair on how they arrange the examination. Finally, we discuss what lies beyond completion and how we can assist PhD candidates in making the transition from student to researcher (or not). HBEDS 4 is essential for all new supervisors. It is also particularly recommended as a refresher session for experienced supervisors so that we might benefit from your contribution to the discussion.
