It will happen, but how to handle it? Supervising interrupted PhD studies focused on the individual study plan (ISP)

Abstract

While not all PhD students will interrupt their studies, it is something one can now almost expect to experience as a PhD supervisor in Sweden. While updating the Individual Study Plan (ISP) at least once a year to correct the account of what happened and adjust the plan going forward is a legal requirement in Swedish Higher Education, this provides little information about is how one, as a supervisor, can handle interruptions to a students’ PhD studies. We therefore interviewed four PhD supervisors at LTH on their experiences with interruptions to PhD studies and the impacts this can have. The accounts were generally positive, with additional funding usually available and interruptions reported as more likely to lead to delays than the student abandoning their studies. Other changes, e.g. of research project direction, were as might be expected from the unpredictable nature of research.