Being a supervisor

Supervisors are critical to a successful research education experience. So how do we develop our supervisory skills to enhance student experience? Whether you are new to supervision or practiced for many years, we have collected relevant information for you.

• New supervisors page provides info about the context within which supervisors must function in their new role.

• Experienced supervisors page discusses adapting to change occurring around you, in both students' and their potential employers' expectations, in your discipline, and in the wider international context. This page also discusses how you might enable junior colleagues to benefit from what you have already learned as a supervisor, and what you might learn from becoming experienced as an examiner.

1. Supervisory styles: this page outlines variations in supervisory styles, and whether there is an 'ideal' supervisor style. It also considers the need for matching your supervisory style to the student and the student's circumstances.

2. Student-supervisor relationships: we discuss the most beneficial relationship between supervisor and student. It also outlines how this beneficial relationship can be achieved by explicit negotiation and consideration of what students value the most from the supervision relationship.

3. Improving your supervisory practice: we consider how to achieve the improvement of personal practice in supervision by means of self-assessment and reflection, using examples of others' practice, considering feedback from your colleagues/ peers and/ or your students, and engaging with a mentor or co-supervisors.

4. Monitoring student progress: we consider formal and informal means of monitoring progress, as well as the actual obligations of supervisors at ANU, including online supervision reports.

5. Problems - prevent and cope: for advice on how to prevent problems and where to turn for further assistance.