What makes PhD students happy? Good supervision

Nature NewsCenterEN 4 min read 100% complete October 25, 2025 at 04:27 PM

AI Summary

long article 4 min

A global survey by Nature of over 3,700 doctoral students indicates that supportive supervision significantly contributes to PhD satisfaction. About half of respondents reported meeting with their supervisors for less than an hour weekly; these students were moderately satisfied (69%) compared to those who met more frequently (82%). The study highlights disparities between countries like the UK and Germany, where most students see their supervisors infrequently, and India, Brazil, and Australia, where more frequent meetings correlate with higher satisfaction. In Brazil and Australia, relationships marked by openness and mutual respect were common, leading to greater student happiness and performance.

Key Topics & Entities

Australia 50% India 60% Brazil 60% United Kingdom 70% Germany 70% Nature ×280%

Keywords

phd satisfaction 100% supportive supervision 90% nature’s global survey 80% doctoral students 70% mentorship in science 60% supervisor interaction frequency 60% mutual respect 50% student well-being 50% research systems 40% brazil and australia 40%

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Positive

Score: 0.40

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Source

Nature News

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Center (0.00)

Far LeftCenterFar Right

Classification Confidence

90%

Geographic Perspective

United Kingdom

This article was automatically classified using rule-based analysis. The political bias score ranges from -1 (far left) to +1 (far right).

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phd satisfaction supportive supervision nature’s global survey doctoral students mentorship in science supervisor interaction frequency mutual respect student well-being research systems brazil and australia

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