Supervision in Doctoral Education In the Middle Phase – Measures, Procedures, Tools

1. Supervision in Doctoral EducationIn the Middle Phase – Measures, Procedures, Tools Supervision in Doctoral Education University of Zagreb 2011 PD Dr. Helmut Brentel

2. Core Dimensions of Supervision • Strategic Guidance • Levels and Roles • Qualification Objectives • Productive Relationship • Monitoring of Progress • Procedures for Formal Meetings • Joint Skills • Developing Supervisors • Resources and Tools Supervision in Doctoral Education University of Zagreb 2011 PD Dr. Helmut Brentel

3. 1. Strategic Guidance - Institutional Responsibilities • ● rules for supervisory teams • ● rules for (maximal) number of doctoral candidates for a supervisor • ● rewards for successful completions • ● awards for good / best supervision practices • ● reduction of teaching workload for supervision effort • ● high recognition of research supervision • ● monitoring results discussed by top university committees • ● regional, national and international cooperation in improving supervision Supervision in Doctoral Education University of Zagreb 2011 PD Dr. Helmut Brentel

4. 2. Levels and Roles of Supervision • Specialist Levelindependent research, critical reflection skills, choice, use and development of methods, awareness of the connection between contents and methods • Organisational LevelProcess oriented project management (appointments, deadlines, milestones, interim results), funding and stipends, qualification opportunities, workingtechniquesStrategic Level • Career planning, conferences, networks, stay abroad, contact to scientists and key persons outside of university • Personal LevelAdvice for personal problems, motivation crisis, self-doubt and conflicts; reconcilement of family and career, shaping of the relation supervisor – doctoral candidate Supervision in Doctoral Education University of Zagreb 2011 PD Dr. Helmut Brentel

5. 3. Qualification Objectives of Research Supervision(According to Anne Lee) • Which skills and capabilities do we want to achieve? • Functional:where the issue is one of project management • Enculturation:encouraging postgraduate researchers to become a member of the disciplinary community • Critical Thinking:encouraging postgraduate researchers to question and analyse their work • Emancipation:encouraging postgraduate researchers to question and develop themselves • Developing a High Quality Relationship:where the postgraduate researcher is enthused, inspired and cared for Supervision in Doctoral Education University of Zagreb 2011 PD Dr. Helmut Brentel

6. 4.1 Productive Supervision Relationship • Entry Analysis • ● identifying the candidates motivations, objectives and needs • ● getting to know the doctoral candidates capabilities • ● presentation in the supervisors doctoral colloquia before accepting him/her for a doctorate • Confidence Building • ● encouraging the doctoral candidate to develop sufficient self confidence to sustain several years of demanding independent work • Advice and Criticism • ● providing advice and criticism in a way that the doctoral candidate can understand and accept it – more over that the he/she is actively asking for it • ● giving advice and criticism timely so that the doctoral candidate is not absolutely surprised of having elaborated the thesis totally inappropriate below standard Supervision in Doctoral Education University of Zagreb 2011 PD Dr. Helmut Brentel

7. 4.2 Productive Supervision Relationship • Mutual Awareness of Expectations • Expectations to the supervisors themselves: • ● What is the supervisor willing/able to provide? • ● Is he/she open to get help from elsewhere? • ● Is he/she open and well informed to delegate tasks to experts? • ● When is written work expected? • ● When is feedback given? • Expectations to the doctoral candidate: • ● turn up to appointments • ● write regularly • ● tell the truth about work done • ● keep in touch – socially, practically, academically • ● do the research tasks that have been mutually agreed and scheduled Supervision in Doctoral Education University of Zagreb 2011 PD Dr. Helmut Brentel

8. 4.3 Productive Supervision Relationship • Expectations of doctoral candidates to their supervisor: • ● regular supervision • ● sufficient time for discussion and reflection • ● written feedback • ● elaboration of the supervisors final report to the doctoral committee within reasonable time • Problem of invalid expectations: • ● awareness of different cultural and academic backgrounds – especially in supervision relations with foreign doctoral candidates • ● precautions to avoid and measures to detect and to communicate invalid expectations Supervision in Doctoral Education University of Zagreb 2011 PD Dr. Helmut Brentel

