Introduction Supervision has long been considered a cornerstone of postgraduate education. It is often described as a rite of passage, where the novice researcher learns how to conduct research while entering the world of scholarship. According to Rathilall (2025), a supervisor’s role involves providing guidance and mentorship to students, managing their research activities, and supporting the overall development of the academic community. Traditionally, this relationship has been hierarchical, with the supervisor as the custodian of knowledge and mentor, and the student as the apprentice (Omodon, 2025). However, over time, the role of supervision has shifted, reflecting the changing nature of higher education, student needs, and, more recently, technological advances. This reflective piece considers where we have come from in postgraduate supervision, the complexities of the present moment, and the possibilities for the future. It positions supervision as an art to be practised, one that requires a delicate balance between efficiency and integrity, innovation and humanity. Where we have come from In its earliest form, postgraduate supervision often resembled the traditional mentor-apprenticeship model, where the supervisor held authority, guiding the student through established practices, usually replicating how they were supervised (Masuku, 2021). While this model produced capable researchers, it frequently left little room for independence or collaborative exploration. Over the years, however, supervision began to take on a more dialogic form with supervisors increasingly recognising that students bring their strengths, perspectives, and aspirations to the research journey (Rathilall, 2025). The shift toward collaboration was necessary and inevitable, given the expanding diversity of postgraduate students and the growing pressures within universities. In the past few years, literature has increasingly emphasised that supervision is not a one-size-fitsall practice, but rather a differentiated pedagogy that must adapt to the developmental stage of the student. Honours students, for example, often require high levels of structured guidance, scaffolding, and skills development, as this is their first exposure to independent research. The focus is typically on building confidence, clarifying research design basics, and introducing academic writing conventions (Ngulube, 2021). Suzy’s reflection: I find that at this level, my role leans more towards coaching and mentoring, with strong emphasis on formative feedback and pastoral care. The complexities and realities of supervision today The contemporary landscape of supervision is far more complex than before. Students come with varied academic backgrounds, often shaped by uneven schooling systems, socio-economic struggles, and differing levels of preparedness for research (Masuku, 2021). Some are well-equipped to engage in scholarly debate, while others need substantial support to grasp the basics of research methodology and academic writing. Supervisors, too, face significant challenges as they are expected to manage increasing supervision loads, publish prolifically, secure funding, and fulfil administrative responsibilities all within a higher education system marked by financial pressures and accountability measures (Dai et al., 2023). The demand 73 A Journey of Innovation
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