Facilizing Doctoral Student Development: Insights from the Student-Supervisor Relationship and Its Impacts

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Abstract

The student-supervisor relationship is crucial for doctoral students as it can shape their professional development and mental health during their educational trajectories. This study aims to investigate the doctoral student-supervisor relationship and its impacts on students. A total of 50 doctoral students and 11 supervisors from eight government-funded universities in Hong Kong were approached using in-depth semi-structured focus group and individual interviews. Guided by the theoretical farmwork of doctoral student-supervisor interpersonal behaviour model proposed by Mainhard et al. (2009), this study identified eight types of student-supervisor relationships. Meanwhile, the results highlighted that the doctoral student-supervisor relationship affects students’ academic achievement, professional development, well-being, and career development issues. Conceptual, theocratical and piratical implications were also provided.

Authors

• Yingxiu Li, The Education University of Hong Kong

• Wendan XU, The Education University of Hong Kong

• Junjun Chen, Education University of Hong Kong