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Abstract

Purpose-This paper aims to explore the support experiences of 381 PhD students within the humanities and social sciences from three research-intensive universities in Denmark (n = 145) and Finland (n = 236). The study investigates the cross-cultural variation in the researcher community support and supervisory support experiences, factors associated with their support experienced and the perceived support fit. Design/methodology/approach-The study used a mixed methods design, both quantitative analyses and qualitative analyses (open-ended descriptions) were used. Findings-The results showed that students in both Danish and Finnish programs emphasized researcher community support over supervisory support. The Danish students, however, reported slightly higher levels of researcher community support and experienced lower levels of friction than their Finnish counter partners. The results also indicated that the only form of support in which the students expressed more matched support than mismatched support was informational support. Practical implications-The results imply investing in a stronger integration of PhD students into the research community is beneficial for the students' progress. Building network-based and collaborative learning activities that enhance both instrumental and emotional support and a collective form of supervision could be further developed. The possibility of Phd student integration in the scholarly community is likely to lead to more efficient use of finacial and intellectual resources in academia and society more broadly. Originality/value-This study offer a unique contribution on doctoral students' academic and socialization experiences in terms of explicationg the sources of support, support forms and support fit among

Interest, Burnout, and Drop-Out Intentions Among Finnish and Danish Humanities and Social Sciences PhD. Students

“…This has involved establishing quality assurance and support systems (Andres et al, 2015), funding opportunities (Ministry of Higher Education and Science in Denmark, 2016; Pyhältö et al, 2015) and increased demands for international cooperation (Finnish Ministry of Education and Culture, 2017; Ministry of Higher Education and Science in Denmark, 2016; Toom & Pyhältö, 2020). The countries also share similar concerns regarding doctoral education, including high drop-out intentions rates (Cornér et al, 2017(Cornér et al, , 2018 and the need to build a more robust social support system for Ph.D. students (Hermann et al, 2014 In both Finland and in Denmark, a doctoral dissertation can be completed either in the form of a monograph or as an anthology, meaning a series of articles that includes a summary.…”

“…Based on the findings of previous studies attrition rates can range from 33% to 70% (Gardner & Gopaul, 2012;Ivankova & Stick, 2007;Jiranek, 2010). Also, in the Finnish and Danish context of doctoral education, there is evidence of high drop-out intentions rates (Cornér et al, 2017(Cornér et al, , 2018. It has been shown that research community integration and networks (Castelló et al, 2017;Graham & Massyn, 2019;Jairam & Kahl, 2012;Lovitts, 2001) are vital for reducing attrition rates and to enhance degree completion.…”

Academic burnout among master and doctoral students during the COVID-19 pandemic

“…Evaluating aspects related to academic life, we found that many graduate students at some point had considered abandoning their studies. Several studies have reported high rates of university withdrawal intentions, for example, 30–70% of doctorate students will may not complete their PhD degree 8 , 29 – 31 . Experiences of high stress, anxiety and exhaustion, demonstrated a lack of interest in their studies which appears to influence drop-out intentions 8 , 32 , 33 .…”

Departmental academic support for doctoral students in Russia: Categorisation and effects

“…Students' performance and achievement depend largely on how successfully they integrate into and navigate a programme, both academically and socially (Hawley, 2010). Students cannot fully achieve this purpose without support from their supervisors and the larger research community (Cornér et al., 2018). Various types of support can significantly improve students' satisfaction with a program and influence their progress.…”