Intercultural doctoral supervision is recognised as extremely important. However, in the GlobalSouth it is widespread but under-researched. This qualitative study, undertaken at the flagshipuniversity in Mozambique, Eduardo Mondlane University, aimed to explore the powerrelationship within supervisory teams between the Global North and South, from theperspective of doctoral co-supervisors from the Global South. The study draws on nine indepth interviews with Southern co-supervisors. A reflexive thematic analysis was chosen andthe principal findings revealed Southern co-supervisors’ feelings of exclusion, frustration,and subordination related to the power relationship between the Global North and South.However, many interviewees found co-supervision rewarding, and a path to a future career.Findings suggest that collaborations between the Global North and South should give specialconsideration to power dynamics to improve the quality of intercultural co-supervision,thereby supporting the supervisory teams and, consequently, doctoral students’ progress.

L’encadrement doctoral interculturel est reconnu comme étant très important. Cependant, dansles pays du Sud, il est répandu mais peu étudié. Cette étude qualitative, entreprise dansl’université phare du Mozambique, l’Université Eduardo Mondlane, visait à explorer lesrelations de pouvoir au sein des équipes d’encadrement entre le Nord et le Sud, du point devue des co-directeurs de doctorat. L’étude est basée sur neuf entretiens approfondis avecdes co-directeurs. Une analyse thématique réflexive a été choisie et les principalesconclusions ont révélé les sentiments d’exclusion, de frustration et de subordination des cosuperviseurs liés aux relations de pouvoir entre le Nord et le Sud. Cependant, denombreuses personnes interrogées ont trouvé la co-supervision enrichissante et qu’elleouvrait une voie vers une future carrière. En conclusion, les collaborations entre le Nord etle Sud devraient accorder une attention particulière aux dynamiques de pouvoir pouraméliorer la qualité du co-encadrement interculturel et ainsi accompagner les équipesd’encadrement et par conséquent, la progression des doctorants.

This thesis aims to explore the doctoral co-supervisor’s experiences at the beginning of the supervisory career. The specific role of the novice co-supervisor remains largely underexplored. Therefore, the overarching research question guiding the thesis is: How do novice doctoral co-supervisors in Swedish universities perceive their initial years of their doctoral supervision careers? As doctoral supervisors operate on an international stage, doctoral supervision in Sweden can be seen as an example. The thesis consists of four papers. It is based on a survey of 192 co-supervisors at 14 universities, 5 focus groups from one university, 25 in-depth interviews from two universities, and various legal sources. The papers are connected through a sociological conceptual framework,‘local sociology’, which describes how identities are formed. First, the thesis explores the collective identity manifested in legislation, local guidelines and role expectations where the co-supervisor is relatively invisible. Despite this, a collective identity emerges, positioning the co-supervisor as responsible yet loyal. Following this, the reflective individual identity is also revealed, shaped by feedback from others. Here, a clear ambivalence between the role of a successful researcher and a good supervisor becomes evident. Novice co-supervisors strive for smooth, supportive relationships and may therefore adopt the identity of mediator. In summary, becoming a co-supervisor is a significant challenge. The insights from this research can help develop future support systems for the novices. This may be beneficial to them and their PhD students.

Denna avhandling syftar till att utforska forskarhandledarens erfarenheter i början av sin forskarhandledarkarriär. Den nyblivna biträdande handledarens specifika roll är fortfarande i stort sett outforskad. Därför är den övergripande vägledande forskningsfrågan för avhandlingen: Hur uppfattar novisa biträdande forskarhandledare vid svenska universitet de första åren av sin forskarhandledarkarriär? Då forskarhandledare verkar på en internationell arena kan forskarhandledning i Sverige ses som ett exempel. Avhandlingen består av fyra artiklar. Den bygger på en enkätundersökning av 192 biträdande forskarhandledare (bihandledare) vid 14 universitet, 5 fokusgrupper från ett universitet, 25 djupintervjuer från två olika universitet samt ett antal rättskällor. Artiklarna hänger samman genom ett sociologiskt konceptuellt ramverk, ’lokal sociologi’, som beskriver hur identiteter formas. Först utforskas den kollektiva identiteten som manifesteras i lagstiftning, lokala riktlinjer och rollförväntningar där bihandledaren är relativt osynlig. Trots detta framträder en kollektiv identitet som framställer bihandledaren som ansvarsfull men ändå lojal. Efter detta visas också den reflekterande individuella identiteten som formas av feedback från andra. Här finns en tydlig ambivalens mellan rollen som framgångsrik forskare och god handledare. Novisa bihandledare strävar även efter smidiga, stödjande relationer och kan därför anta identiteten som mediator. Sammanfattningsvis, att bli en ny biträdande handledare är en betydande utmaning. Insikterna från avhandlingen kan bidra till att utveckla framtida stödsystem för novisa bihandledare. Detta skulle gynna såväl dem som deras doktorander.

