Can a research project be assisted by a Supervisor and Co-Supervisor from different parts of the World.

Thank you, @ Asmat, your views on Supervisor - local ; co-supervisor - other country is possible.

@ Nageswara, helping currently based on areas of expertise is well taken

Asmat Ali

I agree with respected Dr. Rao, it depends on the Higher Education Commission (HEC) /university regulations.

Thanks @ Prithvi, IIT's are on the progress of evolving such a exchange process "inter IITs" for even B.Tech.

Javed G. Hussain

You have raised very interesting question. I have supervised many PhDs and hundreds of master level dissertations. I I have very different views over joint international supervision.

Firstly, there is no substitute to meeting a supervisor face to face. It is argued that Skype and other methods suffice. Yes they do to a Certain extent but that physical presence evokes different emotions and reactions that is not replicable over the Skype. Secondly, undertaking PhD research is to prepare an individual for a career in academia and provide them with opportunities to read, reflect, question, hypothesise and above all raise a higher level debate and make original contribution to the subject in question by at least publishing 2 /3 papers out of one's thesis. Sadly too often students from overseas come to west, complete their thesis and never publish and this raises question of quality and standard, this is specifically the case with social sciences.

Shared supervision only worked in cases where supervisors in the respective countries had known one another or had opportunity to at least in early stages to meet one another with the researcher. I strongly advocate shared supervision should have an opportunity for all concerned to meet to agree a clear proposal and structure of study. There have been cases where two supervisors views have differed on a particular point and that causes problems.

Master level dissertations are totally different. We have many students who complete their written examinations and return home to complete their dissertations. In this case students keep in touch with supervisors through e-mail or phone. My experience again is that master level split supervision is not required. In addition, students who complete their work through face to face supervision perform much better. However, joint international supervision of master level may have some benefits in terms training supervisors themselves and enabling students to have access to experience of international supervisors.

Yes, collaboration and shared supervision is viable option but. There is a lot of preparation and collaboration required if it is to succeed.

András Bozsik

Dear Krishnan,

Evidently, it would be logical and useful because independent supervisors are able to decide more objectively. Certainly, this is a question for a demand of transparency and also the subject of research fields may be determining. In military research foreign supervisors are not required.

Ljubomir Jacić

This is the best way to get an objective evaluation! Dear @Krishnan, ResearchGate could be a good platform to meet supervisors and establish cooperation!

@ Andras, you may be right that the military establishments may not require foreign supervisors, but whereas for implementing projects they require foreign hand support as the local expertise isn't sufficient.

@ Ljubomir, i share your opinion that ResearchGate is a good platform to meet supervisors and establish cooperation,

I value the relationship with all our RG members.

Javed G. Hussain started his reply as:

"Firstly, there is no substitute to meeting a supervisor face to face".

I fully agree with this. While we may have many technological advancements like Skype, internet chat, and social forums like RG, there is really no substitute to meeting a supervisor face to face. Real-life meetings are highly inspirational.

I was fortunate to do my doctorate degree under (Late) Dr. Chris Byrnes (USA) and I cherish all my research discussions with him. I consider him as one of the most eminent scholars in Control Engineering & also Algebraic/Differential Geometry. Also, Dr. Chris Byrnes was the last PhD student of (Late) Marshall Stone (Mass., USA) and he also had a great guide to mentor him!

Thank you, friends, for rekindling my memories!

Best wishes,

Sundar

Mahfuz Judeh

Some universities have applied the joint international supervision on PhD theses. Students meet co-supervisor who is from the university and interact with her/him face-to-face while supervisor from the other university can supervise the whole work.

Marcel M. Lambrechts

What is the difference between 'supervision' and 'giving advice' (informal discussions, advice given during meetings, advice given in referee reports)? If the goal is to guide someone, you can give advice and let the person getting the message free what to do with it.

Marcel M. Lambrechts

And yes, I think that people from different parts of the world can be involved in 'supervision' when supervision is based on 'giving advice'

Dr Rajvir Yadav

Yes, it is possible by way of advice to known as well as unknown person working in that particular area. Meeting face-to-face in India specially is difficult even in India so we can not think that people can meet face-to-face to the people outside India? Now a days people are taking advantage of it with discussion by means of chat, SG and many other means. I am agree with Dr Javed G Hussian that publications is must from the Ph.D or post graduate thesis/ dissertation.

