Support and development
Graduate research supervision can at times be difficult or complicated, and supervisors are not expected to work in a vacuum. The university provides a broad support network that is there to help answer questions, to model expectations, and to provide advice. The institutional supports available to supervisors are as follows:
- Schools provide leadership in the expectations of graduate research through research activities (such as seminar series) held at discipline, department or school level. Your School Director of Research can provide more information about activities in your area.
- Each school has a dedicated Director of Graduate Research (DGR) who oversees higher degree research matters for the School, and can advise you on aspects of supervision procedure.
- Graduate Research Coordinators (GRCs) are appointed at Department/discipline level to assist the work of the SGRCs and support supervisors and research candidates.
- The Research Education and Development (RED) team in the Graduate Research School offers specific workshops and seminars to help La Trobe academics develop their capacity as graduate research supervisors.
Introduction to Graduate Research Supervision
If you are new to supervision or to La Trobe, or want to refresh your knowledge of supervision, the RED team provides an intensive Introduction to Graduate Research Supervision workshop that covers all the basics and provides academic staff with the chance to reflect on what being a supervisor means in their disciplinary context.
Upcoming workshops
Date | Session title | Campus | Booking |
---|---|---|---|
Monday 19 July | Introduction to Graduate Research Supervision | Online | Book now |
Wednesday 08 December | Introduction to Graduate Research Supervision | Online | Bookings open after 19 July |
Past workshops
Date | Session title | Campus |
---|---|---|
Tuesday 23 February | Introduction to Graduate Research Supervision | Online |
Supervisor Development Program
The Supervisor Development Program (SDP) is a semester-long series of interactive, online workshops that aim to provide graduate research supervisors at La Trobe with knowledge and resources that will enhance their supervision practice. The SDP responds to the La Trobe Strategic Plan and the Graduate Researcher Experience and Wellbeing Plan by helping supervisors to build shared understandings of supervision practice that will enhance the research training experience and promote timely and effective completions.
The SDP workshops are organised in a sequence of four staged topics. It is recommended that participants aim to access the workshops in sequence over the course of a single semester. Participants are welcome to repeat any of the workshops at any time to reinforce specific aspects of their supervision practice.
Upcoming workshops
Date | Session title | Campus | Booking |
---|---|---|---|
Tuesday 27 April | Workshop 3: Working with Student Writers and Giving Feedback | Online | Book now |
Monday 17 May | Workshop 4: Problem Solving and managing change | Online | Bookings open after workshop 3 |
Tuesday 27 July | Workshop 1: Pedagogies and Philosophies of Supervision | Online | Scheduled |
Tuesday 17 August | Workshop 2: Effective Communication | Online | Scheduled |
Tuesday 14 September | Workshop 3: Working with Student Writers and Giving Feedback | Online | Scheduled |
Tuesday 12 October | Workshop 4: Problem Solving and managing change | Online | Scheduled |
Past workshops
Date | Session title | Campus |
---|---|---|
Monday 08 March | Workshop 1: Pedagogies and Philosophies of Supervision | Online |
Thursday 25 March | Workshop 2: Effective Communication | Online |
Chairing Progress Committees
The Progress Committee Chair plays a pivotal role in supporting graduate research candidates and ensuring the success of their research endeavours.
The purpose of these workshop is to provide Progress Committee Chairs with an opportunity to develop their knowledge of the requirements of the role, and to share their experience with other Chairs from across the university.
Upcoming workshops
Date | Session title | Campus | Booking |
---|---|---|---|
Tuesday 30 March | Chairing Progress Committees | Online | Bookings closed |
Wednesday 12 May | Chairing Progress Committees | Online | Book now |
Wednesday 04 August | Chairing Progress Committees | Online | Scheduled |
Tuesday 24 August | Chairing Progress Committees | Online | Scheduled |
Tuesday 05 October | Chairing Progress Committees | Online | Scheduled |
Thursday 09 December | Chairing Progress Committees | Online | Scheduled |
Past workshops
Date | Session title | Campus |
---|---|---|
Tuesday 09 March | Chairing Progress Committees | Online |
Preparing Progress Support Plans
These workshops provides an introduction and guide to the progress support plans process.
Upcoming workshops
Date | Session title | Campus | Booking |
---|---|---|---|
Wednesday 20 April | Preparing Progress Support Plans | Online | Book now |
Tuesday 11 May | Preparing Progress Support Plans | Online | Bookings open after 20 April |
Wednesday 18 August | Preparing Progress Support Plans | Online | Scheduled |
Supervision Relationships Workshop: Exploring boundaries and expectations
These workshops are offered separately in two cohorts for candidates and supervisors, which aims to empower all members of the supervision team with strategies for effective communication and expectations management.
Upcoming workshops
Date | Session title | Campus | Booking |
---|---|---|---|
Tuesday 10 August | Supervision Relationships Workshop: Exploring boundaries and expectations | Online | Scheduled |
Wednesday 01 September | Supervision Relationships Workshop: Exploring boundaries and expectations | Online | Scheduled |
Thursday 16 September | Supervision Relationships Workshop: Exploring boundaries and expectations | Online | Scheduled |
Past workshops
Date | Session title | Campus |
---|---|---|
Thursday 11 March | Supervision Relationships Workshop: Exploring boundaries and expectations | Online |
Thursday 25 March | Supervision Relationships Workshop: Exploring boundaries and expectations | Online |
Supervisor Forum: Distance Supervision
This half-day forum aims to give supervisors an opportunity to consider the impact of remote supervision on their practice, and offers potential solutions to some of the challenges that can arise from remote or distance supervision.
Upcoming workshops
Date | Session title | Campus | Booking |
---|---|---|---|
Thursday 13 May | Supervisor Forum: Distance Supervision | Online | Book now |
Wednesday 28 July | Supervisor Forum: Distance Supervision | Online | Bookings open after 13 May |
For information on other workshops, please visit the RED Workshops page