Hi All

I am currently trying to advise a colleague who is considering a PhD. We are both presently employed at a predominately teaching based university, however both of us are young academics and have an interest in research. I am presently studying for my PhD at the leading university for our specific field, whereas my colleague can't decide between studying at our home university with a colleague as supervisor or studying externally as I have elected to do.

The issue most pertinent to this question is our employers policy on funding staff development. In terms of PhD funding, the policy states that if you wish to study for a PhD we will only fund such study if you register with our university.

So the query is, would you advise studying for your PhD:

1)Under the supervision of a colleague with whom you share an office, however, have your fees covered, or

2)At a different university which is more research orientated but you pay your own fees.

I hope you can understand why I have thrown this one out for discussion, I really don't feel that I am the right person to provide advise based on my limited experience.

Thanks

I will apply the standard paper n basket methodology. I guess best of 10 would be sufficient. It all depends on if Pleasure n Business could be kept together. But my suggestion is that only select that colleague after extensive interrogation that he/she has sufficient knowledge in that area and won't be super-vising just for supervision lol. I think if he/she has got something which you don't (mean knowledge);-) then it would be ok to share the office on <= basis..

If the colleague is serious about research and / or wants to leave the possibility of a career elsewhere open, then he/she should choose the best supervisor for the topic within geographical reach. If you can make a claim that the colleague in question is an international expert on your friend's topic and that the research resources at your home university are adequate, then it might be a choice that you can rationally defend to outsiders, but if neither of those things are true then it's going to look dubious to outsiders. I personally wouldn't want to give a colleague that much power over my career either but that's a personal perspective.

Have you considered Belford University?