”The PhD programme is a process where you must learn the handicraft of research, to think like a researcher and to train and develop research judgement. Not only in relation to technical research skills but also in relation to assessing what constitutes a good project and how to interact in a research environment. It is a socialisation that has to take place. A bit like an apprenticeship,” says Torben K. Jensen, who is one of the people behind the survey, together with Gitte Wichmann-Hansen.

Right there in the workshop

Torben K. Jensen thinks that for socialisation to take place, the PhD student must be part of the research environment, and be in daily contact with the established researchers.

“Because if you aren’t there besides the ‘master’ then you won’t learn enough. It’s these daily meetings with the senior researchers that mean so much. For example, sitting besides an established researcher for ten hours on a plane on the way to a conference. Or seeing other researchers give criticism of one another’s projects. Hearing researchers argue when they present their projects to colleagues. The PhD students need to be right in the workshop.”

Gitte Wichmann-Hansen agrees:

“We don’t produce skilled, independent researchers by letting them work alone. That’s going to produce lonely researchers instead. And academic and social loneliness has a price. The PhD programme is a tough school but it mustn’t be unnecessarily tough because that has a price in terms of the functionality and, in the end, in the quality of the research.”

The fact that 16 percent of the PhD students feel alone with their project is, according to the two researchers, proof that AU can do things better.

”That figure is too high it ought to be zero. That’s the whole point of the supervision - that loneliness is not possible,” says Torben K. Jensen.

Broader supervision

The supervision is often narrowly centred on academic questions. As it should be according to Gitte Wichmann-Hansen.

“But taking a PhD also brings up many other questions: How do you administer a three-year project? What about a study abroad period? How do you publish your results? So there is a need for broader supervision. That places demands on the supervisors and it also calls for AU to focus on systematic training in non-academic supervision.”

What can you do?

As a PhD student you are subjected to a skewed power relationship because you are so dependent on your supervisor. But there are a number of things you can do to enhance your well-being:

• Find out what people do at other departments. Perhaps you will be inspired.
• Ask for a study place in a lively research environment.
• Try to systematise your supervision If you need more meetings - then ask for them. And don’t accept a no and the argument that a PhD programme is all about working independently.
• Make use of the PhD associations.
• Contact other PhD students: Form writing groups and give each other feedback.

Source: Gitte Wichmann-Hansen and Torben K. Jensen

Read the phD report

Translated by Peter Lambourne.