Chapter 5: Supervision

5.1 Appointment of supervisors

5.1.1 Primary, main or sole supervisor

The primary, main or sole supervisor must be a member of the university’s academic staff who has appropriate research experience and a continuing active involvement in research. Adjunct and emeritus members may also be appointed as main supervisors, provided that they are undertaking teaching and research responsibilities expected of a member of the university’s academic staff.

A research fellow may only be appointed as a primary, main or sole supervisor where the Research Graduate School Committee is satisfied that:

• the period of tenure of the fellowship would be likely to exceed the period of doctoral or MPhil candidature
• the proposed appointee has had previous experience as the supervisor of doctoral (or masters in the case of MPhil supervision) candidates or has completed the research supervisor accreditation program – level one or two
• the research fellow has a proven and current research record.

Where it can be reasonably assumed that a supervisor may not be available for the duration of the candidature, for example an academic staff member on contract or eligible to retire, then an associate supervisor should be appointed.

Where no adequate supervision can be arranged by the department in the event that a sole supervisor leaves the employ of the university, the applicant should be notified. In exceptional circumstances where this occurs during candidature, the Research Graduate School Committee may appoint a supervisor external to the university as the primary supervisor, with a Monash academic staff member appointed as an associate supervisor. The associate supervisor will handle administrative matters relating to the candidature.

Staff members who are themselves doctoral candidates may not supervise other doctoral candidates. However, in exceptional circumstances, an academic staff member who is a staff candidate under PhD regulation 6 (see Appendix A ) may be permitted to supervise candidates in research areas other than that being pursued through his or her own candidature.

The primary, main or sole supervisor must normally be a member of the department, school or centre through which the candidate is enrolled.

5.1.2 Experience of main supervisor

According to the 'Code of practice for the supervision of doctoral and research masters candidates', only those persons who are 'sufficiently expert and interested in the area of research' should be appointed as a supervisor.

5.1.2.1 Supervisor Accreditation Program

Inexperienced/ unaccredited supervisors  undertake a series of training modules to develop their supervisory skills and gain accreditation. The program is a two-stage process:

• Level 1: 9 modules including attendance at a workshop and an examination advisory panel and
• Level 2: 5 master classes (5 x 2 hour seminars).

Experienced supervisors, newly appointed to Monash, may apply for an exemption from the workshop but are encouraged to undertake those training modules which will familiarise them with Monash procedures, including an examination advisory panel. 

5.1.2.2 Apprenticeship training model

An inexperienced supervisor should be first appointed as an associate supervisor so that the principal supervisor may act as a mentor for the duration of the candidature. Where an inexperienced supervisor is serving an ‘apprenticeship’ during a first supervision, the faculty is expected to arrange appropriate training for the new supervisor in accordance with the committee’s guidelines for mentoring new supervisors.

If inexperienced supervisors pursue their training through the apprenticeship model, they cannot supervise in their own right until they have taken at least one student through to successful completion as an associate supervisor.

5.1.2.3 Joint supervision

5.1.3 Supervision load of primary supervisor

It is recognised that different supervision levels may be appropriate for different stages of a staff member’s academic career. Level 1 accredited supervisors will normally not supervise more than four full-time equivalent HDR students (or up to six individual students) until they have achieved three successful HDR thesis completions as a main or associate supervisor or have completed level two of the research supervisor accreditation program and an equivalent advanced supervision training program as may be required.

Under the code of practice, fully accredited level two supervisors may not supervise more than the equivalent of eight full-time HDR students (or up to 12 students in total). Where it is proposed that a supervisor undertake supervision in excess of this number, the department and faculty must convince the Research Graduate School Committee that the supervisor will be able to cope with the work load in a way that will not disadvantage his or her students.

5.1.4 Supervision performance

In a very small number of cases, concerns may be raised in relation to the quality of supervision. These may range from general issues of perceived poor supervision to alleged serious breaches of the 'Code of practice for the supervision of doctoral and research masters candidates'. These concerns may come from a range of different sources, including the student, the head of department or the Monash Research Graduate School itself.

Such cases would normally be advised to the relevant faculty dean and appropriate action may be taken, in accordance with the 'Code of practice for the supervision of doctoral and research masters candidates' and/or the Monash University Enterprise Agreement.

In some instances, Monash Research Graduate School may regard the concerns to be serious enough to warrant there being a reduction of, or limitation on, the number of candidates a supervisor can supervise for a period of time until the concerns have been rectified. A Research Graduate School Committee review panel or similarly constituted panel may thus recommend to the Research Graduate School Committee that a limit be placed on an academic staff member’s research supervision level for a period of time deemed appropriate.

Research supervisors subject to a reduction or limitation on the level of candidates supervised should be provided with a range of services to assist with supervision skills and practices.

5.1.5 Associate supervisors

An associate supervisor need not be a member of the academic staff but should be of recognised standing in the relevant field of research.

While there is no requirement that an associate supervisor be appointed, the appointment of an associate supervisor is advisable where:

• the project is a highly specialised or interdisciplinary research project
• absences of the main supervisor may be anticipated
• the primary supervisor holds a non-tenured or contract position which will not cover the expected duration of doctoral candidature
• the student undertakes study and research away from the university and the primary supervisor is unable to maintain effective supervision. In such cases a local academic supervisor should be provided
• there is a need to complement the skills of the principal supervisor (for example an industrial supervisor may be appointed in the case of a collaborative project)
• there is a need to provide professional development in research supervision for staff members with limited experience in supervision.

Where associate supervisors are appointed, the supervisors and the candidate must all be clear as to the precise role each supervisor will play.

Associate supervisors who have not yet been accredited are allowed to supervise up to three HDR students in total.

5.1.6 Acting supervisor

A temporary main supervisor must be appointed where the main supervisor will be absent for a period of between six weeks and six months. If the main supervisor is planning to be absent for more than six months, a permanent replacement for the main supervisor should be appointed. The main supervisor may remain as an associate supervisor, and supervision arrangements can be reviewed when the main supervisor returns.

The associate supervisor may act as the temporary main supervisor when:

• the associate supervisor is experienced and accredited and has sufficient time to provide full supervision
• the main supervisor is absent for a period of up to six months

The main supervisor will normally continue to maintain regular email contact with the candidate.

If the associate supervisor is inexperienced/ unaccredited, an alternative temporary main supervisor must be appointed.

The candidate must agree to a regular meeting schedule with the temporary main supervisor, at least once per fortnight for full-time candidates and once per month for part-time students. The temporary main supervisor must assume responsibility for sign-off on all matters relating to the student’s candidature, for example annual progress reports, variations to candidature/scholarship or submission of thesis.

With effect from October 2006, temporary supervision arrangements are the responsibility of academic departments and are not processed or recorded by the Monash Research Graduate School.

5.1.7 Supervision arrangements for candidates enrolled by external mode

In the case of a candidate enrolled externally in a laboratory-based discipline, an onsite supervisor, in addition to the Monash-based principal and associate supervisor (if applicable), would be mandatory.

Where candidates are enrolled by external mode, the relevant faculty must be satisfied that candidate and principal supervisor are able to communicate on a daily basis, for example by fax, telephone or email. Regular interactive communication should take place at least monthly via telephone, video conference or other interactive communication. (See Appendix F).