The PGR handbook contains a section on the supervisee-supervisor relationship outlining expectations with which you may find it helpful to familiarise yourself. We would also strongly recommend that you consult the statement of expectations for PGR students and supervisors for further information relating to this role. Registry has also provided a guide to the duties of supervisors. Following requests from current supervisors, we have also created an informal checklist of things which you may want to think about for your first meeting with your PGR.

Who can be a supervisor?

Supervisors are normally professors, readers or lecturers of the University, or may be honorary members of staff, or members of staff of an approved research institution. They are part of a supervisory team. A supervisory team will comprise more than one supervisor, working in co-supervision, always with one supervisor designated as lead. At least one member of the supervisory team must be a professor, reader or lecturer of the University. 

A PhD candidate may also have an academic member of staff who has been appointed and identified by the School to provide additional pastoral support. The term of reference for this person will vary between Schools; they may be termed a PGR coordinator or a mentor or an adviser, for example.

The percentage input of each supervisor will be recorded on the University’s Student Record system. Where an adviser has been appointed, they will also be recorded on the student’s record, but not as a supervisor.

Where the lead supervisor is a probationary lecturer or a member of staff supervising a PGR for the first time, a co-supervisor should be appointed who will normally be an experienced member of the academic staff of the University who has seen a PGR through to successful completion of a research degree.

What to do prior to your PGR starting

If you are the lead supervisor, you should make contact with your supervisee prior to their arrival in Aberdeen or commencement of studies, if the student is undertaking a distance programme. As part of the pre-arrival contact, you should arrange a meeting between the supervisory team and the supervisee to take place as soon as possible after they have started.

Meetings

It is the responsibility of supervisors to maintain regular contact through supervisory meetings and maintain reasonable accessibility so that advice may be offered at other times.

PGRs and their supervisors should, as soon as possible, establish mutually agreed means of communication and contact with one another.

While the amount of contact between a supervisee and supervisor will vary depending on the subject area and stage of the candidate, it is expected that there should be as a minimum, one formal minuted supervisory meeting at least once a month with informal meetings held more frequently as and when required.

PhD candidates in their first year of study may require more frequent meetings. Indeed, because the success of a candidate's research may depend on the degree of contact and discussion with the supervisor/supervisory team in the early stages of the work, it is likely that contact during this early period will need to be much more frequent than the minimum expectation of at least once a month. Weekly meetings during the first term may be advisable, although their frequency will vary from discipline to discipline.

The student should take brief written notes of formal meetings with the supervisor, and both student and supervisor should agree that the notes are an accurate record of the meeting and should retain a copy of these notes.

Boundaries

At the beginning of your working relationship with your supervisee, it’s important that you outline the expectations and boundaries within which you will be working. For example, you may find it helpful to discuss:

• Time: when can you meet with your supervisee? How frequently will you hold meetings? When are you unavailable?
• Space: where will meetings be held?
• Confidentiality: is your supervisee aware that there can be limits to confidentiality? Although written for Personal Tutors, you may find some of the leaflets and guides provided by the University helpful in raising this subject
• Acceptable behaviour: this could be in terms of academic and non-academic conduct
• Social relationships: although you will work closely with your supervisee, sometimes over a number of years, it is strongly recommended that you do not share your personal contact details with your student. Does your supervisee know who to contact when you are unavailable?  

You may also find it helpful to read the statement of expectations for PGR students and supervisors in deciding how best to manage your supervisee-supervisor relationship.

The early stages

The success of a student in their research depends to a large extent on the help and guidance that the supervisor offers, especially in the early stages of the work. Thus, regular contact at this time is essential if later difficulties are to be avoided.

At the start of a student’s study, the lead supervisor must assist the student in defining the topic of research, either before arrival at the University or in the early weeks of study. At the initial meetings, the student and the lead supervisor will need to ensure that:

1. the project is one which is within the supervisors' field of expertise
2. the project can be achieved with available resources
3. the project is suitable for the degree which the student aims to undertake and should be capable of completion within the prescribed period of study (normally 12 months full-time for a Master’s by Research, 36 months full- time for PhD)
4. the lead supervisor is likely to be available throughout, and in particular at the beginning of, the prescribed period of study
5. if conditions relating to study or examination have been specified in the letter of admission, for example the acquisition of computing skills or knowledge of a foreign language, then ways of implementing them should be agreed
6. a skills audit is completed that identifies both generic and subject-specific training required to assist the student in working towards completion of their research (this will need to be reviewed annually)

Part-time and distance research students may encounter particular problems in the early stages. For example, arranging meetings and balancing other commitments. The supervisors should be aware of these problems and attempt to deal with them sympathetically, while still ensuring that the student is launched on the project without undue delay.

When do I stop being a supervisor?

Supervisors are expected to assist research students throughout their period of supervised research and for up to twelve months thereafter if an extension is required and approved, or to completion if sooner. They are not normally obliged to act as supervisors after this period except when a thesis has been examined and referred, in which case the supervisor is obliged to provide advice until the specified date for resubmission.

Students studying at local research institutions

Students studying at one of the approved research institutions listed in General Regulation 19 for Research Degrees will have, as a minimum, a named University of Aberdeen supervisor and a supervisor at the research institution. The extent of University of Aberdeen involvement in supervision will vary and the student should be informed of what to expect by the relevant School. As a minimum, the University of Aberdeen supervisor will ensure that all University of Aberdeen procedures are followed and that progress is monitored through standard University procedures.