Advanced course in research supervision for experienced doctoral supervisors

Eligibility requirements

Doctoral degree, completed and approved "Course in doctoral supervision" or equivalent and appointed as main supervisor.

Objective

From the autumn 2023, SLU offers a course in research supervision for experienced research supervisors, as part of SLU's supervisor policy, which states "they [principal supervisors] take part in continued professional development regarding supervision methodology by taking courses offered at e.g. SLU". The course is compulsory for:

• principal supervisors who begin to supervise a new PhD student five years or more after completing the "Course in Doctoral Supervision (Docent Course)" or
• principal supervisor who begin to supervise a new doctoral student five years or more after completing the "Advanced course in research supervision for experienced doctoral supervisors ".

After completing the course, the participant will be able to:

• understand and describe the main supervisor's role and responsibilities,
• have knowledge of the organization and goals of postgraduate education nationally and locally,
• lead and develop the work of the supervisor team,
• discuss the pros and cons of different supervising strategies in different supervising situations,
• have the knowledge to analyze and develop important factors for a creative and sustainable postgraduate education environment,
• understand the importance of relationship, communication and feedback for successful supervision.

Content

Thematic content

The course focuses, among other things, on rules and formalities concerning doctoral education at SLU, supervision methodology, scientific environment and communication.

Implementation

The course uses different teaching methods to support the course participants' learning and discussions through:

• self-study in a digital course module in Canvas,
• participation in at least five supervisor seminars with subsequent submission of notes,
• selection, reading and written reflection on a scientific article in supervision pedagogy,
• writing a reflection summarizing the five supervisor seminars,
• presentation and discussion of the reflection on the scientific article and the summary of the five supervisor seminars.

Mandatory activities

• Completed and approved digital course module in Canvas,
• Active participation in at least five supervisor seminars with subsequent submission of notes,
• Submit a written reflection summarizing the five supervisor seminars,
• Select, read and reflect on a scientific article in supervision pedagogy,
• Active participation at the final seminar, with presentation of a scientific article and the summarizing reflection

Examination

• Digital examination of the digital course module in Canvas,
• Active participation in at least five supervisor seminars with subsequent submission of notes, in agreement with presented instruction,
• Written reflection summarizing the five supervisor seminars, in agreement with presented instruction,
• Written reflection on a scientific article in supervision pedagogy, in agreement with presented instruction,
• Presentation and discussion of a scientific article and the summarizing reflection at the final seminar, in agreement with presented instruction.

Additional information about the course

The course must be completed within two years from the start of the course, otherwise participation will be suspended and the course participant must reapply for the course and start over again.

Miscellaneous

No course fee for now.

Information provider

Unit for educational development (EPU), by Henrik Viberg