Coadvisors

Coadvisors, or co-advisors, are two or more individuals who jointly supervise a student, project, or program, sharing mentorship responsibilities and decision-making authority. In academic settings, coadvisors commonly assist graduate students on theses or dissertations, with one often designated as the primary advisor while the others provide complementary expertise. Outside academia, coadvisors may guide research initiatives, interdisciplinary projects, or funded programs, sometimes with formal joint appointments or agreements.

Responsibilities include regular meetings, setting goals and milestones, providing methodological and career development guidance, ensuring compliance with institutional policies, and evaluating progress. Coadvisors coordinate to avoid conflicting guidance, delineate roles and communicate expectations through written plans, meeting schedules, and documented decision processes. They may jointly approve proposals, conduct progress reviews, and sign off on final work.

Benefits and challenges. Benefits include broader expertise, mentorship, and networks, greater continuity if one advisor is unavailable, and support for interdisciplinary work. Challenges include potential conflicts between advisors, power dynamics, divided attention, differing standards or expectations, and added administrative overhead. A clear governance structure, defined roles, written agreements, and scheduled communication help mitigate these issues.

In practice, the coadvising arrangement is often formalized in program handbooks, appointment letters, or grant agreements, and may require alignment with department policies on supervision.