‘Using GenAI is easier than asking my supervisor for support’
Doctoral researchers are turning to generative AI to assist in their research. How are they using it, and how can supervisors and candidates have frank discussions about…
Preparing for a research-active career during your PhD
How can you balance the demands of your PhD thesis with publishing other work to support your academic career goals? This article offers practical strategies for…
Nurturing supervisor-supervisee relationships
How to foster productive supervisor-supervisee relationships and address challenges when they arise
The university support services that help demonstrate research impact
Library and knowledge transfer services are just two of the institutional resources available to help academics show the impact of their research. Find out which …
Working in partnership with PhD students to enhance postgraduate research culture
With guidance on the REF 2029 assessment of People, Culture and Environment just published, how might UK universities’ approach to partnership with …
Beyond the classroom: from PhD preparation to leadership
A foundational pathway that nurtures future leaders in healthcare and scientific innovation produces students who are not only ready for their PhD journey but …
Eight steps to launch a student-led peer-review journal
To help PhD students gain the skills required for publication and improve research literacy, consider an in-house academic journal
Four ways to enhance the postgraduate student experience
Postgraduate students are our future colleagues – let’s put ourselves in their shoes. Here are four ways to help your PhD students thrive in higher education
Intercultural communication between PhD supervisors and candidates
Culture goes beyond language and national origins, so doctoral supervisors need curiosity and an open mindset in their interactions to maximise performance and…
THE podcast: what makes an award-winning academic, university or project?
We speak to past THE Awards winners to find out about the work for which they and their institutions were recognised
Implementing a ‘research buddy’ scheme
A novel volunteer programme has been giving students hands-on sports research experience and maintaining high standards of health safety. Here’s how it works
Set your PhD students up with opportunities to debate and share
Creating alternative publishing opportunities and space for peer-led conversation are a vital part of the PhD research student journey. Teal Triggs launched two initiatives to …
‘I’ve been a research supervisor for 35 years and I’m still learning’
How can we supervise our PhD students to give them the best chance of success? Here are seven tips to keep in mind when taking on the role
The aspiring academic’s career path from PhD to professor
If you have just finished your PhD or postdoc and realised that an academic career needs more than published papers and teaching, Jan Buermann has advice on …
Understanding ethics approval in academic research
The following strategies aim to streamline the ethics approval process, reduce delays and uphold the highest ethical standards
Why peer-to-peer conferences benefit doctoral students and their institutions
Solid research skills aside, PhD students need to master the art of collaboration and communicating their ideas. A student-led conference can offer that support
How a strong network can enhance the PhD journey
Connections and collaborations can help PhD students (and their supervisors) cut through the isolation of research. Here’s how to leverage those links…
Five ways to connect PhD students with industry
Developing industry experience is often the last thing on the minds of the PhD community, but nurturing partnerships between academia and industry can…
Practical tips for graduate students undertaking a doctoral dissertation
Producing a doctoral dissertation can be an intimidating process, writes Bill Huckle. Here, he shares practical strategies for graduate students taking on…
Strategies for writing a PhD dissertation: write before you’re ‘ready’
Reading isn’t writing, and knowing about your topic isn’t writing. So, what should graduate students do to get started and make steady progress? Monique Dufour…
Get a head start in the first year of your PhD
Even a marathon begins with first steps, and so it makes sense to master motivation, set healthy habits and get writing early to reap the reward of a polished…
Buddy system: creating community through writing
Is a writing group or partner an effective antidote to post-pandemic isolation during doctoral education? Lena Steveker and Laura Spadon explain how to put a forum …
How to structure your PhD thesis
Organising your PhD thesis in a logical order is one of the crucial stages of your writing process. Here is a list of the individual components to include
Get your PhD thesis beach ready
Prepping for the beach requires planning, effort and time management – and so does writing a PhD thesis. John Sinclair offers advice for summer days and doctoral…
How to navigate the PhD thesis
The PhD thesis may be a mountain to climb, but you can take it one step at a time. Luis R Rojas-Solórzano offers his guidance
‘Augmenting’ the doctoral thesis in preparation for a viva
The viva voce exam is the final hurdle for PhD students, but for most it is also a new and fear-inducing experience. Edward Mills offers one framework to help those…
How to write a PhD thesis: a step-by-step guide
A draft isn’t a perfect, finished product; it is your opportunity to start getting words down on paper, writes Kelly Louise Preece
How to develop a researcher mindset as a PhD student
Entering the postgraduate sphere is a whole new ball game. Shaif Uddin Ahammed shows how to hone a PhD mindset
Improve data literacy among doctoral students
In this resource, Vasudha Devi shows how to use a holistic approach to instil data literacy among doctoral students
How to tackle the PhD dissertation
Finding time to write can be a challenge for graduate students who often juggle multiple roles and responsibilities. Mabel Ho provides some tips to make…
Publication-based doctorate: is it for me?
