PhD guidance

Özge Özden lays out the pros and cons you need to consider when choosing a PhD supervisor, as well as five key qualities to look out for

From providing mental health champions to simply having honest conversations about expectations and pressure, there’s much that can be done to help students

Engineering biologist Maggie Hicks shares what she has learned on her journey towards commercialising her PhD, with business partner and fellow PhD student Florentina Winkelmann

PhD supervision requires a specific skill set – from communication to emotional intelligence – to meet its challenges and secure its rewards. Here, Helen Allan shares her advice based on more than 20 years of experience

If the chance to work with gifted people and across unfamiliar disciplines appeals, a doctoral training programme could be for you, whether you’re a student or an academic

Ben Marder provides a fun exercise that can impart important wisdom to help lessen PhD students’ anxiety over their progress

Supervisory meetings should be planned, regular and positive in tone. Here are key elements to include in thesis supervision meetings for academics new to the role

Co-creation can bring together research supervisors and doctoral students to unpick the tensions and challenges in the supervisory relationship and seek solutions, researchers from the University of Warwick explain

Is it time to add PhD supervision to your skill set? Tara Brabazon explains the pitfalls, challenges and rewards of this key academic role for the rookie mentor

Transforming a doctoral research project into a commercially viable product requires astute decision-making from the start. Manjinder Kainth and Nicola Wilkin share a beginner’s guide