Abstract
PurposeThis paper aims to explore the support experiences of 381 PhD students within the humanities and social sciences from three research-intensive universities in Denmark (n = 145) and Finland (n = 236). The study investigates the cross-cultural variation in the researcher community support and supervisory support experiences, factors associated with their support experienced and the perceived support fit.Design/methodology/approachThe study used a mixed methods design, both quantitative analyses and qualitative analyses (open-ended descriptions) were used.FindingsThe results showed that students in both Danish and Finnish programs emphasized researcher community support over supervisory support. The Danish students, however, reported slightly higher levels of researcher community support and experienced lower levels of friction than their Finnish counter partners. The results also indicated that the only form of support in which the students expressed more matched support than mismatched support was informational support.Practical implicationsThe results imply investing in a stronger integration of PhD students into the research community is beneficial for the students’ progress. Building network-based and collaborative learning activities that enhance both instrumental and emotional support and a collective form of supervision could be further developed. The possibility of Phd student integration in the scholarly community is likely to lead to more efficient use of finacial and intellectual resources in academia and society more broadly.Originality/valueThis study offer a unique contribution on doctoral students’ academic and socialization experiences in terms of explicationg the sources of support, support forms and support fit among Danish and Finnish doctoral students. Both invariants and socio-culturally embedded aspects of support experience among the students were detected.
Highlights
Previous research on doctoral supervision and researcher community identified social support as a key determinant of the doctoral journey (Ali and Kohun, 2007; Gardner, 2007, 2008; Jairam and Kahl, 2012; Martinsuo and Turkulainen, 2011; Zhau et al, 2007; Weidmann and Stein, 2003)
This study focuses on the perceptions of doctoral students in Denmark and Finland related to researcher community and supervisory support, the different support forms, the support fit and different attributes associated with the experienced support
No previous studies have explored such differences in the levels of support experienced, and forms and perceived fit of that support across Nordic countries. Both similarities and differences were detected in the social support experiences of Danish and Finnish doctoral students, indicating that the basic anatomy of the researcher community and supervisory support was similar between students, variation in experienced support forms and fit occurred between Denmark and Finland
Summary
Previous research on doctoral supervision and researcher community identified social support as a key determinant of the doctoral journey (Ali and Kohun, 2007; Gardner, 2007, 2008; Jairam and Kahl, 2012; Martinsuo and Turkulainen, 2011; Zhau et al, 2007; Weidmann and Stein, 2003). The national and institutional contexts highly influence doctoral education and understandings of the PhD (Wisker and Robinson, 2012; Wisker et al, 2017; Bengtsen, 2016b; Manathunga, 2005; Gardner and Mendoza, 2010; McAlpine and Norton, 2006). Such social support is highly diverse and relative to institutional, educational, and pedagogical contexts (Jones, 2013). This study focuses on the perceptions of doctoral students in Denmark and Finland related to researcher community and supervisory support, the different support forms, the support fit and different attributes associated with the experienced support
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