{"id":578,"date":"2022-01-07T16:49:49","date_gmt":"2022-01-07T15:49:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp.unil.ch\/lemanicneuroscience\/?page_id=578"},"modified":"2026-10-16T15:54:43","modified_gmt":"2026-10-16T13:54:43","slug":"managing-supervisor-student-interactions","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/wp.unil.ch\/lemanicneuroscience\/managing-supervisor-student-interactions\/","title":{"rendered":"Managing supervisor &#8211; student interactions"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Potential sources of conflict between PhD candidates and supervisors<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Why is it important to do reflections on research supervision?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2022 Supervisors can make or break a PhD student<br>\u2022 Communication between supervisor and student is key to project and thesis success<br>\u2022 \u2018Concept\u2019 of research supervision and own experience as doctoral student are key influences on supervisors\u2019 approaches to supervision<br>\u2022 Not all students need the same supervision style<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Predominant problems of PhD students with supervision<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2022 Learning experience very little organized<br>\u2022 Confusion in the messages transmitted by the supervisor<br>\u2022 Expactations often not explicitly verbalized<br>\u2022 Limited feedback from supervisor<br>\u2022 Difficult relation with supervisor, not enough interaction to discuss progress and competences to be developed<br>\u2022 Feelings of isolation and stress<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"600\" height=\"260\" src=\"https:\/\/wp.unil.ch\/lemanicneuroscience\/files\/2022\/01\/phd091411s.gif\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-581\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Get help and help yourself to resolve conflicts<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">First of all, here is a small presentation and summary of a workshop of the UNIL Graduate Campus which is aiming to help PIs to understand their supervision style and to mediate between expectations of the supervisor and the student.<br><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/wp.unil.ch\/lemanicneuroscience\/files\/2022\/01\/ResearchSupervision.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Research supervision: Supervisor &#8211; Student Relationships, Supervision Styles and a Little Impulse Towards Self-Reflection<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In this presentation, you will find references to some questionnaires that can be useful to<br>a) set the stage in the beginning of the PhD thesis in terms of <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/wp.unil.ch\/lemanicneuroscience\/files\/2022\/01\/Expectation_rating.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">expectations on research supervision<\/a><\/strong> from both sides, i.e. PI and PhD student<br>b) fill a so-called <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/wp.unil.ch\/lemanicneuroscience\/files\/2022\/01\/MOU.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Memorandum of Understanding between Students and Supervisors<\/a><\/strong> (MOU) in the beginning of a thesis and update it on a regular basis<br>c) help students &#8220;plot&#8221; their <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/wp.unil.ch\/lemanicneuroscience\/files\/2022\/01\/StudentProfileProforma.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">progression through the supervisory experience<\/a><\/strong> and discuss this evalution with their supervisor at regular intervals<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Please do not hesitate to suggest these aids to your supervisor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Some insightful ressources<\/strong> (additions always welcome)<br>&#8211;  <a href=\"https:\/\/www.timeshighereducation.com\/features\/monsters-and-mentors-phd-disasters-and-how-to-avoid-them#survey-answer\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Of monsters and mentors: PhD disasters, and how to avoid them<\/a> (Times Higher Education). <br>&#8211; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/pulse\/your-doctoral-supervisor-isnt-mind-reader-emma-denham-0prne\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Your Doctoral Supervisor Isn\u2019t a Mind Reader, and Neither Are You: Communication, Expectations and Your PhD<\/a><br>&#8211; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/posts\/what-is-a-phd-really-like-an-honest-conversation-share-7450571084296286208-tv7q\/?utm_source=share&amp;utm_medium=member_android&amp;rcm=ACoAAA57NOoBOyvVglt6fCz9sQUQsqMSINkH_xE\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">What does the doctoral journey really look like &#8211; from the inside?<\/a><br>&#8211; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/posts\/iain-jackson_being-a-parent-and-doing-a-phd-several-share-7280628568244551680-IyvZ\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Being a parent and doing a PhD<\/a><br>&#8211; <a href=\"https:\/\/thesiswhisperer.com\/2010\/10\/28\/parenting-through-a-phd-or-5-ways-not-to-go-completely-insane\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">The Thesis Whisperer<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Contact points for support in case of (or to prevent) issues <\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>For UNIL PhD candidates<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.unil.ch\/unil\/en\/home\/menuinst\/universite\/organisation-universite\/unites-et-services\/graduate-campus.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">UNIL Graduate Campus<\/a> (annual thesis surveys, workshops and courses; individual and group consultations) <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.unil.ch\/unil\/en\/home\/menuinst\/universite\/organisation-universite\/unites-et-services\/aide-unil.