Supervisor Resources

Supervisor Resources

Good supervision of graduate students improves graduate student learning, productivity and satisfaction with their experience at the University of Alberta. Mentorship goes beyond supervision to address the whole person and the life-long career choices ahead for the graduate students we supervise. These pages host a collection of resources to help supervisors of graduate students achieve these goals.

Supervision policy and procedures

Past Events

Cultivating Indigenous Relational Supervision

Moving from transactional academic advising to structurally supportive, culturally safe mentorship for First Nations, Metis, and Inuit graduate students.

FNMI Graduate students were sent the question on December 10, 2025: “If there was one request of your supervisor/advisor, or a practice they already do that you want to acknowledge, that encourages, supports, and/or recognises the needs you have as an Indigenous (First Nations, Metis, and Innuit) person in a graduate program, it would be: " The responses to this question formed the basis of a document coauthored by many respondents. “Developing Relational Supervision From an Indigenous Graduate Student Perspective” was shared with all FNMI graduate students for comment, and with feedback from Dr. Florence Glanfield, Vice-Provost (Indigenous Programming and Research), it was revised to its final version.

Ben Kucher, President of the Indigenous Graduate Student Association, offered the following points on why this supervisory question resonated with FNMI graduate students:

Moves supervision from transactional to relational
Reduces cultural harm and increases safety in graduate spaces
Shifts the burden of education off Indigenous students
Recognizes and supports invisible labour and advocacy work
Affirms Indigenous knowledge systems as legitimate and rigorous
Contributes directly to retention, well-being, and student success

We hope this article moves you to be curious and do some learning on and off campus, and that you have conversations with your students that can move this from a transactional to a relational supervisory state.

Check out campus resources:

Generative AI: Graduate and Research Supervision

Hands on keyboard that says supervision

Resources relevant to generative AI and supervision

Information on the Professional Development Requirement

Graduate student supervisors have questions about the university's Professional Development Requirement — and we have answers. Follow the links below to learn more.

The ABCs of the PD Requirement for Faculty and Staff

FAQs for Faculty and Staff

GPS' Professional Development (PD) Requirement: Information for Supervisors (Video)

How can my students get started with their PD activities? (Video)

IDP Review Guide: How to have that conversation with your students