Fostering Trust in the Postgraduate Student-Supervisor Relationship

A Crucial Foundation for Academic Success

Abstract

The relationship between postgraduate students and their supervisors is a cornerstone of academic success and personal development. Trust is pivotal in establishing a positive and productive collaboration between these two parties. This conceptual paper explores the significance of trust in the postgraduate student-supervisor relationship, delving into its impact on academic progress, research outcomes, and the overall well-being of the individuals involved.  This is a qualitative design paper where systemic desktop research was used. The systematic reviews follow structured and predefined methods to identify, appraise, and synthesise the relevant literature. Desktop research is a research method that involves the use of existing data. These are secondary collected and summarised data to increase the overall effectiveness of the investigation. The secondary literature was collected based on the definition of trust, trust relations, building trust, the impact of trust on academic progress, challenges to trust in the postgraduate journey, trust as a catalyst for research excellence, strategies for repairing and rebuilding trust, the psychological well-being of postgraduate students and future directions in enhancing trust in postgraduate education. The paper concludes that trust is fundamental to the postgraduate student-supervisor relationship. It influences academic success, research outcomes, and the overall well-being of individuals involved. Recognising the importance of trust and actively working towards its cultivation can lead to a more positive and productive academic journey for postgraduate students.