Supervisor guidance
Supervising ESRC doctoral students: five key points
- The Doctoral Training Centre (DTC) supplies the grant and is held accountable for the quality of the training that students receive.
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This means it is really important to keep in touch and come to us if there are difficulties with the studentship, supervision or general development of the student you are supervising.
- Training Needs Analysis needs to be done every year and documented.
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This is University policy for all PhD students, but for ESRC students we also need to provide evidence that supervisors are discussing with students their needs and ensuring that they are being met. You can read about the Training Needs Analysis.
- Supervisors can help ESRC students make use of extra opportunities that come free with the studentship.
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These represent a great advantage as they are rated highly by participants but difficult and costly for other early career researchers to access. They include courses, internships, overseas visits, conferences and knowledge exchange events. The DTC sends round details when they arise.
Participation in extra events is used by ESRC as a criterion for the success of a studentship and will help students in any future research council bids. It may also count in your favour.
- As a supervisor, you are seen by the ESRC to be a member of one of the pathways of the DTC.
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These correspond to the Sussex schools. The DTC contributes to doctoral work in the schools through a pathway development fund. Contact the Doctoral School for more information.
- The DTC is there to help students and supervisors.
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Keep in touch. Come to the DTC for help with your supervision and with feedback about what we can do better. The success of the DTC is important to Sussex and represents the ESRC’s largest investment in the University. If it is not seen as successful we will lose out in the next bidding round, will no longer be able to grant studentships and will lose the benefits that this seal of approval brings to social sciences at Sussex.
For more detailed guidance about supervising ESRC students read our guidance notes [PDF 404KB].