Janice Lozano
International students often face unique challenges during their doctoral journeys, such as adapting to new academic systems and managing feelings of solitude and distress due to being separated from their support systems. Therefore, the role of a supervisor becomes crucial in ensuring that their doctoral experience is rewarding and enjoyable. A great supervisor for international students should possess specific qualities and skills to guide and support them effectively. So, what are the qualities and skills that define an excellent supervisor for international doctoral students?
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Available | Available supervisors are rare, but they are essential to a good supervisory relationship. |
| Regular and substantive communication | Students want regular engagement with their supervisor. |
| Active interest in the student's development | Supervisors should encourage students to ask questions and share updates. |
| Supportive | Support is crucial to a student's mental health and can help fuel their passion for academia. |
| Understanding | Supervisors should be understanding of students' personal circumstances and how these may affect their academic progress. |
| Knowledge of students' origin contexts | Supervisors should have an understanding of students' cultural characteristics, educational backgrounds, and research traditions. |
| Empathetic | Supervisors should acknowledge the influence of students' contexts in their learning and research approaches. |
| Qualified | Supervisors should be highly qualified in the expected area of research. |
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What You'll Learn
Being available, committed, and supportive
International students often face unique challenges, such as language barriers, cultural differences, and feelings of isolation due to being separated from their support systems back home. In this context, a supervisor's availability, commitment, and support become crucial to a student's success and wellbeing.
Availability
A good supervisor for international students should be available and present. They should have the time and energy to commit to the student and their academic journey. This includes regular meetings and a willingness to answer questions and provide guidance as needed.
When choosing a supervisor, it is important to consider their other commitments and responsibilities. Are they frequently away from campus due to travel or other obligations? Do they have significant administrative duties that may impact their availability? These factors should be taken into account to ensure the supervisor can dedicate sufficient time to their supervisory role.
Commitment
Commitment to the student's development and success is essential. A dedicated supervisor will actively engage with the student's research and progress, providing guidance and mentorship beyond merely evaluating their work. They should be invested in the student's academic journey and create a safe space for questions, mistakes, and learning.
Support
Supportiveness is a vital quality in a supervisor for international students. This includes being understanding, empathetic, and respectful of the student's mental health and wellbeing. A supportive supervisor can make the student's journey more enjoyable and help fuel their passion for academia. They should be aware of the student's unique challenges and provide encouragement and motivation when needed.
Additionally, a supportive supervisor will be sensitive to the student's cultural background and educational context, acknowledging how these influence their learning and research approaches. This includes being flexible and accommodating to the student's needs, ensuring they feel supported and valued throughout their academic journey.
In conclusion, availability, commitment, and support are key pillars of a great supervisor for international students. By being present, dedicated, and understanding, supervisors can make a significant positive impact on the student's academic experience and overall wellbeing.
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Creating a culture that welcomes questions and mistakes
International students can benefit from supervisors who create a culture that welcomes questions and mistakes. This culture of curiosity and learning can be fostered in several ways:
Firstly, it is essential to establish a positive and supportive relationship between the supervisor and the student. Supervisors should be available, present, and committed to their students' progress and well-being. This includes being responsive to the individual needs and circumstances of each student, such as family responsibilities, health issues, or special travel needs. By creating a safe and non-judgmental environment, students will feel more comfortable asking questions and making mistakes without fear of repercussions.
Secondly, regular and substantive communication is vital. Supervisors should hold frequent meetings and encourage open dialogue, where students can ask questions, share updates, and discuss challenges without feeling the need to have all the answers first. This process can be facilitated by setting clear expectations and roles at the outset, ensuring that both parties understand the purpose of their interactions and how they can best support each other.
Thirdly, supervisors should adopt a mentoring and coaching approach. As mentors, supervisors can share their experiences and provide guidance and support tailored to the student's needs. As coaches, they can help students find their own solutions, fostering a sense of autonomy and critical thinking. This dual role can empower students to take ownership of their learning journey and be more receptive to making mistakes and asking questions.
Additionally, supervisors should demonstrate flexibility and cultural sensitivity. International students bring diverse educational backgrounds and culturally inflected ways of constructing knowledge. Supervisors who acknowledge and value this diversity can create an inclusive environment that encourages the exchange of ideas and perspectives. This may include respecting and accommodating different communication styles, language abilities, and research approaches.
Finally, supervisors can model a growth mindset by embracing their own mistakes and learning from them. By creating an environment where it is safe to take risks and make mistakes, students will feel more comfortable doing the same. This can include sharing personal experiences of failure and resilience, normalising the idea that learning involves taking chances and making errors.
In conclusion, creating a culture that welcomes questions and mistakes involves building a strong and supportive relationship, encouraging open communication, adopting a mentoring and coaching approach, embracing diversity and flexibility, and modelling a growth mindset. This culture can significantly impact the student's learning experience, fostering a sense of curiosity, resilience, and ownership of their academic journey.
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Understanding the student's background and context
Understanding the background and context of international students is a crucial aspect of being a great supervisor. International students bring a diverse range of educational backgrounds, cultural characteristics, and research traditions that can shape their learning and research approaches. Here are some insights on this topic:
Knowledge of Cultural and Educational Backgrounds
It is essential to acknowledge and understand the cultural and educational backgrounds of international students. This includes being aware of the influence that their previous learning contexts and cultural characteristics have on their current research approaches. For example, international students from certain countries may have different ways of constructing knowledge that are culturally inflected. Supervisors should be sensitive to these differences and not view them as a deficit when responding to academic demands in "Western" host institutions. This understanding can help prevent feelings of distress and incapability that international students may experience due to cultural and educational differences.
