Talent development in AGRO
Two of the action bullets in the action plan for talent development in the AGRO strategy is as follows:
| Activities | Initiatives |
| Improve alignment of expectations between PhD students and supervisors | Introduce mandatory brush-up courses every other year with focus on student-supervisor alignment of expectations. Implement form for agreement on expectations. Alignment of expectations form should be uploaded to myPhD as part of the PhD plan. Include recommendations for student-supervisor alignment in intro-meetings for new PhD-students. |
| Improve PhD supervision, including sufficient diversity of PhD supervision | Secure that main supervisors have and that co-supervisors have/will attend the GSTS supervisor courses. PhD committee will bring forward a suggestion on how to monitor whether all supervisors attend supervisor courses. Implement a “growth layer”-recommendation for supervision, i.e., focus on appointing junior researchers as co-supervisors. Include description of roles of the main- and co-supervisor, respectively in the alignment of expectations/letter of supervision. |
To follow up on this the AGRO PhD committee has organized an intensive ½ day PhD supervisor course for both experienced and new PhD supervisors. For experienced supervisors this course can be regarded as an intensive brush-up course.
The course will be held on the 27th November from 8.30 to12.00 in the Auditorium in Foulum (AU Viborg), Blichers Allé 20, 8830 Tjele.
Please sign up via this link https://events.au.dk/intensivecourseinphd-supervisionnov2024 at the latest on the 20th November – there will be morning bread and coffee for those who have signed up in due time.
Course description:
The importance of aligning expectations, balancing approaches to PhD-supervision and communicating effectively to promote research maturity in PhD-students
AGRO hereby invites all main and co PhD-supervisors to an intensive course in PhD-supervision to stimulate collegial discussion on topics that matter.
How do supervisors (and PhD-students) navigate the many expectations of a PhD education?
How do we balance and align these expectations? What are the responsibilities of the different stakeholders? And how do we handle any mismatches in expectations?
Supervision is guiding and inspiring a PhD-student to become a competent researcher, with their own voice and independent contributions to the field. But what is independence exactly? And how is it achieved? What is the role of communication in promoting learning and preventing possible trade-offs like insecurity, imposter-syndrome, and lack of well-being?
Finding possible answers to these questions can support independence and well-being in the PhD-education.
The course includes brief presentations and discussions on the following topics:
- Aligning expectations: Why? What? and How?
- Balance hands-on and hands-off supervision to scaffold progression and foster independence in PhD-students.
- Communication: the role of Active listening & Socratic dialogue in supporting student voice and maturity.
Course Facilitator:
Dorina Gnaur, PhD
Senior consultant/ Educational developer
Center for Educational Development (CED), AU
Make sure to sign up and attend this course