INTERNATIONAL COMPARATIVE PERSPECTIVES OF THE TRENDS IN DEVELOPMENT OF PHD SUPERVISORS

The aim of this study is to update the information on trends in PhD supervisors' functions as well as the ways of their professional development. It offers a mapping review of these aspects of PhD studies especially in European, and partially also in Anglo-American context. We found out that the roles and functions of PhD supervisors at universities in the world have increased rapidly with the increased diversity of various kinds and models of PhD study programs (research, practice-led, work-based, collaborative, and integrated model). On the other hand, the professional training of PhD supervisors at universities is not yet adequate to this growing trend. Several universities started University Pedagogy courses for their teachers and PhD supervisors because they recognized, that many of them had had insufficient understanding of pedagogical theories and training in practical teaching and supervision skills. They need to learn what effective teaching and supervision is, how to provide favorable learning conditions at universities. Various methods and steps leading to development of PhD supervisors competence across the world are going to be identified and discussed in the article.