Flexibility and Adaptability
Great supervisors demonstrate flexibility and adaptability in their teaching approaches. They recognise that international students may have diverse language skills and academic backgrounds. For instance, in a study of international doctoral students in a Portuguese university, the students valued supervisors who showed flexibility regarding their varying levels of proficiency in the Portuguese language. Supervisors should be prepared to make accommodations and provide support to ensure that all students can fully participate in the learning process.
Regular and Substantive Communication
International students often emphasise the importance of regular and meaningful communication with their supervisors. This includes creating a culture that welcomes questions and mistakes, as these are essential parts of the learning process. Supervisors should encourage students to reach out and discuss their work, even if they haven't reached a solution yet. Regular meetings provide opportunities for students to seek guidance, share updates, and receive feedback. This frequent interaction helps supervisors stay engaged with the student's progress and provide timely support.
Personal and Emotional Support
Supervising international students may involve providing personal and emotional support, especially considering the challenges they face when studying abroad, such as feelings of solitude and distress due to separation from their families and friends. Supervisors should be empathetic, motivating, and encouraging. Creating a supportive environment can help international students cope with the demands of their studies and adapt to a new cultural context. This aspect of supervision extends beyond academic guidance and recognises the holistic needs of international students.
Understanding Individual Circumstances
Great supervisors take the time to understand the individual circumstances and needs of their international students. This includes being aware of any personal characteristics, family responsibilities, health issues, or special travel needs that may impact a student's academic progress. Supervisors should be accommodating and work collaboratively with students to address these circumstances. This may involve connecting students with relevant support services or making adjustments to supervision practices to ensure the student's needs are met.
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Having an active interest in the student's development
International students can benefit from supervisors who take an active interest in their development. This means creating a culture that welcomes questions and mistakes, as learning often comes from trial and error. Regular meetings are essential for this, as they provide opportunities for students to ask questions, share updates, and receive feedback. Supervisors should also be open to discussions about the student's career plans to ensure that their research experience aligns with their career goals.
To effectively support an international student's development, a supervisor must be available and present. This means having the time and energy to commit to the student and their research journey. It also involves being responsive to the student's needs and maintaining regular and substantive communication. A good supervisor-student relationship is essential for the student's satisfaction and progress.
Supervisors should also be aware of the student's personal circumstances and be accommodating and supportive. This includes understanding the student's cultural background, educational history, and any unique challenges they may face as an international student, such as feelings of solitude and distress due to being separated from their support network.
Additionally, a supervisor who acts as a mentor and a friend can make a significant difference in the student's PhD journey. This involves guiding the student through the research process, sharing experiences, and providing emotional support. By being a mentor and a friend, a supervisor can help fuel the student's passion for academia and positively impact their mental health and well-being.
International students may also benefit from a supervisor who can provide direction and guidance in navigating the academic system and understanding its requirements and expectations. This includes helping them develop the skills needed to succeed in their research, such as spoken communication, which is critical for effectively sharing their research and teaching complex concepts.
In conclusion, an active interest in an international student's development involves creating a supportive and welcoming environment, providing mentorship and friendship, and guiding the student through the academic system. This approach can enhance the student's overall satisfaction, progress, and well-being during their PhD journey.
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Being a mentor, coach, and friend
A supervisor's role is multifaceted, and they must assume multiple responsibilities. A great supervisor will act as a mentor, coach, and friend to their students.
International students, in particular, may benefit from a supervisor who acts as a mentor, coach, and friend. Doctoral candidates have affirmed the importance of a good relationship with their supervisor, and this can be fostered through regular engagement and substantive communication.
A supervisor should be available and present, and create a culture that welcomes questions and mistakes. This encourages students to engage and share their updates and challenges. A good supervisor will be committed to their student's development as a researcher and actively encourage and support them.
A good supervisor will also be flexible and accommodating, especially when it comes to international students who may have different educational backgrounds and cultural contexts. It is important to be aware of the influence these contexts have on learning and research approaches.
A supervisor should also be aware of the student's personal circumstances and be supportive of their mental health and well-being. The PhD journey can be challenging, and a supervisor who is a mentor and friend can make all the difference in helping a student stay motivated and passionate about their work.
A supervisor who is a mentor, coach, and friend will guide their students through the challenges of their PhD journey, providing support, encouragement, and respect. This can help students stay focused and passionate about their work, and ultimately achieve their Doctorates.
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Frequently asked questions
A great supervisor for an international PhD student should have a range of qualities, including:
- Availability and presence
- Active interest in the student's development as a researcher
- Regular and substantive communication
- Flexibility, commitment, personal and emotional supportiveness, empathy, motivation and encouragement
- Expertise in the field and the research process
- An ethic of care and support
When choosing a supervisor as an international PhD student, it is important to consider the following:
- The supervisor's qualifications, research interests, publications, and other academic activities
- The supervisor's availability and potential supervisory style
- The supervisor's presence on the web and social media
- The supervisor's ability to advise on career plans and job prospects after graduation
- The supervisor's fit with your personal characteristics and circumstances
A PhD supervisor for an international student plays a key role in ensuring that the student's doctoral journey is rewarding and enjoyable. They act as a mentor, coach, and guide, providing support, encouragement, and respect. They should also create a culture that welcomes questions and mistakes, fostering a positive and fruitful working relationship with the student.
