To support the wellbeing of the online doctoral researchers whom they supervise, supervisors can…
- Be approachable, available and responsive. It’s harder to get to know someone and gauge their expectations at a distance.
- Be kind, encouraging, supportive and compassionate. Conversations, including emails, need to be warm and not rushed.
- Take time to build relationships and ask what support doctoral researchers have.
- Provide timely feedback on written work that is constructive and consistent.
- It’s easier to hide wellbeing issues online. Ask about wellbeing explicitly, making it a regular item on the supervision meeting agenda. You don’t have to be an expert!
- Reach out and ask if doctoral researchers are struggling. “I’ve noticed…I’m wondering…”
- Signpost university services. Online doctoral researchers are not always aware of them.