There is a widespread interest in doctoral supervision, yet novice doctoral co-supervisors’ experiences remain understudied. The aim of this qualitative study is to explore how supervision culture and practice are experienced by novices. This thematic analysis is based on focus groups and in-depth interviews with 23 novice co-supervisors from two Swedish research-intensive universities. The study reveals three dimensions related to the challenging experience of the supervision culture, namely closedness, dependence and competition. Moreover, the analysis proves that co-supervisors’ practices are embedded within the ‘hidden curriculum’, here defined as the unplanned and implicit support outside formal meetings and activities. Novice co-supervisors bridge the gap between main supervisors and doctoral students and make the path to the doctoral degree smoother when engaging in emotional, intellectual, practical and mediation support. This study has practical implications and suggests improvements for co-supervision that would also benefit the doctoral students.

Abstract Swedish law requires all doctoral students to be co-supervised. Individuals seeking to become primary supervisors are required to complete doctoral supervision training programs to ensure they are equipped with necessary competencies to guide doctoral students. This chapter uses interviews, surveys, and documents to explore cosupervision and the experiences of co-supervisors, providing insights and comparing to global practices. We provide a historical overview of co-supervison in Sweden, covering its development over the past 70 years. We then analyse different types of supervision in terms of involvement and formality. Next then describe the contextual setting by examining supervision guidelines, supervisors’ role expectations, and work allocation. We then explore the definition, application, experience, and regulation of co-supervison in Sweden. Drawing from this analysis, we showcase successful instances of co-supervison in Sweden and address the associated challenges. This chapter offers a thorough examination of co-supervision practices, encompassing their historical origins, present implementation, and prospective advancements.

Swedish law requires all doctoral students to be co-supervised. Individualsseeking to become primary supervisors are required to complete doctoral supervisiontraining programs to ensure they are equipped with necessary competencies to guidedoctoral students. This chapter uses interviews, surveys, and documents to explore cosupervision and the experiences of co-supervisors, providing insights and comparingto global practices. We provide a historical overview of co-supervison in Sweden,covering its development over the past 70 years. We then analyse different types ofsupervision in terms of involvement and formality. Next then describe the contextualsetting by examining supervision guidelines, supervisors’ role expectations, and workallocation. We then explore the definition, application, experience, and regulationof co-supervison in Sweden. Drawing from this analysis, we showcase successfulinstances of co-supervison in Sweden and address the associated challenges. Thischapter offers a thorough examination of co-supervision practices, encompassingtheir historical origins, present implementation, and prospective advancements.

After finishing the PhD, the researcher enters a stage in their early research career where more independence is expected. Within a relatively short time period, the researcher needs to gather research experience and support in the form of tangible resources as funding, and intangible resources like access to research networks, close collaborations, and mentorship to support their next career stage. How resources are allocated are therefore important determinants for the success of researchers. However, research shows that the resource allocation decisions in academia are biased in favor of men, with many of these gender biases that influence the success of research careers increasing. In this study, we asked women employed as early-career researchers (WECRs) about how they view their opportunities and potential for long-term success within academia, and how this relates to the resources that they have access to. We found that the WECRs were given few resources and support, and that they perceived that finding resources important for their career was up to themselves. The noticeable male dominance in who receives resources and positions within the university and the lack of women as role-models signals to WECRs that they are not wanted in academia. The WECRs suggest several ways to improve the possibilities for a successful research career for women on more equal terms as their male collegues: these include transparent processes for resource allocations, equal opportunity officers in all hiring processes, and mandatory gender training for all senior research and administrative staff. All the actions suggested are within the control of the university.

This chapter analyses ‘trust’ within a collaboration between Sweden and Mozambique on doctoral supervision training at the Eduardo Mondlane University in Mozambique.

The case study uses Simmel’s concept of trust as a lens for analysis. Drawing on individual semi-structured interviews with project members from Sweden and Mozambique, in their different roles and responsibilities, we identify a continuum of experiences from distrust and doubt to trust. This case study provides a more nuanced understanding of trust conceptually within a capacity-building context. Furthermore, it presents how trust is built in the development of doctoral supervision training for the future – through faith.

This article emphasises the need for research into how the concept of gender shapes our use of language. One way of elucidating gender-related language usage is by studying how women and men use jokes and humorous remarks in different contexts, as well as focusing on what types of jokes are considered appropriate for men and women. Jokes might seem like a trivial subject for a linguist. However, in our opinion, managing responses constitutes an integral part of human interaction. In private conversations, women are shown to joke and communicate freely. Despite the fact that the female gender role is limiting, it can also provide women with a freedom and flexibility of language not found elsewhere. We have reached the conclusion that women censor their language and behaviour depending on the situation and the company. Furthermore, we have been able to ascertain that men and boys use more jokes than women in public conversations. Our gender roles socialise us into expecting girls and boys to behave differently, also in this respect. Men and boys are expected to use more jokes. They are also allowed to joke in situations where women cannot. Our school observations, as well as our scrutiny of televised debates and talk shows, confirm this. Women also refrain from joking during job interviews and similar situations. This article is based on two separate studies. Despite dissimilarities in focus and data collection, both studies point to similar results:

Men and boys use jokes more frequently than girls and women. There is a gender-related difference in the content of the jokes. Gender roles restrict women, especially in public situations, and prevent them from using humorous remarks or jokes for fear of not being considered serious.