Supporting the PhD trajectory

Research institutions, supervisors, and mentors have an important role when it comes to research integrity. Responsible supervision and mentorship is necessary to ensure responsible socialization of supervisees into research, as well as to foster responsible research practices. The relationship between students and supervisors requires respect, openness, and accountability from both sides. PhD students, in particular, need support from their research institutions in engaging in this relationship. This guideline presents a set of recommendations for research institutions on informing and empowering PhD students regarding their rights, roles and responsibilities. The guideline provides information relevant for research officers, trainers, managers, and coordinators, as well as deans, rectors and other institutional leaders. Given the broad diversity that exists among research institutions, it is possible that some recommendations are not applicable in all research settings. For this reason, the guideline should not be seen as a ‘one-size-fits-all’, but rather as a tool that can be used flexibly and adapted to meet institutions’ specific needs.