Supervisor perspectives in STEM PhD supervision: a social realist analysis of current trends

The traditional academic pipeline has branched out significantly in recent years. The motivation of students pursuing higher degrees has also changed dramatically in response to wider socio-economic needs. Supervisors of PhD students are consequently faced with the need to adapt supervision practices to equip graduates with a broader suite of workplace competencies. However, PhD supervision is a practice located in the broader setting of a higher education system, conditioned by factors that change over time. In this paper we share the perspectives of a range of STEM supervisors from varying backgrounds on their conceptions of the purpose and goals of the PhD. Archer’s Social Realist theoretical framework was used in a comparative analysis between groups and across themes. It also enabled a novel visualisation in the form of a heat map, illustrating the mechanisms shaping supervision practices, highlighting the strong interplay between student agency and the development of particular dispositions.