About Supervision

A productive working relationship between doctoral candidate and doctoral supervisor is of high relevance for the successful completion of doctoral studies. Traditionally, doctoral studies were an individual enterprise – one doctoral candidate was supervised by one doctoral supervisor. In order to intensify the support for early stage researchers, a new approach to supervision has emerged – a team of supervisors supports doctoral candidates within a structured format of doctoral education. The University of Graz offers various forms of structured doctoral education – Doctoral Schools, Doctoral Programmes, and Consortia of the Doctoral Academy – which have different administrative procedures and funding opportunities.

Regardless of the chosen format of doctoral education, doctoral research has to be based on the principles of Good Scientific Practice which are obligatory for doctoral candidates and doctoral supervisors.  

The University of Graz awards the work of excellent doctoral supervisors with the Seraphine Puchleitner Award for Outstanding Doctoral Supervisors. Doctoral Supervisors who are interested in adding new tools to their supervisory tool box are invited to attend a specifically designed workshop by the renowned expert Gitte Wichmann-Hansen (Aarhus University). The Supervisory Agreement – obligatory at most of the Faculties – as well as information on workshops and further online resources can be found here.