THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE SUPERVISOR: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF QUALITY, INSTITUTIONAL PRACTICES, AND INNOVATION IN POSTGRADUATE RESEARCH SUPERVISION

The internationalization of higher education has significantly changed postgraduate research environments by increasing cultural and linguistic diversity. As a result, traditional supervision models are being challenged, and there is now a growing need for approaches that are more culturally responsive. This systematic review explores how supervision practices and intercultural dynamics shape the quality of postgraduate research supervision in higher education around the world. Guided by PRISMA 2020, the review searched Scopus, Web of Science, ERIC, and PsycINFO for empirical studies published between 2017 and 2025. Studies were included if they focused on supervision practices, intercultural dynamics, or quality outcomes in master’s or doctoral research supervision. Data were extracted using three key analytical areas: supervision practices, intercultural dynamics, and quality outcomes. Methodological quality was assessed using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool. In total, 45 studies met the inclusion criteria, covering a wide range of geographical and methodological contexts. The findings show that the quality of supervision depends less on technical expertise alone and more on supervisors’ personal qualities, relational approaches, and culturally sensitive communication. International students often face cultural dissonance, language barriers, and hierarchical power relations, all of which can negatively affect their satisfaction and research progress. The review also found that pluralistic supervision models, clear expectation setting, dialogic feedback, and supervisors’ intercultural communication competence are linked to more positive outcomes. Overall, the evidence suggests that traditional Western-centered supervision models are no longer sufficient for today’s global higher education landscape. Institutions therefore need to invest in supervision practices that are both relationally aware and culturally responsive to provide equitable and high-quality postgraduate experiences.