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While the interpersonal nature of the supervisory relationship in research degree supervision has been recognised and different models of supervisory styles have been developed, the research supervision literature has yet to acknowledge the relational individual differences and the relational dynamics that are at play within the supervisor-supervisee relationship. This paper draws on literature from the higher education, clinical supervision, and leadership fields and utilises attachment theory as a conceptual framework in an attempt to shed some light on the attachment process and dynamics of the research supervisory relationship. The review of the evidence presented here clearly indicates the usefulness and applicability of attachment theory in the research supervision practice. This paper makes a contribution to the higher education and research supervision literature by offering new directions for research and by providing practical guidelines for the training of postgraduate research supervisors.

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This study examines in-depth the experiences of a mature, international student during her first year at university in the UK, to explore the different dimensions of her learning transitions.  The aim was to gain an in-depth understanding into the factors that influenced a student's on-going development and transformation over their first year; therefore we adopted a narrative exploration / inquiry as a means of collecting data.Maria's narrative is complex and atypical of the majority of the students in the cohort, yet it details the personal, social and academic challenges that can constitute the first year at HE; as personal history and expectations have a varying degree of influence on an individual's transition.In line with other research, this case study shows that students integration into the academic community, combined with peer support is crucial if they are going to settle into university life. The transition to HE is an on-going process and lasts longer than the initial weeks of the formal induction offered by the university.