The GSHS strongly recommends doctoral candidates to include a second supervisor in their supervision agreement within the first 12 months of their doctorate if this was not already done at the beginning.

During their project, doctoral candidates are supervised by a professor (or equivalent teaching staff) as their primary supervisor. This close relationship, which characterises the entire doctoral process, is important, but can also lead to a high degree of dependence of the doctoral candidate on a single person; especially if the first supervisor is also supervising them in the context of an employment relationship.

A second supervisor, on the other hand, can help add perspective through a broader view from outside – whether it be on content of the work, methodology, integration into the research process (e.g. academic publishing, participation in conferences), opportunities for further professional development or stays abroad, etc. – and thus significantly enrich the doctoral studies experience.

The appointment of a second supervisor or even a team of several supervisors is increasingly becoming standard practice – also internationally – and has already been incorporated into some of JGU’s doctoral studies regulations and procedures.

Unless otherwise stipulated in the respective subject, the second supervisor (or supervising team) can also come from a different subject or faculty, from another higher education institution or even from abroad. This is even recommended in many cases. Furthermore, it is not absolutely necessary for the second supervisor to take on the second assessment of your doctoral dissertation. Please note the requirements of your doctoral regulations and talk to your first supervisor.

The second supervisor (or the supervisory team) may, for example, represent a subject, a research focus or a methodological approach that is of particular interest to your research question and is not yet covered by your first supervisor. Perhaps he/she has good contacts to research groups, or research or other institutions that are of interest to you? Perhaps they also have international contacts? In this way, the second supervisor can support you in building networks within the academic community and beyond (e.g. with companies, cultural institutions…) that will also be useful for your future career.