About the RSVP Collection
The Next Generation Research SuperVision Project (RSVP) is a major sector-wide initiative committed to transforming the culture and practice of doctoral supervision. The RSVP Collection is a series of research reports designed to provide an evidence-based foundation for institutional change and pedagogical development.
The Collection draws upon a diverse range of scholarly and original empirical sources. This includes position papers that build on supervisory pedagogy and RSVP research, as well as detailed summaries of focus groups and findings from the UK Research Supervision Surveys. These papers explore how supervision can be better professionalised and rewarded, aligning with the project's goal of enhancing the quality of support for all doctoral researchers and the PGR experience.
Our reports
Supporting Research Supervision Practice: a review of UK provision
February 2026
This report, authored by Professor Stan Taylor, uses available data from 149 research degree awarding institutions in the UK. It builds on the 2018 Eligibility to Supervise: a study of UK Institutions report and provides a snapshot of the current professional development provision for, and reward and recognition of, supervisory practice. The report concludes by recommending that institutions review the duration and content of their development programmes, to better reflect the complex nature of modern research supervision.
Focus Groups Report: Academic Research Supervisors
June 2026
This report is the first in a series of published findings from focus groups held with diverse stakeholders in research supervision practice including; Deans and Directors of Doctoral Schools, Industry Supervisors and Academic Research Supervisors.
The report summarises discussions with research supervisor based at the five core consortia partners (Universities of Nottingham, York, Coventry University, Sheffield Hallam University and King’s College London). The report is organised around the projects’ four core areas: the role of team supervision, supervising different types of research degree, supervision in different disciplines and understanding and combatting poor supervision practice. It explores in detail the expectations and experiences of supervisors in relation to professional development.
Focus group report on non-HEI supervisors
Due for release in Spring/Summer 2026
RSVP is committed to enhancing doctoral supervision practice and developing appropriate onboarding and continuing professional development (CPD) for all those involved in doctoral supervision. As such, we have sought the opinions of external doctoral supervisors – professionals in organisations outside higher education who contribute to the supervision of doctoral (PhD) researchers – to inform the design of novel CPD resources and to improve our understanding of the contribution that external supervisors make to the doctoral process.
The focus groups involved almost 70 participants across various sectors, and have helped us to understand how external supervisors approach their roles, support doctoral candidates, and work with university-based supervisors.
Focus group report on Deans and Directors of Doctoral Schools
Due for release in Spring/Summer 2026
We have been seeking the perspectives of Deans and Directors of Doctoral Schools (DDDS) across the UK, with a view to understanding more about their experiences as managers from an institutional perspective, as well as their approaches to dealing with poor supervision practice. We have also been discussing potential policy changes relating to UK research supervision culture, and the impacts that would be most beneficial to the sector.
We have conducted 4 focus groups with 20 participants, capturing input from over 20% of the total body of UK DDDS.