Doctoral supervisors’ and supervisees’ perceptions on supervisory support and frequency of supervision – Do they match?

Abstract

ABSTRACT Supervisory relationship is a highly significant driver of doctoral experience. However, empirical studies exploring the alignment between supervisors’ and supervisees’ perceptions of good doctoral supervision is lacking. A total of 768 doctoral candidates and 561 doctoral supervisors from a multi-field research-intensive university participated in the study. Data were collected with the doctoral experience survey and the supervisory experience survey, and qualitatively and quantitatively analysed. The results showed that both doctoral candidates and the supervisors described informational, emotional, instrumental, and co-constructional support as the primary characteristics of high-quality supervision. However, some differences also existed. Perceptions regarding frequency of supervision are well aligned, although supervisors report supervising slightly more than candidates report receiving it. The results highlight the importance of promoting the alignment between doctoral candidates’ and supervisors’ perceptions of quality and quantity of supervision, as it fosters study progress, reduces the risk of candidates discontinuing their PhD and increases satisfaction.