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For PhD supervisors

As a supervisor, you are the PhD candidate's closest collaborator.
On this page, you will get an overview of what this collaboration means for you.

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Mainsupervisor and co-supervisor's responsibilities

The supervisor group shall consist of the main supervisor and normally 1-2 co-supervisors. The content and scope of supervision are regulated by the Regulations for the PhD degree at the Norwegian University of Life Sciences.

As the main supervisor, you have the main academic and administrative responsibility for the PhD candidate's education, and are the candidates' primary contact person. You are also responsible (together with the candidate) for ensuring that the candidate has regular contact with his/her other supervisors.

As a co-supervisor, you (and the others in the supervisor group) have a responsibility to ensure that the candidate participates in an active research environment with senior researchers and other PhD candidates. You must stay informed about the progress of the candidate's work and follow up on academic matters that may result in delayed completion of the PhD education.

Sommerstemning ved Tårnbygningen 2018

Are you an external main supervisor?

The main supervisor must be employed at the faculty where the PhD candidate is affiliated. In special cases, when professional considerations so indicate, an external main supervisor may be appointed.

If you are an external main supervisor, it is especially important that you have close and good communication with your co-supervisor from NMBU. In practice, it is the co-supervisor from NMBU who acts as a point of contact for the Head of Department and PhD advisers at the institution.

En hånd tegner på en tavle ved siden av en labyrint med en rød strek som sirkler seg gjennom labyrinten.

What do NMBU's ethical guidelines say about the supervisor relationship?

  1. The supervisory relationship includes the relationship between the supervisor and the research fellow. The parties to the counselling relationship shall show respect for each other's personal and professional integrity, and refrain from any action or statement that may entail an attack on the dignity of the other party.

    The university's ethical guidelines are intended to form the basis for reflection on ethical issues, and to serve as a guide for students and staff when they have to deal with ethical dilemmas and manoeuvre in situations where it is not obvious what is right and wrong.
Go to NMBU's ethical guidelines (pdf, in norwegian language)


Studenter på Campus Ås.

Establishing a good relationship from the beginning

Embarking on a PhD program is a significant commitment that necessitates clarity and mutual understanding between the PhD candidate and the supervisor. To ensure a productive and positive experience for both parties, it is recommended to establish expectations for collaboration and supervision as early as possible in the process.

Please use the provided form Expectations Clarification between PhD Candidate and Supervisor(s) (pdf) to outline and agree upon these expectations, fostering a successful and supportive supervisory relationship.

Kvinnelig student foran dataskjermen

Supervisor training at PhD-level

  1. The course PPVE400 (Supervision of Master's and PhD Candidates; 5 ECTS credits) has been offered since 2020 for all staff responsible for supervising PhD candidates at NMBU. The course aims to provide you, as a supervisor, with insights into pedagogical theories, fundamental principles, and models related to PhD supervision. The relational aspects of supervision are also emphasized. Since many PhD candidates experience challenging periods during their studies, the course also focuses on the difficult supervisory conversation. The course will commence again in November 2024.

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Her ser vi en bakterie som angripes av mange bakteriofager. Bakteriofagene fester seg til bakteriens overflate og sprøyter DNA-et sitt inn i bakterien.

How can you ensure good academic follow-up of the PhD candidate?

  1. Have regular contact and participate actively in the candidate's research project.
  2. Assist in preparing the project description and selecting relevant courses in the training component.
  3. Assist the candidate in developing a progress plan for the completion of the PhD education.
  4. Give advice on the formulation and delimitation of topics and issues.
  5. Discuss and evaluate hypotheses and methods.
  6. Provide assistance with orientation in the academic literature and data basis.
  7. Provide guidance on research ethics issues.
  8. Helping the candidate to get in touch with other relevant scientific communities.
  9. Organize and carry out the mandatory start/midway/end seminars.
  10. Have main administrative responsibility for the PhD candidate's education, including responsibility for the project's expenses.
  11. Solve any challenges related to the learning environment.

Det er viktig å se det kommersielle potensialet i teknologi.

The main supervisor's administrative tasks

  • As the main supervisor, you have the main administrative responsibility for the PhD candidate's education. The main administrative responsibility involves, among other things:
  • Preparation of external candidates' admission application
  • Quality assurance of PhD agreement, education plan and data management plan
  • Responsible for ensuring that the start seminar for the candidate is arranged within 4 months after start.
  • Responsibility for ensuring good progression and completion. Together with the candidate, you must complete a progress report and ensure that the candidate submits this by 1 October each year.
  • If there are changes in the agreement period, you must ensure that the candidate submits form 2.2.1 Changes contract period (doc) to Head of Department.
  • As the main supervisor, you are responsible for nominating members to the assessment committee. This will assess your candidate's thesis.
  • You must discuss the desired date for the public defence with the candidate and report the date to the PhD adviser at the faculty.
Studenter i Universitetsbiblioteket ser på bøker.

Relevant resources

  1. Explore a list of valuable resources designed to support you in your role as a PhD supervisor:
A handbook for doctoral supervisor Successful research supervisionVeiledning - mer enn ord (in norwegian language)Supervising the PhD: identifying common mismatches in expectations between candidate and supervisor to improve research training outcomesThe quality culture in doctoral education: Establishing the critical role of the doctoral supervisorPublications for supervision

Change of supervisor

  1. The PhD candidate or main supervisor may ask the faculty to appoint a new supervisor(s). A main supervisor may not resign until a new main supervisor has been appointed. The Faculty is responsible for immediately appointing new supervisor(s) in the event of long-term illness, leave of absence, etc.
Go to form 2.2.3

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Problems in the relationship between you and the candidate?

  1. Disputes between you and the PhD candidate that cannot be resolved jointly may be brought before the faculty for consideration. If no agreement is reached on how the dispute can be resolved, you or the candidate can request to change the supervisor agreement. A request to be released from the agreement must be sent to the faculty, with a copy to the other party in the case.

Det er behov for kvalitetsheving av deler av matrikkelen, ifølge en fersk doktorgradsavhandling fra NMBUs Veronica Trygstad.

Forms - PhD Education

  1. As a doctoral supervisor, you will need to assist the PhD candidate in completing several relevant PhD forms, from application to public defence.
Go to forms

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