Mentorship in Academia : PhD students as supervisors of MSc students

Despite the central role supervision plays inshaping students’ academic and professional development,Swedish regulations offer limited guidance on MSc thesissupervision by PhD students. This study conducted aqualitative research design and thematic analysis to explore theexperiences and challenges of PhD students supervising MSctheses and master’s students supervised by PhD candidates atthe Faculty of Engineering (LTH), Lund University. Data wascollected through semi-structured interviews with MScstudents, PhD supervisors, and an LTH actor involved in PhDeducation, supplemented by institutional document analysis.Three key themes were identified: expectations, timemanagement and meeting structure, and subject knowledge.The findings reveal diverse supervision practices shaped byindividual, disciplinary, and institutional differences. WhilePhD supervisors were often seen as approachable andrelatable, fostering positive student learning experiences, theirlimited training and supervision experience occasionally led tostructural or communicative challenges. The study highlightsthe importance of supervision preparation, expectation-setting,and structured yet flexible time management. Keyrecommendations included providing formal supervisiontraining, implementing clearer supervisor-student contracts,and a shift toward viewing thesis work as a learning journeyrather than solely a final product.