This session highlights the complementary roles of mentoring and coaching in supporting doctoral candidates (DCs). It encourages supervisors to reflect on their roles beyond technical oversight and explore how to provide personal, professional, and psychosocial guidance throughout the PhD journey.
Key Objectives:
- Clarify the roles supervisors play (e.g., mentor, coach, manager, advisor).
- Understand the differences and overlaps between mentoring and coaching.
- Share best practices for supporting DCs.
- Discuss strategies for handling challenges and improving the HumanIC supervisory network.
PhD Supervision: More Than Just Research. A PhD is not only a research project but a comprehensive training process. Supervisors may simultaneously take on roles such as: Mentor, Coach, Colleague, Manager, Counsellor. These roles may change over time and must be adapted to individual needs.
Mentoring includes: Knowledge transfer. Expanding social networks (social capital). Providing emotional and professional support
Coaching helps with: Goal setting, motivation, confidence, time management. Work-life balance, decision-making, and resilience.
Conclusion: Mentoring and coaching are powerful tools to enhance the doctoral experience, promote personal and professional development, and strengthen collaborative research environments. Supervisors should be reflective, adaptable, and supportive, helping candidates navigate both scientific challenges and life transitions.
