Doctoral Supervision Dilemmas & Resolutions

Professor Pam Denicolo and Drs Julie Reeves and Dawn Duke

To give the day structure the workshop will take the form of a guided tour of the process and procedures of the doctoral process, from recruitment through support and training to the viva and finally completion, using a range of case studies and vignettes drawn from our experience and that of our colleagues across the sector to raise issues and aid discussion.

However, presentations by the organisers will be kept to a minimum since the main discussion points will be determined by the participants who are invited, if they wish, to send in advance any particular dilemmas or challenges they have faced or heard of, that they would like to have aired and debated. Some of those might include but are not restricted to: different expectations between supervisors and doc researchers; working with co-supervisors with different viewpoints; ethical challenges; candidates unable to cope with the work; ensuring on-time completions; making the process humane and survivable, nay enjoyable for all parties. Where possible we will, with enough notice, turn these into case studies written to disguise origins!

Please send a note by May 14^th at latest of any topics you would like discussed, with enough detail to identify the main points of the situation, to Pam: p.denicolo@surrey.ac.uk

NB On the following day we have a session for doctoral examiners, arranged back to back in case it would be helpful for you to attend both, staying overnight to save two lots of journeys.