@ Marcel

Support of additional supervisor for "providing advice" and not as a second supervisor for dual supervision is well taken.

@ Mahfuz

In India, we have the guide to supervise the project on progressive basis, whereas during the Doctoral committee meeting (once in every six months) along with the Supervisor, an Expert in the relevant field of research and others members in the department join to add value on to the research project.

@ Nageswara

Sir, please inform your areas of interest to guide where we can also be befitted while assisting / guiding PhD researchers.

Nageswara Rao Posinasetti

@ Javed

I agree with you that "Sadly too often students from overseas come to west, complete their thesis and never publish and this raises question of quality and standard"... there was one teaching faculty who studied at Berkeley did not submit his thesis... Later sent a typed thesis from India and then told us that his PhD degree was dispatched through post to him...

My doubt is "Is there no viva- voce examination after the submission of PhD Thesis in many Universities"...

Kuldeep Dhama

It is a wonderful idea and could pave way for quality research projects when assisted by a Supervisor and Co-Supervisor from different parts of the World, but making it implemented in a right direction and to the best is very difficult since there are various procedures to be followed like signing MoU, moving of files, Instute cum Ministry approval; researchers/scientists must be free to work with any researcher worldwide and also have collaborative research works and visits to each other laboratories, which would altogether widen the horizon, increase the experiences and learning of advanced tools and techniques, methodologies, trainings, exchange and implementation of ideas practically, would give best output and results in lesser time with updated knowledge and skills. .

Jan Kunnas

Interesting question and discussion partially overlapping with this one: https://www.researchgate.net/post/Are_there_volunteers_to_be_advisors_if_not_supervisors_for_PhD_students_of_developing_countries?_tpcectx=profile_answers

Dear Krishnan

Typical areas of my expertise are:

Manufacturing, Sustainable/Green Manufacturing, Metal cutting, Cutting fluids, Computer Aided Process Planning, Computer Aided Manufacturing, Numerical Control, CAD, CIM, Shop floor control methods, Simulation, Tool Design, MEMS/NANO Education

Debi S. Saini

Yes, Krishnan, we have such a provision in the doctoral program of our institute. Normally, the main supervisor helps the student to get a foreign co-supervisor. Normally, every scholar has to have a foreign co-supervisor. And, after the thesis submission, one of the examiners is from a foreign university.

Most institutions insist on at least two supervisors for every student. This system would have been introduced to allay administrative fears of concern on a supervisor leaving the institution (mid way) stranding the student, or that to take cover incidences such as supervisor-student disagreement etc.,

In reality this is an academic “added” to the team for workload balancing. In many research projects allocation meeting faculty members are just added to a supervisory panel to boost the profile for the research assessment exercise.

Joint-PhD , They provide an integrated educational experience which, at the outset, assumes the need for the student to be supervised by two experts and to have access to two research environments for the benefit of the research.

Although joint-PhD appear to be a fairly specialized type of doctorate, they benefit doctoral research in the case of:

Comparative research projects
Research projects requiring techniques, equipment or resources available in two universities
Local industrial/public sector involvement in two countries

www.findaphd.com/advice/phd-types/joint-phds.aspx

Subhash C. Kundu

It is possible to have research supervisor across borders provided institution/university rules allow. In this regard, my view is it should be.

Dr Rajvir Yadav

Yes, it can be provided Organization/ University permits. In case of our University they did not allow ? University only allow where they have MOU..

In the following case of TRANSMIC, research project be assisted by a Supervisor and Co-Supervisor from various geographies.

The TRANSMIC project is coordinated by Maastricht University (The Netherlands), and also includes as partner institutions the universities of Liège (Belgium), Minho (Portugal), Oxford (UK), Aix-Marseille (France), Tampere (Finland) and Warsaw (Poland), as well as the Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS) in Brussels.

