The lack of support in academia, especially during doctoral studies, is a widely debated issue. Such experiences can be expected to be highly relevant to young researchers for their developing identity as scholars and their career aspirations. According to self-determination theory, support for the three basic psychological needs for competence,…

The question of whether it is a teacher's job to promote autonomy in students is explored. The discussion includes a review of some pertinent literature, with focus on "Faces on the Campus" by Graham Little, whose notion is seen as providing a worthy ideal. (JMD)