The course builds in large part on participants own experiences and is aimed at you with at least some experience of supervising a doctoral student.

Course content and structure

During the course, participants are given the opportunity to reflect on what one does as a supervisor and discuss various ways to improve the supervision in order to facilitate doctoral students’ learning and development. Through discussions with colleagues from different academic subjects and disciplines, the course offers insights into disciplinary and local traditions. The course offer lectures and seminars during which various aspects of doctoral supervision is highlighted. Practical exercises and case seminars are also included in the course. Course literature and course participants own experiences of supervising doctoral students provide the point of departure for discussions and reflections during the course.

Topics will include

• the supervisor role and responsibilities
• rules and regulations regarding doctoral education at Stockholm University
• facilitating doctoral students’ learning and development
• feedback as a tool in supervision
• ethics, gender and equality in supervision

The course involves four full-days seminars where participants from different faculties and disciplines meet to critically reflect on and discuss aspects of interest for doctoral supervision at Stockholm University. Course participants are expected to prepare each course day by reading course literature and write course assignments. The course corresponds to two weeks full time, equivalent to 3 credits.

Admisson

The target group is supervisors with at least some experience of supervising a doctoral student. Participants must have doctoral degree (or equivalent) and be employed at Stockholm University or another university or university college. Applicants employed at Stockholm University who are supervising doctoral students will be given priority.

After accepting your place on the course your application to the course is binding. In case of cancellation after this point your department will be debited a cancellation fee of 3 000 SEK. By signing up you confirm that your registration is approved by the Head of (your) Department or equivalent.

Selection process

If there are more applicants than available places in the course we will make a prioritization of the applicants. It is therefore of the outmost importance that you fill in your application form as completely as possible.

The main criterion of admission is the date of application. We also prioritize applicants who have previously applied for this course but did not get a place. We also take into consideration that participants are evenly distributed regarding faculties, gender and experience in research supervision.

In the selection we also take into consideration the following criteria:

• applicants with experience in research supervision in cases where there is a lack among the other participants
• applicants who will be supervising doctoral students parallel to the course

Application period

Application period for autumn 2025 is April 15 to May 15. Notification of admission is given during week 22. Applications submitted after May 15 will only be considered in the case of vacancies on the course.

Applicants employed at other universities are welcome to apply to our courses but priority are given to those employed at Stockholm University. If you are accepted as a participant there will be a course fee.

Apply here