
Created using evidence
Every intervention is grounded in existing scholarship and empirical data, including supervisor focus groups and the UK Research Supervision Survey (UKRSS) - ensuring they provide data-informed and pedagogically grounded development opportunities for supervisors.
Trialled and piloted
Deliberately piloted in different contexts and within institutions with very different research cultures, the interventions have been developed and tested in at least two institutions and collaboratively refined. All the interventions can be adapted to suit different institutions, disciplines and cultures, while remaining relevant and effective.
Built around communities of practice
UKRSS data reveals that supervisors would like more opportunities to reflect on their practice or share experiences with peers - yet only 13% do. Designed to change this, our interventions prioritise peer-to-peer learning and collaborative problem-solving, and foster supportive networks beyond the session.
Practitioner Partners and our Piloting Programme
As Practitioner Partners, you are central to developing, evaluating and refining our interventions. Piloting them in your own contexts or across different countries will help us understand what works, what needs adapting, and why.
Through your feedback, we can assess the effectiveness and relevance of each intervention, exploring how approaches to supervision practice translate across diverse research cultures, disciplines, geographies and sectors.
Read our piloting guidance for Practitioner Partners for information on planning, delivering, and providing feedback on your piloting activities.
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Guidance for filter categories
Facilitator resource
Being a research supervisor
Delivering engaging workshops on doctoral policies and processes
Flexible
All supervisor levels
This intervention offers practical ideas to help supervisor developers deliver engaging professional development workshops aligned with institutional policies and processes.
Workshop
Working with candidates
Enabling conversations: Coaching and mentoring approaches to supervision
2 hours
All supervisor levels
This interactive session helps supervisors explore coaching and mentoring approaches, practice active listening, and develop strategies to promote independent thinking in postgraduate researchers.
Workshop
Working with candidates
Establishing boundaries and building rapport with PGRs
2 hours
All supervisor levels
The session equips research supervisors with the tools and techniques to build rapport with PGRs from the outset, establish shared expectations, and sustain productive supervisory relationships.
Workshop
Working in team supervision
Giving consistent feedback in supervisor teams
60 minutes
All supervisor levels
This session equips supervisors in teams to coordinate effective feedback and to improve the co-authoring process through a combination of brief presentations with plenary discussions and group work.
Peer discussion
Working with candidates
Let’s talk about preparing candidates for doctoral examination
60 minutes
All supervisor levels
This supervisor-led, facilitated forum introduces a set of questions to progress group-level peer learning and reflection around supporting candidates for doctoral examination.
Workshop
Working in team supervision
Supervising together: Clarifying the co-supervisor role
60 minutes
All supervisor levels
This workshop facilitates critical reflection on co-supervisor roles within supervisory teams. It explores benefits, challenges, role clarification, and strategies for negotiating position and recognition within teams.
Workshop
Being a research supervisor
Supervisory roles and approaches: Who are you as a supervisor?
60 minutes
All supervisor levels
This interactive workshop invites new and experienced PhD supervisors to reflect on how they enact their supervisory role, and explores models to support more intentional and educationally informed supervision.
Workshop
Writing and feedback
Supporting PGRs with writing
90 minutes
All supervisor levels
This interactive workshop helps research supervisors reflect on how they support doctoral candidates with writing through peer learning, and the introduction of a practical framework for analysing writing issues and developing effective support strategies.
Workshop
Working with candidates
Supporting doctoral candidates: How to enhance self-efficacy
60 minutes
All supervisor levels
A research-based overview of how supervisors can provide different forms of support to doctoral candidates, and how these approaches influence candidates’ learning, autonomy, and self-efficacy.
Facilitator resource
Getting supervisors started
Designing an impactful induction for doctoral supervisors
Flexible
New supervisors
A flexible framework to design or refresh supervisor induction that aligns local policies with national expectations and encourages reflection, discussion, and professional development.
Workshop
Working in team supervision
Enhancing collaboration and aligning expectations in team supervision
60 minutes
All supervisor levels
This interactive workshop invites new and experienced PGR supervisors to reflect on how they collaborate within supervisory teams through a combination of plenary discussion, individual reflection, and group work.
Workshop
Being a research supervisor
Exploring supervisor approaches: Becoming a flexible supervisor
60 minutes
All supervisor levels
This session offers supervisors an analytical lens for reflecting on their role and supervisory approach by introducing theoretical models from doctoral supervision literature to guide their thinking.
Workshop
Writing and feedback
Giving feedback on PGR writing
60 minutes
All supervisor levels
This practical workshop explores how research supervisors can provide clear, constructive, and supportive feedback that enhances doctoral researchers’ writing development and confidence through evidence-informed strategies.
Structured programme
Reflecting on supervisory practice
Supervisor Peer Mentoring Circle Programme
6 months
All supervisor levels
Designed to bring supervisors together from a range of experiences and disciplinary backgrounds, this programme outlines how to establish and support peer mentoring at your institute.
Workshop
Working with candidates
Supporting PGR development beyond the project
2 hours
All supervisor levels
This session equips supervisors to support PGRs beyond research through reflective models, peer-led discussion, and a flexible template for co-creating inclusive, structured plans tailored to each candidate's journey.
Structured programme
Reflecting on supervisory practice
Supporting Reflective Practice and Recognition of Research Supervision
6 months
All supervisor levels
This programme helps supervisors reflect on their practice, share approaches with peers, and work towards formal recognition of supervisory excellence through the Good Supervisory Practice Framework.
Peer discussion
Working with candidates
Supporting international doctoral candidates: Facilitating peer conversations
90 minutes
All supervisor levels
This practice-sharing session fosters peer-to-peer dialogue and reflection among research supervisors on supporting international doctoral candidates, including the unique challenges they face and supervisory dynamics.