Ph.D. researcher for a period of three years - will work on a research project, TRANSMIC ‘Transnational Migration, Citizenship and the Circulation of Rights and Responsibilities’ (TRANSMIC) is a project funded under the European Commission’s Marie Curie actions;

https://macimide.maastrichtuniversity.nl/ph-d-researcher-changing-modes-of-citizenship-in-migrant-sending-countries-the-link-between-new-forms-of-quasi-citizenship-and-return-migration-transmic-itn-marie-curie-project/

Irina Mikhailovna Pechonkina

@ Iva

thanks, It is good to know that there are International organizations of repute with research supervisor and co-supervisors from different geographies. We Can compile a list of what ever is being aware, so that the future researches can be be benefited with global networking.

I'm an expert in the regional attestation committee,and have an experience in reviewing some scientific publications in the international journal.I like the team work of absolutely anonymous experts or reviewers.Every specialist has his own independent expertise.If they have differ opinions, an editor (or head expert) invites other experts. It's rather competence approach and objective one.

Subhash C. Kundu

Very recently my University is third time accredited "A" Grade University in India. The NAAC team stressed upon international collaborations and training and associating teachers with world good institutions. So, my University may go for accepting the concept of Supervisor and Co-Supervisor from different parts of the World. It would enhance the research of the University.

@ Shima Saniei

You can ask any of the RG members in your areas of expertise to assist the requirement. Some may concede based on their time availability.

Best wishes, you are searching in the right place - RG.

Yes research per Se is a matter of adding something valuable to new word, to life progress, the way we apply research whatever specialties almost the same so to supervise or co supervise doesn't relate to field you belong just direct your candidate to the wright research methodology and final good work.

Yusuf Ozturk

Considering the UK and US university system (I mean high tuition fees), would a faculty member be willing to take an extra MA/PhD student supervision for free?

This situation is quite new in Indian context; when the Supervisor and Co-Supervisor from different parts of the World -

In India, the Internal Supervisor is not paid any remuneration in extra, this work is part of their deliverable. During Doctoral committee meetings, their travel allowance to the meeting is paid as honorarium.

In case of External Supervisor, it is out of their passion and interest they deliver assistance to the research activity.

However, To a great extent ALL (Teachers and Researcher resource personnel) would be willing to spend qualitative interactions with students without expecting monetary returns (provided the time spent does not affect their other normal avenues of earning)

D.P.S. RATHORE

As stated by Krishnan Umachandran , this situation is quite new in Indian context. World wide some collaborative projects are already going on in different labs and there are reports published in the literature.

Multicentral researches, now is the preferable and recommended in most of research centers in the world which done at different places in the same country or different countries with researchers from inside or col operated from different institutes, so a supervisor from country could be co supervised from other country.

Hanno Krieger

I´ve followed the interesting answers. My question is: Any reason or bad experience not to have the constellation if the supervisor and cosupervisor correspond to each other?

On my own experience, a dermatology department co supervised student from European country for MD degree. It was a fascinating trial with very valuable results.

University of Reading

The process of handling "Intricate situations" with SUPERIORS - both Supervisor (in the University) and Co-Supervisor (in the Workplace).

The PhD study is a long, intense, and emotional process, and unfortunately in some rare cases the supervisory relationship can break down. If you are having problems working with your SUPERIORS:

Try to talk to your SUPERIORS about your difficulties first – and see if you can work them through.

Take a step back and identify what is making it difficult to work together – focus on specific professional difficulties, as opposed to the character or personality of your SUPERIORS.

If things are very difficult, see if you can find a third person to be a mediator. This could be the Director of Postgraduate Research in your department or your Head of Department. Do not be worried about doing this, as it will not reflect badly on you. The Director or Head will be able to see if the issues can be resolved or, if necessary, consider alternative supervisory arrangements.

http://www.reading.ac.uk/internal/studyadvice/postgraduates/sta-working.aspx#problems

Hengky S H

Factually, when I was in Malaysia, most of the Malaysian students more happy, because the system developed is more fair, and less of discrimination

I think it is possible and highly recommended, which give the research a broader view through shared different experience for better outcome.

Ljubomir Jacić

This is an example of Erasmus programme - INTERNATIONAL JOINT DISSERTATION SUPERVISION PROGRAMS! Here is French experience. "Doctoral programs are periods of intense work and creativity that offer young researchers real professional experience. Candidates learn the craft of research while actually researching in an international context.

