Doctoral supervisors
Doctoral supervisors are part of a large and diverse community of researchers.
You belong to an interdisciplinary environment and you can make contributions to further strengthening research culture and activity at local and institutional level, and beyond.
The Graduate School is the hub for good practice and continuing professional development for supervisory teams and early career researchers.
Supervisor support and development
Recognising the critical role of the supervisor in guiding and developing the next generation of researchers, the Graduate School provides a tailored programme of activities to support supervisory teams, and offers a forum for sharing and enhancing good practice.
Supervisor forum programme
The annual supervisor forum programme provides a platform for doctoral supervisors to share knowledge and best practice with colleagues, while gaining support, information, and guidance on a range of topics from Graduate School members. These events are particularly recommended for those new to supervision and for members of staff who would like to supervise in the future.
Invitations are sent to the GS Community list and all doctoral supervisors. If you do not receive invitations to published events and wish to be added to the mailing list, please email: [email protected].
How can supervisors help doctoral researchers navigate the key milestones of the PhD journey?
The first Supervisors’ Forum of the academic year will explore this question through a series of short, practical presentations. We will consider the supervisor’s role in supporting doctoral researchers to gain ethical approval, engage with the Doctoral Researcher Development Programme (DRDP), and successfully meet the formal requirements of Annual Progress Reviews (APRs).
The forum is open to all Directors of Studies and supervisors, including colleagues who are considering taking on a supervisory role. It will be especially useful for those who are new to PhD supervision or who have not yet supported a doctoral researcher through to completion.
How can supervisors encourage doctoral researchers to make development an integral part of their PhD journey?
This Supervisors’ Forum will explore how supervisors can help doctoral researchers identify and engage with development opportunities, enabling them to build the skills needed for both their research and future careers. It will also consider how supervisors can help researchers recognise that development is not time away from their projects, but an investment in their ability to carry it out successfully.
Additionally, we will consider how engagement in development can strengthen research culture by helping doctoral researchers to connect and share experiences, and how supervisors can support researchers to recognise and articulate the transferable skills they will need within and beyond academia.
The forum is open to all Directors of Studies and supervisors, as well as colleagues interested in taking on a supervisory role. It will be particularly valuable for those seeking practical ways to embed researcher development within supervisory conversations.
How can supervisory teams work effectively across disciplinary boundaries to provide a coherent and supportive experience for doctoral researchers?
This Supervisors’ Forum will explore the opportunities and challenges of interdisciplinary PhD supervision. It will consider how supervisors can help doctoral researchers navigate different disciplinary cultures, expectations, methods and ways of working, while developing confidence in their own interdisciplinary identity.
The session will also examine supervisory team dynamics, including how to establish clear roles, manage differing perspectives and maintain effective communication. The focus will be on ensuring that doctoral researchers benefit from the breadth of expertise within the team without feeling caught between competing expectations or approaches.
The forum is open to all Directors of Studies and supervisors, as well as colleagues interested in taking on a supervisory role. It will be particularly valuable for those supervising interdisciplinary projects or working within multidisciplinary supervisory teams.
University certificate of special study in Doctoral Supervision: Principles and Practice
Delivered by the Graduate School and the Centre for Education, Teaching and Innovation (CETI), this module is open to all supervisors. It is mandatory for those new to supervision, and to those new to supervising doctoral researchers at the University of Westminster.
This is a 20-credit module. Colleagues should speak with their line manager before enrolling on the course to secure WAM allocation.
Places are capped at 20, and allocated on a first come, first served basis. The module runs at least twice each academic year, and registrations can be made online at any time. For further information and registration, visit the: PREstige registration form.
Key documents
You can find guidance and key documents for examiners on our Information for examiners page.
Doctoral programme framework
The doctoral programme framework is a range of documents which set out the University’s regulations and accompanying handbooks for doctoral researchers and their supervisors:
Handbook for practice-based PhDs
Doctoral researcher development programme (DRDP)
The Doctoral Researcher Development Programme, or DRDP, consists of tailor-made workshops, specialist skills sessions and activities to develop doctoral researcher’s skills and support their career planning. The full programme, related information and forms are located on our dedicated DRDP website.
Supervisor conversations with doctoral researchers to support the identification of skills/training needs and planning for these will happen at the beginning of each academic year (September or January depending on the researcher's first point of registration), including the completion of the Skills Assessment Form.
Key documents relevant to all research staff are located on the Research framework page.
Online resources
External resources
A range of information is available free to all UoW staff on the Vitae website.
The UK Council for Graduate Education (UKCGE)
Supervisor toolkit and framework
Other resources
Your research career podcast series
Supervising PhDs is a community blog on doctoral supervision relationships and pedagogies.
Essential PGR mental health resources. A compilation of resources gathered by the UKCGE.
Researcher education and development scholarship (REDS) conference proceeding