Why Work With Us

Doctoral supervision is no longer a quiet, individual task carried out behind closed doors. It is a relational, strategic, and institutionally significant practice — one that impacts doctoral completion, research culture, academic wellbeing, and sector reputation. In this evolving context, universities need partners who not only understand the complexity of supervision, but can help navigate and enhance it.

That’s where we come in.

University professionals engaged in discussion during a doctoral supervision workshop, with presentation slides in the background.

TEDS

Training in Effective Doctoral Supervision is a professional development initiative led by a team of experienced academics, researchers, and doctoral education specialists. Our mission is to support institutions in building confident, reflective, and well-equipped supervisory teams — at scale and with impact.

Our workshops are grounded in the UKCGE Good Supervisory Practice Framework, but they go far beyond compliance. We offer structured yet flexible training formats that adapt to your context — whether you are piloting a new doctoral programme, enhancing provision for diverse candidates, or preparing for external review.

We work with institutions across the UK and internationally. Our partners span a range of institutional types, sizes, and geographies — from research-intensive universities to emerging doctoral schools in cross-border contexts. Wherever we work, we aim to support not just individual development, but institutional transformation.

What Makes Us Different

 

1. We’re aligned with UKCGE recognition — and beyond

All of our programmes are mapped to the UKCGE’s Good Supervisory Practice Framework, supporting supervisors and institutions seeking formal recognition. But we go further: our workshops integrate inclusive pedagogy, intercultural awareness, and sector insights that reflect the realities of today’s doctoral landscape.

2. We have a global track record

TEDS has been delivered in collaboration with universities and doctoral training centres across Europe, Central Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa, and the Middle East. We understand the practicalities of working across languages, time zones, and institutional systems — and we design with that diversity in mind.

3. We don’t lecture — we co-create

Our sessions are interactive, reflective, and scenario-based. We create space for supervisors to learn from each other, surface dilemmas, and engage with their institutional contexts. Participants consistently describe our approach as “refreshing,” “immediately useful,” and “a rare opportunity to talk honestly about practice.”

Illustration of diverse students and academics shaking hands in front of a university, with REF 2029 and TEF Gold logos on the side

Trusted by Institutions Seeking Excellence

From small pilot sessions to long-term capacity-building partnerships, we support institutions at every stage of the doctoral journey. Our clients value our responsiveness, sector expertise, and ability to tailor content to institutional goals — whether that’s increasing retention, preparing for REF or TEF, or embedding a culture of reflective supervision.

If you’re looking for a partner to help you raise the standard of doctoral supervision across your institution — with confidence, care, and credibility — we’d love to talk.

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