ABSTRACT
This chapter explores various elements that are important for creating a healthy relationship between a supervisor and the student doing research. Central to a healthy relationship between student and academic is the issue of trust and a belief in each other’s integrity. Hawkins recommends that breaches in trust are not seen as irremediable, but as opportunities for reflection, learning and relationship building. Master’s students and undergraduates may or may not have quite such close access to academics, but they do need to be encouraged to create their own learning communities, and these learning communities need to be nurtured by academic staff. However, working with international students provides an opportunity to understand different cultural values. Friendship gain can be legitimate, but where it is an abuse of power or feeding a need in the academic to be loved it can become oppressive for the student.
