119 118 Chapter Six: Supporting Postgraduate Students Early Clarification and Ongoing Management of Expectations For many postgraduate students, it is the first time they experience full-time independent research, which is considerably different from the way of study in their past 15 or more years. The previous pattern of study and skill sets, earning them academic achievements, may no longer work well in their present study. You may need to communicate with them the mutual expectations for a healthy mentoring relationship. You may consider the following: • What are the roles and responsibilities of students and yourself? • How frequent do you meet? What is expected during these meetings? Are they sharing learning or reporting obstacles? Are these individual meetings or group meetings? Would the frequency change as they progress in research stages? • What do you expect to be a normal workload and normal work hours? Chapter Six: Supporting Postgraduate Students “The previous pattern of study and skill sets, earning them academic achievements, may no longer work well in their present study.” “ When I decided to pursue my postgraduate studies in HKUST, I was very excited! However, after a few weeks I realized I had changed so many things at the same time – left my country, my friends, my family, and had even changed my major. I was in a new country where I could not understand the language and doing research in a completely new area for me. A year past, I was very sad and had lost confidence in myself. I did not want to go to my lab, felt demotivated, and forced myself to complete daily chores. ” ~ Anonymous Student ~
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NDk5Njg=