PhD Supervisor Masterclass (2025)

Welcome to the Masterclass for PhD supervisors

The masterclass is divided into two main sections:

1: A full day that is case based, the program is seen below.

2: An online session that focuses on rules and regulations revolving around the PhD education at AAU. 

 We have created the questions based on the most experienced misunderstandings and mis-conceptions amongst PhD students and PhD supervisors.

The format is a mix of short animated videos, images which are accompanied by a narrator throughout. Following the presentation of the individual topics you will be asked multiple choice questions.

Feel free to get in touch if you have any questions or suggestions for improvement: krs@adm.aau.dk 

Program for the day:

I will ask you to contribute to this masterclass for experienced supervisors with 1 case of your own.  You are welcome to write 2 cases, if you want.

Pick a topic from the examples below. Describe a situation you have experienced as Ph.D.-supervisor and want to share with the other participants and get feedback on. 

·         Aligning expectations during the Ph.D.-period: Cooperation, work-routines, tasks and roles in the different stages of a Ph.D.-project.

·         Career conversations and your role as a career facilitator. Talking career – both inside and outside academia and research - with your own or your colleagues Ph.D.-students.

·         Stress and wellbeing. Is something wrong? What’s going on? How to build a trustful relationship so we can talk about difficult issues?

·         Feedback situations: Different feedback approaches in different situations/different Ph.D.-students (gender/culture/Danish and international students etc.) Relations and Communications.

Your case:

·         Describe a situation from your own supervisor practice with a problem, challenge, difficult dilemmas or something you want to see from a different perspective.

·         In addition, point out your question or what you want us to focus our discussion on.

·         Write a short text, ca. 10 lines.

·         Please point out if you want your case to be anonymous or if it is OK for you to comment on your own case in plenum.

·         The course leader will choose which of alle the cases we will use in the masterclass and present them in a power point. That means, that your case can be both well written and relevant, without being picked.

If you send us 2 cases, one of the cases should be a difficult one and the other a case you handled in a positive way with a good outcome for both you and your Ph.D.-student.