Course PhD Supervision Course GSNS/GSTS (Aarhus)

The N/T615/02 PhD Supervision Course is being offered by the Graduate School of Natural Sciences/GSNS and Graduate School of Technical Sciences/GSTS, Aarhus University, Fall 2025.

Target group
The course is aimed at main supervisors and co-supervisors of PhD projects at Graduate School of Natural Sciences and Graduate School of Technical Sciences. 

If other academic staff, post-docs, affiliated researchers a.o. are interested in learning about supervision, they should instead follow the online self-paced course in Academic Supervision, which can be accessed at CED’s website.

Supervisors, who have supervised at least five PhD-students, should follow the course Peer-mentoring for Experienced Doctoral Supervisors, see CED’s website.

Course parameters:
Level of course: The course is aimed at main supervisors and co-supervisors of PhD projects

No. of contact hours/hours in total incl. preparation, assignment(s) or the like: 2*7,5 + 3 = 18 hrs.

Objectives of the course:
The aim of the course is to enhance the participants’ supervision strategies and cultivate a flexible approach to supervision to adapt to the PhD-student’s development needs.

Learning outcomes and competences:
Upon completion of the course, the participants will have tools and strategies to:

• Clarify and align expectations to support the PhD-student’s supervision needs
• Provide constructive text feedback to promote the students’ writing processes
• Employ dialogic techniques to deal with dilemmas in supervision and improve the outcome of the supervisory meetings
• Facilitate the PhD-student’s integration in the research community while fostering their overall wellbeing
• Collaborate within the supervisory team to effectively coordinate responsibilities and support the PhD student’s development

Compulsory programme:
The course spans two full days and with physical presence only.

Course contents:
The course is practical in nature, involving discussions and a hands-on approach to testing methods and tools in supervision.

The course covers the most essential elements of PhD-supervision and brings supervisors up to date on developments and research in the area.

Day 1 focuses on:
 
1) Observing the rules and regulations of a PhD-education
2) Managing the process of supervision (aligning expectations, handling differences and responding to student needs)
3) Facilitating integration into the research environment to enhance students’ development and success
4) Discussing ways to support student wellbeing

Day 2 focuses on:

1) Research Integrity
2) Supervision of writing through written feedback and oral conversations
3) Project and time management to adjust workload and prevent delays
4) Communication skills (e.g. dialogic and questioning techniques) to ensure progression in supervisory meetings and manage dilemmas and difficulties in supervision.

Prerequisites:
Preferably, the participants should currently be involved as main or co-supervisors of PhD students. 

Name of lecturer:
Dorina Gnaur, senior consultant, PhD, CED, AU
Peter Musaeus, associate professor, CED, AU

Contributors
Michelle Williams, Head of Graduate School Techical Sciences and Ole Bækgaard Nielsen, Heads of Graduate School Natural Sciences
Rikke J. Ljungmann, Head of PhD administration

Type of course/teaching methods:
Research and evidence based thematic presentations followed by discussions, practical training and feedback. There will be a few preparations tasks to be completed before the course (3 hours).

Literature:
Taylor S, Kiley M and Humphrey (2018). A handbook for doctoral supervisors. 2nd Ed. New York: Routledge.

Lee A (2020). Successful research supervision. Advising students doing research. 2nd Ed. New York: Routledge

Course homepage:
Brightspace

Course assessment:
Attendance threshold: full attendance and full completion of preparation tasks

Provider:
CED, AU

Maximum 30 participants (first-come-first-served)

Lunch and coffees are provided.

Course dates:

• 09 October 2025 09:00 - 16:30
• 10 October 2025 09:00 - 16:30