Postgraduate supervision practices may vary widely depending on the policies and culture of institutions. In the context of Brazilian higher education, supervisors’ responsibilities encompass mentorship, administrative duties and literacy brokering (Martinez & Graf, 2016; Junaid, 2022), among others. Supervisees’ performance and integration into the academic community are highly impacted by their supervisors’ conduct. As navigation in the current social practices is complex (Salö, 2017; Tribble, 2019) guidance and facilitation by supervisors can be invaluable. Despite the responsibilities and expectations placed upon supervisors, research indicates the absence of formal training for supervision, thereby highlighting a critical gap in their preparation (Leal, 2023; Motshoane, 2023). This study seeks to explore strategies capable of better equipping supervisors to provide high-quality supervision that meets supervisees' needs and expectations. Conducted at several universities in Brazil, this research employed semi-structured interviews with fifteen postgraduate supervisors. Supervisors across different generations contributed in this study, leading to the understanding of their supervision process, considering historical, social, and cultural contexts that have influenced their supervisory practices over time. The results from the thematic analysis showed that currently, there is no institutional provision for supervisor training, which would be crucial for overall enhancement of supervision practices. Participants consider that some of the key strategies should include mentorship programs, and clear rules that can organize the supervision process. The findings contribute to the improvement of the current activity by drawing attention to the need for and importance of constant postgraduate supervisors’ professional development, with a direct impact on supervisees’ academic progress.

Authors:
Oluwatosin Mariam Junaid, University of Sao Paulo, Brazil
Malyina Kazue Ono Leal, FGV São Paulo School of Business Administration, Brazil
Marilia Mendes Ferreira, University of Sao Paulo, Brazil

About the Presenter(s)
Oluwatosin Mariam Junaid, is a doctoral student at the department of modern languages, University of Sao Paulo Brazil. Her research interest is centered on academic literacies with a focus on academic writing and writing for publication purposes.

Connect on Linkedin
https://www.linkedin.com/in/oluwatosin-junaid-29b54580/

See this presentation on the full schedule – Monday Schedule

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