Dual Supervision
To ensure the quality of supervision of doctoral candidates, all doctoral candidates at the University of Bern are supervised by at least two qualified researchers. It is important that the supervisors are independent of each other, i.e., the secondary supervisor is not in the same organizational unit as the main supervisor and, above all, does not report to the latter. As a rule, secondary supervisors do not necessarily have to be within the University of Bern.
Why have dual supervision?
- Two contact persons for feedback, mentoring and in the event of conflicts – double support for doctoral candidates
- Breadth of subject-specific knowledge – different perspectives and areas of expertise contribute to the quality and depth of a doctoral thesis.
- Reliability in the event of absences
- Supervision is guaranteed even in the event of illness, family duties or intense teaching phases.
How is supervision organized?
- Classically hierarchical – main and secondary supervisor with clear division of roles
- Co-supervision on an equal footing – ideal for collaborative projects that involve a considerable amount of interaction
- In all cases, the primary responsibility for supervision lies with the main supervisor.
What is needed for good dual supervision?
- Clear definition of roles and expectations: Early coordination between the supervisors as well as with the doctoral candidate helps prevent misunderstandings.
- Co-determination: The supervisory arrangement is defined together with the doctoral candidate.
- Regular interaction: Joint meetings promote transparency and teamwork.
- Clear and open communication: Addressing concerns early on will strengthen cooperation.
Challenges
Conflicting feedback and recommendations: Different perspectives may cause insecurities – this is where a clear definition of roles and responsibilities from the outset will prove helpful.