Doctoral thesis advisors require orientation
There are plenty of positives about thesis guidance along with room for improvement, according to Nordic young researcher organisations.
texti terhi hautamäki image getty image english translation marko saajanaho
The quality of doctoral training largely depends on the quality of thesis guidance.
Organisations of young Nordic researchers wanted to highlight this. They gathered good practices and recommendations and published them as a product of the Nordic Link cooperation.
“We hope we can inspire and encourage universities to investigate what is good and effective in the Nordic countries”, says Union of Research Professors Special Adviser Miia Ijäs-Idrobo.
The European umbrella organisation Eurodoc have already published their statement earlier. According to Ijäs-Idrobo, an intra-Nordic comparison felt interesting because the systems in the Nordic countries are close to each other.
Differences in orientation
The organisations emphasise the importance of advisor orientation. In Denmark, Sweden, and many Norwegian universities, attending training is mandatory before being qualified as a thesis advisor. In Finland, systematic orientation is offered in some universities but Ijäs-Idrobo states it is currently difficult to see this as a compulsory requirement.
“We do not want training to become an additional burden on advisors, instead it should support their work.”
University of Oslo doctoral researcher Naheeda Hamza helped devise recommendations as a Stipendiatorganisasjonene i Norge representative. In Norway, advisors receive orientation on the basics of doctoral training and up-to-date guidelines.
According to Hamza, it is important for advisors to be informed about matters such as ethical guidelines related to the current geopolitical situation – especially should they be advising researchers working on sensitive subjects that may even threaten the researcher’s own safety.
“We do not want training to become an additional burden on advisors, instead it should support their work.”
“If doctoral researchers come from countries at war and study the defence industry, geopolitics, or even leadership, they may be in a vulnerable position. Returning to their home country may be very difficult”, Hamza says.
Quality guidance helps a thesis to be finished on time. Guidance is especially critical to researchers from other countries who must finish their work within the funding period, while their residence permits are valid.
Continuity in guidance
One recommendation concerns joint guidance. In Finland, doctoral researchers are usually guided by more than one advisor, but not always. This may lead to problems if they are dependent on a single advisor who falls ill or changes jobs, or if conflicts arise.
“Doctoral thesis work has many requirements, both scientific and those supporting career progress. Different advisors may support the researcher from slightly different perspectives”, Ijäs-Idrobo says.
In Norway, doctoral researchers have two other advisors in addition to the responsible advisor. These other advisors play an important role in daily work and can sometimes be easier to reach than the main advisor, who may be busy with different projects.
“Thesis guidance is not just intellectual sparring. Sometimes, we need advice on handling mental stress or resolving challenges.”
The organisations also offer recommendations on the option to change advisors. In Sweden, this is in fact a legal right. In Norway, an advisor can be changed for serious reasons. Finnish universities use different guidelines. “Personally, I urge the universities to consider their practices in advance and openly document how to act in conflict situations”, Ijäs-Idrobo says.
Explore the Nordic Link recommendations.
Quality supervision at the heart of doctoral education
