Centre for Academic Development

Supervising PhD students (Forskarhandledarutbildningen)

Fem unga människor arbetar tillsammans vid ett bord.

The university offers the course Supervising PhD students (Forskarhandledarutbildningen) in both Swedish and English. The English course runs in spring semesters. The course is aimed at employees at the university and Region Örebro County but we also welcome external applicants.

The course Supervising PhD students is not included in the 10 weeks of university teaching courses required for employment as lecturer or above at Örebro University.

The purpose of the course is collegial development of knowledge about research supervision and to contribute to the development of a good supervisory and postgraduate culture at the university.

The course comprises two parts or perspectives. One is the public mission of PhD study in Sweden; that is, the role the development of research plays in society and the public domain and how it is regulated both nationally by the Higher Education Act and Ordinance and locally at Örebro University. The other is the educational mission of the PhD supervisor, and more precisely the challenges, opportunities and problems that he or she faces in the supervision context.

Credits and attendance

The course is planned to cover 120 hours of work includes six full-day teaching sessions and another nine days of independent work on the course tasks.

Course dates spring semester 2024:

Wednesday 24 April, 10.15-16.00, on campus
Thursday 25 April, 09.15-16.00, on campus
Monday 6 May, 10.15-16.00, on campus
Tuesday 7 May, 09.15-16.00, on campus
Monday 27 May, 10.15-16.00, on campus
Tuesday 28 May, 9.15-16.00, on campus

NB! The course is offered in English during spring semesters and Swedish in autumn semesters.

Eligibility and selection

Eligible applicants must hold a valid doctoral degree.

Applicants are offered a place on the course on a first-come, first-served basis provided a complete application has been submitted which the applicant’s head or director has approved. Note that the application may close before the deadline if the course fills up. In case of too few applicants the course may be cancelled.

Please note that you must be able to attend the first two days of the course in full in order to be accepted onto the course. The remaining four sessions may be made up for at another time within two years from the starting semester.

Course fee

Employees at Örebro University:
4 000 sek excluding VAT

External applicants:
10 000 sek excluding VAT

The course fee will be invoiced after the deadline for registration for the course. In the event of cancellation after the last day of registration or an interruption of the course, no refund will be made.

If you have any questions regarding the application process, feel free to contact us at

Application

Registration for the spring semester's course is now closed. Late registration is possible – subject to availability on the course – by sending an email to .

Supervising PhD students

Qualifying course for PhD supervisors, 3 weeks (120 hours)
(Forskarhandledarutbildningen)

1 GENERAL INFORMATION

The course is geared towards supervisors, and persons intending to take up the role of supervisor, on PhD programmes at Örebro University and Region Örebro County.

2 ABOUT THE COURSE

Supervising PhD Students corresponds to 120 working hours, or three weeks of full-time study. The course syllabus was approved by the Director of the Centre for Academic Development on 6 October 2022.

2.1 Course goals

After completing the course, participant shall be able to

reason around supervision as a role and process,
discuss various aspects of the supervisor-PhD student relationship,
conduct good supervision,
contribute to a positive supervisory culture, and
reflect on their own role as supervisor.

2.2 Course content

The course is in two parts. The first part focuses the public service obligations, that is, the requirements placed on those involved in doctoral education by society, as expressed in both national regulations in acts and ordinances, and the local regulations that apply at Örebro University. The second part discusses the pedagogical assignment, that is, the opportunities, challenges and problems that a supervisor of PhD students may come across in various supervisory situations.

2.3 Teaching methods

The teaching methods used on the course are lectures and seminars.

2.4 Attendance requirements

As the collegial exchange of experiences and knowledge is an important element of the course, a high level of attendance is required. In the case of absence, participants are asked to contact the course coordinator in advance for a discussion about how the learning activity can be carried out or the course content obtained in another way. However, attendance during the first two days of the course is a condition for taking the course that semester. If the attendance rate is lower than 80%, the participant must retake the course. If a participant has not completed the course within two years of the start of the course, they must retake the course.

2.5 Examination

The course includes three compulsory assignments: a literature reflection, an observation or interview accompanied by a reflection, as well as a course report. The first two assignments will be discussed by the group in a seminar setting. The third assignment shall be submitted to the course coordinator.

2.6 Reading list

A selection of readings about supervising PhD students will be presented shortly before the start of the course.

2.7 Course certificate

A course certificate will be issued after satisfactory completion of the course.

3 PRIOR ACADEMIC REQUIREMENTS

To be eligible for this course, participants need to have obtained a doctoral degree.

Read the whole course plan in pdf.

For questions regarding the course content please contact Kristin Ewins at or telephone 019-30 38 73.

For questions about practical issues such as the application, location, invoicing, please contact us at .