Last week, Eurodoc published its statement on doctoral supervision. The statement has been developed over a process spanning two years, involving doctoral candidates and recent doctoral graduates from all over Europe. Given the diverse and rapidly evolving academic landscape across the continent, Eurodoc wishes to emphasise the pivotal role of supervision practices staying responsive to the needs of doctoral candidates, promoting creativity, resilience, and shared responsibility within Europe’s research ecosystem.
The statement brings together voices of doctoral candidates from across Europe to respond to a need for improved supervision practices. Laura Weihl, co-coordinator for the working group and herself a doctoral candidate at IT University of Copenhagen, says: “I have seen far too many PhDs across Europe struggle due to a lack of good supervision. Too often they are pushed out of academia altogether and that’s not acceptable. Supervision practices need to evolve - good outcomes should be the norm.”
As a red thread throughout the statement runs the inherent reciprocity of the relationship between supervisors and doctoral candidates - built on trust, respect, and adaptability. Eurodoc stresses the need for flexible, clearly defined supervision agreements that evolve over time, fostering a dynamic and supportive mentorship model. Institutions must empower supervisors with time, training, and recognition, while doctoral candidates are encouraged to grow in independence and initiative. This balance not only safeguards quality and progress but also helps prevent conflict later on in doctoral training.
Supervisors and doctoral candidates alike also need greater awareness of mental health and institutions must endeavour to build inclusive academic environments. Institutions must equip supervisors to recognize signs of distress, promote healthy work-life boundaries, and engage with diverse candidates across backgrounds. Simultaneously, academic freedom must be protected through shared decision-making and open dialogue, allowing candidates to explore their intellectual paths with confidence and integrity.
Anthony Waked, co-coordinator of the working group, reflects: “Almost every sentence in this statement was drafted and redrafted through a truly collaborative effort. It reflects the voices and lived experiences of early-career researchers and doctoral candidates who generously gave of their time and energy to express how they believe supervision within doctoral training should evolve.”
This statement is both a blueprint and a call to action. The topic of supervision of doctoral candidates is relevant to everyone in academia. Doctoral candidates are early career researchers, and as such they are research professionals. Eurodoc wishes to invite academic institutions, policymakers, and the broader research community at large to engage critically and constructively in reshaping supervision practices.
You can find the full statement here