A recent Nature survey of 3,700 doctoral students has found that one of the largest factors contributing to PhD satisfaction is supportive supervision. The survey found that the happiest doctoral students were studying in Brazil and Australia. In both countries, nearly half of students expressed happiness with their supervisor and reported the relationship as being marked by mutual respect and openness. Drawing on the broader literature, Nature emphasizes the impact of good supervision—which goes beyond subject expertise to include curiosity, empathy, and reliability—on student wellbeing and, by extension, achievement. To act on this research, Nature says that universities can treat supervisory time as a matter of accountability and offer training on and rewards for effective supervision.