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">HELP UNIL<\/a> (for concerns related to harassment of any kind, violations of your rights, or conflicts)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.unil.ch\/aum\/home\/menuinst\/in-english.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">chaplaincy<\/a> provides spiritual support<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Support for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.unil.ch\/familles\/en\/home.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">childcare <\/a>or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.unil.ch\/egalite\/en\/home.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">gender and diversity issues<\/a> is provided by the Equality Office.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.chuv.ch\/fr\/pratique\/informations-pratiques\/information-pratique\/web_ofr_97\/espace-collaborateurs\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Espace Collaborateurs<\/a> for students employed by the CHUV<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.143.ch\/fr\/ (telephonic helpline in case of emotional distress; in various languages including English)\">https:\/\/www.143.ch\/fr\/ (telephonic helpline in case of emotional distress; in various languages including English)<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The <a href=\"https:\/\/competences.cuso.ch\/en\/activities\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">CUSO transversal program<\/a> (in particular the EXP module) offers some courses how to deal with expectancies during the PhD (credits can often be validated in your study record)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>For UNIGE PhD candidates<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.unige.ch\/help\/aide\/graduate-campus\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">UNIGE Graduate Campus<\/a> (courses and workshops as well as help for conflict resolution)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.unige.ch\/help\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">HELP UNIGE<\/a> (for concerns related to harassment of any kind, violations of your rights, or conflicts)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.unige.ch\/sse\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">UNIGE Health service and consultations<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.unige.ch\/medecine\/organisation\/rh\/conflits-respect-de-lintegrite\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">FAC-MED UNIGE website &#8220;Gestion des conflits et respect de l\u2019int\u00e9grit\u00e9&#8221;<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.143.ch\/fr\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">https:\/\/www.143.ch\/fr\/<\/a> (telephonic helpline in case of emotional distress; in various languages including English)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The <a href=\"https:\/\/competences.cuso.ch\/en\/activities\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">CUSO transversal program<\/a> (in particular the EXP module) offers some courses how to deal with expectancies during the PhD (credits can often be validated in your study record)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Potential sources of conflict between PhD candidates and supervisors Why is it important to do reflections on research supervision? \u2022 Supervisors can make or break a PhD student\u2022 Communication between &hellip; <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1530,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","_seopress_robots_follow":"","_seopress_robots_imageindex":"","_seopress_robots_snippet":"","_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_robots_breadcrumbs":"","_seopress_robots_freeze_modified_date":"","_seopress_robots_custom_modified_date":"","_seopress_robots_canonical":"","_seopress_social_fb_title":"","_seopress_social_fb_desc":"","_seopress_social_fb_img":"","_seopress_social_fb_img_attachment_id":0,"_seopress_social_fb_img_width":0,"_seopress_social_fb_img_height":0,"_seopress_social_twitter_title":"","_seopress_social_twitter_desc":"","_seopress_social_twitter_img":"","_seopress_social_twitter_img_attachment_id":0,"_seopress_social_twitter_img_width":0,"_seopress_social_twitter_img_height":0,"_seopress_redirections_value":"","_seopress_redirections_enabled":"","_seopress_redirections_enabled_regex":"","_seopress_redirections_logged_status":"","_seopress_redirections_param":"","_seopress_redirections_type":0,"_seopress_analysis_target_kw":"","_seopress_news_disabled":"","_seopress_video_disabled":"","_seopress_video":[],"_seopress_pro_schemas_manual":[],"_seopress_pro_rich_snippets_disable_all":"","_seopress_pro_rich_snippets_disable":[],"_seopress_pro_schemas":[],"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-578","page","type-page","status-publish"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.unil.ch\/lemanicneuroscience\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/578","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.unil.ch\/lemanicneuroscience\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.unil.ch\/lemanicneuroscience\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp.unil.ch\/lemanicneuroscience\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1530"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp.unil.ch\/lemanicneuroscience\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=578"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/wp.unil.ch\/lemanicneuroscience\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/578\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4824,"href":"https:\/\/wp.unil.ch\/lemanicneuroscience\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/578\/revisions\/4824"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.unil.ch\/lemanicneuroscience\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=578"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}