9. 5. Monitoring of Progress • ● doctoral agreement • ● agreed format of a minimum number of meetings between supervisors and doctoral candidates • ● agreed format of keeping records of meetings • ● regular progress reports • ● monitoring of progression rates, completions and appeals • ● regular questionnaire on supervision quality and experiences answered by the doctoral candidates • ● exit questionnaire answered by the doctoral candidates and the supervisors • ● database and statistics of doctoral candidates • ● progression profiles Supervision in Doctoral Education University of Zagreb 2011 PD Dr. Helmut Brentel

10. 6. Procedures for Formal Meetings • ● Agenda • ● Milestones • ● Response to written work, structures and details • ● Record of discussion and future advice • ● Elaboration of training plan • ● Annual training agreement • ● Next meeting Supervision in Doctoral Education University of Zagreb 2011 PD Dr. Helmut Brentel

11. 7. Transferable and Generic Skills – as Joint Competences • ● The Doctoral Project: Exposé, Dissertation, Defence • ● Writing and Presenting in German • ● Writing and Presenting in English • ● Preparing and Publishing Academic Papers • ● Reflection, Communication, Argumentation • ● Coaching for Doctoral Candidates • ● Generic Skills and their Relevance for Job Application and Careers • ● Application, Project and Conference Management • ● Negotiation and Leadership • ● Lecturing Didactics for Junior Researchers • ● Workshops for Supervisors Supervision in Doctoral Education University of Zagreb 2011 PD Dr. Helmut Brentel

12. 8. Developing Supervisors • ● help them to build and to participate in a good research culture • ● help them to build and to participate in a good communication culture • ● incentives for participating in supervisors training • ● events, meetings, workshops for sharing experience (on local, national or international level) • ● working groups of supervisors • ● coaching for supervisors Supervision in Doctoral Education University of Zagreb 2011 PD Dr. Helmut Brentel

13. ● lock books for supervisors and doctoral candidates (Research Student LOG, University of Plymouth, Graduate School, Prof. Michael Fuller) ● guidelines ● handbook for good supervision practices and tools ● all supporting materials and links for doctoral candidates and supervisors online ● UK Vitae web site and handbook ‘Supervising a doctorate’ at www.vitae.ac.uk ● presentations of the EUA-CDE Workshop on “"Enhancing of Supervision: Professional Development and Assessment of Supervisors" at Imperial College, London, UK, 8-9 January 2009 http://www.eua.be/events/eua-cde-workshop/presentation/ 9. Resources and Tools Supervision in Doctoral Education University of Zagreb 2011 PD Dr. Helmut Brentel

14. Creating an environment where the doctoral candidates feels comfortable giving and receiving feedback Encouraging doctoral candidates to manage meetings to get the best out of them Helping the doctoral candidate to asses his/her own progress Review of research plan, setting intermediate goals Ensure that doctoral candidates are staying on top of the international state of research (literature, methods, controversies) Fostering creativity and self-organisation of postgraduate research Realistic writing up plan Helping with time management Encouraging personal development Importance and understanding of transferable skills Conferences, presentations, international research stays When the thesis is going to fail: detecting dangers and solving problems Dealing with conflicts Transition to the professional project Professional support for supervisors Using and developing tools 16 Core Tasks of Supervision in the Middle Phase Supervision in Doctoral Education University of Zagreb 2011 PD Dr. Helmut Brentel

15. The Overall Aim:Enhancing Transparency, Awareness and Capabilities • Improving the transparency of procedures, regulations and success conditions in doctoral education and research supervision for doctoral candidates and supervisors • Improving the awareness of mutual expectations of the doctoral candidates as well as of the supervisors • Improving the monitoring performance and techniques Supervision in Doctoral Education University of Zagreb 2011 PD Dr. Helmut Brentel