The general issue of ways of supporting students to be able to assert themselves in the course of the supervision process and the implications of putting such strategies into practice were discussed. The need for mechanisms that would allow individual students' problems, experienced in the supervision process, to be addressed quickly and to the students satisfaction were also discussed. The opportunity to air issues is clearly important as is the opportunity to acquire or enhance existing skills in the areas of negotiating the nature of the professional relationship between student and supervisor. It was also suggested that there was a need to allow for, and recognize, the different culturally based expectations that students and supervisors might have about the nature and workings of the student-supervisor relationship. It is also intended to incorporate a course of such meetings into the Doctoral Studies Program for the next academic year.
Comments continue to come in.
Please look at the proposals as this represents a real opportunity to influence and shape the way we work as research students. The Code covers the responsibilities of both supervisors and doctoral students. Copies have been sent to academic group representatives and research groups and are available at the Registry. These included the question of Fee structures, student induction and aspects of how International students are supported at the Institute. As a result Dr. Jane Hurry is organizing a working party, on behalf of the Doctoral School, to look at the issues which have been raised .