Sources of Support

 If you are worried about your wellbeing, the College’s Student Support Zone provides essential information and signposting to support services which can help you.  The Doctoral Success Guide may also help you with general queries about your research degree programme. 

 This sources of support website is dedicated to providing you with specific information about staff and support services in College that can help you if you are experiencing challenges with your supervision.  You should read it in conjunction with common challenges which summarises typical scenarios you might encounter during your research degree and provides you with practical tips for resolving these yourself.  If you are not able to resolve supervisory challenges yourself, and you need further support, find out more about what is available to you below. 

Department and Faculty Support

Department and faculty support

Your Departmental Senior Tutor

Your department will have at least one Senior Tutor (PGR) who has overall responsibility for the academic and pastoral care of postgraduate students. These experienced colleagues will be able to guide and support you if you are experiencing challenges with your supervision. 

Your Director of PG Studies

Your department will have a Director of Postgraduate Studies who is responsible to the Head of Department for implementing postgraduate education policy as determined jointly in consultation with the Head of Department, senior officers of the department, departmental committees and staff-student committees.  If you have a concern about your supervision, you are also able to talk to your Director of Postgraduate Studies. 

Your Faculty Senior Tutor

if you want to talk to a member of staff outside your Department, your Faculty Senior Tutor can help.  Faculty Senior Tutors are responsible for ensuring the delivery of consistent, high-quality support for students in the departments that sit within their faculty. They work closely with the College’s specialist support services and support Senior Tutors. 

Student Wellbeing Advisors

Your Department or Faculty may also have Student Wellbeing Advisors who you can talk to about anything which is on your mind.  

Departmental Values Champions

Your Department may also have a Values Champion: Departmental Values Champions support the rollout and embedding of the College Values and Behaviours.  If you have concerns about your supervisor’s behaviour, you could also talk to this person.  

Graduate School Support

The Graduate School provides specific training and support through various activities, highlighted below. 

Graduate School Support [content]

Student in a 1-2-1 coaching session

Postgraduate Coaching Programme

Postgraduate Coaching Programme which can help you to develop strategies for addressing challenges with your supervisory partnership.  

Research Degree Mediation

Research Degree Mediation programme:  Mediation is a process where a neutral, non-judgemental mediator brings you together with your supervisor in a safe and confidential environment to facilitate open and honest dialogue. The discussions focus on enabling understanding of each person’s perspective.  It is not designed to assign blame and it is not adversarial. 

students discuss around a laptop

Graduate School Workshops

There are also workshops which could help improve your interactions with your supervisor: Enhancing wellbeing for doctoral researchers and Understanding and developing assertiveness  

The Student's Union

  • The Union’s Advice Centre provides a free, confidential, non-judgemental and independent service for all students at Imperial.  If you are experiencing a problem with your supervisor, the Advice Service can help you. 
  • Your Postgraduate Representation Chair and your Faculty Academic and Welfare Officers are also a key source of support for you to raise your concern, or talk through any problems you might be experiencing.