Supervision
Appointment of supervisors
A team of at least two appropriately qualified supervisors will be established and maintained for each graduate researcher.
Supervision teams must include at least a principal and a co-supervisor. In addition, a supervision team may include up to two additional co-supervisors (i.e. up to three co-supervisors in total) and any number of external supervisors or external advisors as appropriate for the project.
Definitions and responsibilities of each type of supervisor can be found in the Higher Degrees by Research Supervision Procedure. All supervisors and advisors must also abide by the principals outlined in the Australian Council of Graduate Research Principles for Respectful Supervisory Relationships.
The principal supervisor must be a member of the staff of the University who holds a doctoral degree, or who has other qualifications and publications which the University accepts as equivalent in standing to that degree. Principal supervisors must have experience of supervision at the level of the degree for which the student is enrolled, or they need to have completed Deakin's Supervision Fast-Track training program.
The role of the principal supervisor is to provide instruction, assistance, a sounding board for ideas and plans, and review and criticism of written material. Team supervision provides students with formal access to a wider range of supervisors.
All principal and co-supervisors must complete professional development (related to graduate research supervision) every two years, and must have completed the ‘Respect at Deakin for HDR Students and Supervisors’ online module.
Getting the most from your graduate research /supervisor relationship
The quality of your relationship with your supervisors will be one of the most important factors in your success. The Candidature Engagement Form is a tool which aims to support constructive discussions between graduate researchers and their supervisory team, to agree on the team’s approach to supervision arrangements (such as meeting frequency, form of feedback etc.) and ensure expectations are aligned.
Ideally there should be regular and frequent meetings and discussions between you and your supervisor. Your best aid may be a regular timetable agreed with your supervisor at an early stage (understand that supervisors have many demands on their time and may need gentle reminders of meetings!) Do not be content to wait until approached by your supervisor for a discussion if it has been some time since the last one. How often you need to meet will depend on the nature of your project and your requirements at that particular stage of the project.
Your relationship and advice
The relationship between you and your supervisor will change during candidature. At the outset you can expect help in clarifying the research project and preparing a realistic research plan and timetable. If you need to develop new skills and techniques, your supervisors can help with advice and, possibly, instruction. Your Individual Learning Plan is the mechanism for planning and recording all of your skill and knowledge acquisition. As the project proceeds, your supervisor's role becomes more one of assistance in monitoring your progress. You should try out ideas and discuss experimental results with your supervisor and write up sections of the work for your supervisor to review.
Towards the end of the project you will become the authority on the topic and your supervisor will become more of a senior colleague. This is when you will make the greatest use of the supervisor's experience and knowledge of standards, but when they are least able to provide technical help because you have become the expert.
Support and communication
Graduate research requires dedication and hard work, and your determination to succeed is of vital importance. However, even the strongest determination can be disrupted by a personal crisis, and your ability to succeed may depend on how well you use the assistance which is available. You should keep your supervisor informed so that they take these circumstances into consideration when providing advice on the most appropriate course of action regarding your studies. Your supervisor can also direct you to support services provided by the University for graduate researchers and discuss options for leave or changes to your study load where appropriate.
The Graduate Research Coordinator/s oversee the graduate research experience, and hold responsibility for each graduate researcher in their School or Institute. If you have any concerns about your supervisory team or any other matters related to your candidature, you can discuss this with your Graduate Research Coordinator who can support you to find a resolution.