1. Conference on Supervision in Doctoral Education Entry phase – Warming up for research University of Zagreb, April 19th 2011
Lucas Zinner
Head of the Center for Doctoral Studies University of Vienna

2. Key issues for the PhD entry phase Recruiting is crucial
YES “Supervision is not a matter of luck. It’s a matter of awareness, intention and professional development of supervisors, advisors and mentors.”
Key issues for the PhD entry phase
Recruiting is crucial
Clarifying your relationship
Delivering the research question
Planning the (individual) PhD trajectory
Ensuring peer group support in your micro-environment
Sharing experiences and purposes
L. Zinner, Zagreb 2011

3. Recruit as you were hiring
Recruiting
“Dilemma: Should the students interest fit into the professors research program or do we have the responsibility to support the students freedom of choice?”
Recruit as you were hiring
Assessing the candidates skills and interests against supervisors and department’s requirements and potentials,
Being active and selective,
Not (only) formal knowledge but stamina, initiative, ability to handle frustration and motivation create successful completers,
Discouragement might be fair and professional.
L. Zinner, Zagreb 2011

4. Clarifying your relationship
“Mentoring is a relationship. It is a close relationship between a student and a senior faculty member. It includes not only academic guidance but also prolonged nurturing of the student’s personal, scholarly and professional development.”
Clarifying your relationship Broad spectrum of different roles from counselors, advisers to mentors
Financier and PI
Judge and assessor
Door opener and networker
Father/mother substitute or best friend
Multidimensional facilitator
The roles and expectations related to them have to be made explicit!
L. Zinner, Zagreb 2011

5. Delivering the research question
“In the eagerness to contribute to human knowledge young people tend to define their research subject to broadly and it is usually the role of the mentor to narrow it down. The psychological danger, in the process of narrowing down, not to suppress the original enthusiasm of the student.”
Delivering the research question
an entire process by itself,
first major step in the transition from course taker to independent scholar,
a task to be jointly addressed,
experienced guidance needed.
Solving puzzles is the driver for research! Share this right from the beginning.
L. Zinner, Zagreb 2011

6. Planning the PhD trajectory
“The transition should be gradual with the initial stage where the mentor should be more directional, short term focused, assigning short term tasks and deadlines. Gradually that should move into the direction of more open ended and long term goals.”
Planning the PhD trajectory/project
Construct an overall time line and break it down to different stages,
Define and agree on subtasks,
Define short and mid term goals,
Agree on monitoring means and measurement of progress.
Deadlines are important!
React, if warning signs pop up!
L. Zinner, Zagreb 2011

7. Ensuring peer group support
“The mentor socializes student into the culture of the discipline….In the process of professional socialization the mentor is introducing the student into the “backstage” of the discipline or profession.“
Ensuring peer group support in your micro-environment
Informal knowlege is crucial,
Active move against isolation,
Teamwork skills and cooperation across borders are essential,
Support forming towards stewarts of the discipline.
Supportive „peer cultural environment“ strengthens teamwork and increases research output.
L. Zinner, Zagreb 2011

8. Sharing experiences and purposes
“Supervision is not a matter of luck. It’s a matter of awareness, intention and professional development of supervisors, advisors and mentors.” Sharing experiences and purposes Establish and use a network of peers to reflect on diverse supervisory issues and purposes.
L. Zinner, Zagreb 2011