What is my position if my supervisor leaves the university during my PhD course? I know what the official line is - the university IS OBLIGED to find me a replacement supervisor - but what's the truth????!!! I'm a science student so I need the equipment to continue my research - will it go with my supervisor? Has anyone been through this?

Will the university tell me to go with my supervisor (I know one student is usually allowed to go)? If I refuse to do this do they still have an obligation to find a solution?

This happened to a group in my lab during my PhD, everyone panics at first! Your supervisor will probably want you to go with him/her, but you can't be forced to, and shouldn't be abandoned without equipment if you don't. Lab moves take a long time and lots of negotiation to arrange, the important things are to communicate with your supervisor and be prepared to be flexible.

The same happend to me - but I can't identify another supervisor at my Uni who would be able or interested in supervising my topic. It's in social sciences. my old supervisor told me to consider transferring.

I'm in the same position - there's no-one in my department who would be able to supervise (give advice and practical guidance about) my research. I'd be happy to work on my own and have distance supervision from my current supervisor, but I don't know if they'd allow this.

What did you do? Or haven't you found a solution yet?

The 'jury is still out' on this - but my current supervisor has refused to take any of her supervisory students with her to her new post. This leaves us all in a very difficult situation - she has advised me to transfer to another university, where I have an external supervisor at the moment, however the current Uni want me to stay there - with another supervisor who is less experienced. I am still considering what to do and what the possibilities are to transfer if I do decide this is best.

This happened to a friend of mine when her supervisor decided to up sticks and move to the States! He wanted her to go with him but she didn't want to go, so she transferred to another uni and is now happier than she ever was at the old one. The old uni did kick up a bit of a fuss but eventually conceded there was no point in her staying. So there is light at the end of the tunnel, don't panic, badger the uni and find out exactly what your options are.