Seminar on Master’s thesis and PhD Supervision

Purpose

The main purpose of the seminar is to expand your repertoire of supervision strategies and thus, to increase your flexibility as a supervisor.

Target group

Prerequisite for participation is a doctoral degree.

Learning outcome

At the end of the seminar, participants are able to:

• describe and substantiate their practice as supervisors
• align expectations with students early and regularly in a project
• encourage students' writing processes and provide constructive feedback
• apply communication methods that ensure progression in supervision meetings and promote students’ independence
• identify and manage typical conflicts in supervision, such as balancing between support and structure, between product and process supervision, between private and professional elements in supervision relationships

Content

The seminar focuses on supervision of master’s students and PhD students. It addresses three key supervisory skills:

1. Process skills: e.g., the ability to establish and maintain constructive work relationships with students, to align expectations early and regularly, to balance conflicting needs, and to plan and monitor progress
2. Text-related skills: e.g., the ability to assess students’ academic texts and to provide formative feedback that is targeted, prioritized, criteria-based, specific, and instructive.
3. Communication skills: e.g., the ability to ask questions that promote students' independent thinking, to listen actively and attentively, and to meta-communicate the content and process of supervision.

Teaching form and your preparation

• The teaching form is highly interactive based on a combination of group work, exercises, plenary discussions, and lectures.
• Please note that you are expected to allocate around 2-3 hours to prepare for the seminar. Deadline for your preparation is 1st February 2024. Detailed instructions will follow on mail.

Time and place

1. Seminar day: Thursday 8^th February 2024, 9.00 – 15.00.
2. Seminar day: Friday 9^th February 2024, 9.00 – 15.00.

The two seminar days take place in Graz. In case of Covid 19 challenges, the seminar will take place online.

Seminar teacher: Professor, PhD Gitte Wichmann-Hansen Centre for Educational Development, Aarhus University, Denmark.

This is an offer of the Postdoc Office in cooperation with the Doctoral Academy of the University of Graz. 

General information

• Course certificate: You will receive a course certificate after completion of the seminar.
• Language: The seminar is offered in English.
• Questions regarding the seminar, please e-mail the PostDoc-Office (postdoc@uni-graz.at)
• Registration closes on January 10th 2024