There is no regulation that regulates the supervisor's tasks or areas of responsibility. Instead the content varies between different supervisors and subject traditions. In general, however, it can be said that you as a supervisor must provide support and guidance to the doctoral student, ensure that planning of the study time takes place through the individual study plan (ISP) with annual follow-up, and work to ensure that the doctoral student achieves the goals of the education.

In addition, you are expected to:

• review the doctoral student's manuscripts and other material
• recommend courses and relevant literature
• teach the doctoral student research ethics
• help the doctoral student to network and establish contacts with other institutions in Sweden and abroad
• contribute to the doctoral student being able to participate in international conferences
• prepare the doctoral student for the part-time seminar, the dissertation and the defense of the dissertation

In total, doctoral students at the University of Borås are entitled to 400 supervision hours distributed over the entire study period. These supervision hours refer to the total supervision time for the entire doctoral student's supervisor group.

When recruiting a new doctoral student, there are a number of things to keep in mind. Here is a compilation of routines for announcing and selecting doctoral students:

• A recruitment group is formed (this group could contain the department's director of studies and supervisor representative).
• The recruitment group proposes the establishment of a doctoral studentship position to the Head of the Faculty. This takes place when finances and projects allow for funding a doctoral studentship, usually on the initiative of individual researchers / supervisors.
• Advertising must take place in accordance with current regulations at the university. The University uses the system support ReachMee for application and handling of recruitment matters.
• Announcement of doctoral studentships must refer to a doctoral degree (not a licentiate).
• A ranking group is determined by the postgraduate education committee (FUU)/ KFU. A first selection of applicants can sometimes be made by the recruitment group.
• The university's admissions unit assesses the applicants eligibility for postgraduate education.
• Advertising does not have to take place when admitting a doctoral student who is employed by an external employer, for example a region, municipality or company - a so-called collaborative/industry doctoral student.
• Advertising does not have to take place upon admission to the later part of doctoral studies.
• The Research Education Committee / KFU admits the doctoral student.
• After a decision on admission has been made, the Head of the Faculty makes a decision on employment.
• As a supervisor, you should be helpful in introducing the doctoral student.

Each doctoral student must have a valid individual study plan (ISP). It must be prepared jointly by the doctoral student and you as a supervisor at least once a year. The ISP is determined by the responsible research education committee, alternatively KFU.

The individual study plan is the documented plan for the doctoral student's doctoral education that you and your doctoral student have worked out together. It is the framework against which the doctoral student's performance in the doctoral education is measured. This means that it both obliges but also protects the doctoral student's rights. Failure to comply with the individual study plan may lead to the withdrawal of the doctoral student's supervision and other resources.

For this to happen, the doctoral student must to a “significant extent” have breached his or her obligations according to the individual study plan. It is the vice-chancellor who decides on the withdrawal of supervision, according to decided guidelines. Resources may not be withdrawn for the time that the doctoral student is employed with a doctoral studentship.

Part of your role as a supervisor is to help the doctoral student find suitable courses. The University of Borås offers several postgraduate courses. Postgraduate courses can also be applied for at other Universities, in Sweden and / or abroad. Keep in mind that the doctoral student must apply for a transfer of credit for courses / course components that have been completed outside the University of Borås.

If you are considering whether a course fits into the doctoral student's education at the doctoral level, a consultation should be made with the doctoral student's examiner.

Here you can get more information about courses offered at the University: 

Link to the course catalogue

According to the Higher Education Ordinance, a doctoral student always have the right to change supervisors. There is no unconditional right for the doctoral student to choose a supervisor at his or her own discretion. It is the doctoral education committee / KFU which appoints supervisors.

If you want to change something in the supervisor constellation (change, add or remove), the doctoral student must fill in a form sheet and send it to the doctoral education administration. The change must be noted in the doctoral student's ISP. If the change concerns the main supervisor, a new ISP must be determined by the responsible doctoral education committee, alternatively KFU.

Supervision can be conducted in many different ways and it is you as a supervisor who to a large extent controls the supervision process. The joint meeting and exchange of experiences is central to building new knowledge. One of the cornerstones of a good supervision situation is communication and interaction between you as a supervisor and your doctoral student so that knowledge can be developed in dialogue and interaction.

As an aid along the way, you can use SULF's prepared discussion material to clarify the expectations that you as a doctoral student have towards your doctoral student and that your doctoral student has towards you as a supervisor.

SULF:s website

When your doctoral student begins to approach the end of his / her education, it is time to plan for the public defense or licentiate degree. This is done by the main supervisor and the doctoral student in consultation with the assistant supervisor. Remember to start the planning well in advance!

Public defense 

Supervisors are responsible for finding a suitable discussant, examination board och substitute. Once you have received acceptance from the persons, you fill in their information on the form for notification of dissertation. Once again, remember to start the planning process as early as possible. Approximately 3-4 months before the planned public defense, a proposal for a dissertation with all appendices must be submitted to the research education committee / KFU for a formal decision.

As a supervisor, you together with your doctoral student are responsible to ensure that the schedule for printing and nailing is kept. Questions concerning the more academic design of the dissertation are for you as a supervisor to answer. For questions concerning the aesthetic design, support can be obtained from the Communications Department and the printing house.

Licentiate seminar

You as the main supervisor are responsible for finding an examiner and a substitute for him/her, a discussant and a seminar leader.

Once you have received acceptance from the persons, fill in their information on the application form sheet for decision on the licentiate seminar.

Also when it comes to the licentiate seminar it is important to plan well in advance.