The irreversible internationalization of higher education programs has spurred France’s doctoral departments—and their parallel structures abroad—to develop programs for the joint supervision of doctoral research and dissertations. Such programs carry the advantages of bilateral scientific cooperation—and the participation of 2 expert advisers to shape and guide the original work of doctoral candidates..."

http://ressources.campusfrance.org/catalogues_recherche/diplomes/en/cotutelle_en.pdf

Hengky S H

It is an ICT era, where people could communicate easily and talk online. So, not only research supervisor, but learning online is possible as well.

Some researchers from other parts of the world have written to me about doing doctorate in nonlinear control. I pointed out to them the 'residency requirement' in India - Foreigners can do full-time doctorate programme with Government approval.

I welcome the idea of being a "co-guide" or "co-supervisor" in areas like chaos theory or nonlinear control. It is good to bring different ways of thinking into approaching different problems, and we also get to learn new cultures in the process.

I visited Tunisia last year and met many friends. I plan to visit Malaysia later this year or in 2016 to conduct a MATLAB workshop!

With best wishes, Sundar

Priyavrat Thareja

two supervisors are necessitated when the

(I) problem is of interdisciplinary nature, and the two can synergise to find solution of complex problem at hand

(ii) diverse facilities need be shared, which can be advised by insitu presence of a supervisor

(iii) in a few cases when the senior supervisor is occupied (inavailable), and thus needs be supported by a junior who can elaborate the instructions.

Most respondents above agree joint guidance is possible when one of the guide is abroad..say especially in case (iii) it may be a compulsion & monitoring by co supervisor.

Working in newer areas ( viz Nanotechnology) where we have relatively poorer local counsel, and facilities?

And why lose the opportunity of a global interaction and visits?

Priyavrat Thareja

We experimented joint guiding of projects - during Training Internship of final year engineering students.

students had the benefit of researching in the latest field using uptodate facilities. Largely remained a one sided affair. because of

(i) lack of interest by local supervisor

(ii) lack of communication and aquaintance between the two

(iii) shorter duration of training internship

(iv) Lack of authority @ local superviser - Voluntarily divested

@ Priyavrat,

In addition to your input, some more points

To allay administrative fears on concern that supervisor might leave the institution, stranding the student, or that the supervisor and student might have a disagreement, again leaving the student without support.

Many occasions where a co‑supervisor is incredibly valuable, determined by their research contribution to the topic rather than by institutional convenience.

Co-supervisor is added to a team to gain experience

Specialists as co-supervisor can enlighten the research activity and speed up the process.

@ Sundar

Good to know, that you have opportunity to link and contribute with Tunisia and Malaysia Higher education.

@ Hengky

You rightly pointed that the web world will remove all barriers of hurdles and facilitate research process anywhere and anytime; wherever the resource facilitator is available in the earth. May be sometime later when contact with Mars happens, there too then., inter-planetary co-ordinations.

@ Lujbomir

I really appreciate your views on the joint supervision of doctoral research and dissertations with bilateral cooperation to guide the original work of doctoral candidates...

They must have joint supervision agreement.
They must enroll in the 2 universities with exemption to payment of tuition fees in one
The agreement should cover insurance in the 2 countries (as they may have to travel or opportunity to travel both)

Dear Krishnan - I could not go to Tunisia this year! Better luck next time..

As a Buddhist, I like visiting Malaysia - especially, the Penang Buddha Temple..

It is a coincidence that Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) is also located at Penang..

I am looking for the next opportunity to visit USM & Penang..

I have not visited Kuala Lampur or other Universities in Malaysia..

Dear Krishnan (or Umachandran??) -------> i just noticed that your RG score has crossed 100.......... This is truly amazing ... Hope you cross double century soon!

Subhash C. Kundu

RG may better facilitate to find Co-Supervisor from different parts of the World.

Having supervisors across countries definitely enrich the quality of research.

Many Universities require that for the doctoral programme (PhD or DSc), the principal guide or supervisor must be from the University where the candidate has registered. The co-guide or co-supervisor may be from any part of the world, but well-qualified! RG facilitates the possibility of co-guides for suitable doctoral candidates.

With best wishes, Sundar

@ Sundar

Thanks for your information, KL is a nice place. I have been to many parts of Malaysia and feel that it is one of the best places in the world. May be you can visit some of RG friends in Selangor and UPM. Malaysia has more universities and higher education institutes.

Umachandran