Potential research higher degree candidates from academia or industry will need to decide between a doctorate by thesis or by publication. Here are key questions to …
We set up a thought leadership programme to amplify PhD research
Dalhousie's OpenThink programme shows how universities can empower the next generation of thought leaders and facilitate public engagement
What does a research supervisor do?
Research supervisors must learn to be authentic mentors, as well as sharing their experience and knowledge. Robert Crammond reflects on his time in the role
How to foster PhD excellence
How can PhD supervisors help early career researchers blossom? Support them with finding funding opportunities, understand each doctoral candidate’s motivations and…
Research supervisor or tour guide?
Reflecting on her own PhD journey as a supervisor and student, Ruth Northway offers her key signposts and mapping techniques to help candidates reach their destinations
Five ways to support PhD students’ well-being
Doctoral researchers are often absent from university discussions around well-being support, writes Jenny Mercer. Here, she argues that their situation requires bespoke…
Advice for supervising a PhD by published works
The route to a PhD by published works requires a different approach to supervision. Here, Alison Brettle provides aspects to consider based on her…
Celebrating failure and other advice for PhD supervisors
PhD researchers should be given space to work independently, share their results and test their own limits with the support of supervisors who see them as…
How to help postdocs take a holistic look at career choices
After their terminal degrees, many postdocs find themselves at a career crossroads. Here, Karena Nguyen offers four key considerations across…
Why get a PhD by publication (and other career tips)
Finding the ‘golden thread’ in your academic path can offer an opportunity to reflect and grow, writes James Derounian
Lots of talk about diversity in corporations, but what about universities?
Why real progress won’t be made unless universities solve three persistent issues: access to networks, unconscious bias and insider culture, writes Blane Ruschak
How can PhD researchers be supported to complete an alternative format thesis?
How universities can best support PhD researchers who wish to produce alternative format theses, based on a review of institutional policies
How to make access to doctoral study more equitable
A three-pronged look at how to make access to doctoral study more equitable and remove barriers to entry that disproportionately impact students from ethnic …
The confidence trick: impostor syndrome and PhDs in the non-academic world
Researchers have a great deal to offer the world beyond academia. But, as John Miles writes, knowing where and when to deploy these skills is crucial
Bridging the gap: how to enhance PhD programmes for non-academic careers
As more PhD students express interest in non-academic career paths, it’s essential to evaluate the relevance of traditional PhD programmes for alternative opportunities
Individual consultations can help PhD students to complete their studies
Personalised consultancy gives assistance to PhD students and candidates to keep their momentum and build their academic careers, and it also helps instructors identify and…
Top tips for choosing a PhD Supervisor
Özge Özden lays out the pros and cons you need to consider when choosing a PhD supervisor, as well as five key qualities to look out for
How to change research cultures to support the well-being of PhD students
From providing mental health champions to simply having honest conversations about expectations and pressure, there’s much that can be done to help students
What I have learned on the journey towards commercialising my PhD
Engineering biologist Maggie Hicks shares what she has learned on her journey towards commercialising her PhD, with business partner and fellow PhD student …
Ways to support research students in nursing and midwifery
PhD supervision requires a specific skill set – from communication to emotional intelligence – to meet its challenges and secure its rewards. Here, Helen Allan…
