Cross-Cultural Communication Challenges Between Nigerian Students and European Academic Supervisors

This study investigates the cross-cultural communication challenges experienced by Nigerian postgraduate students studying under European academic supervisors, drawing on the experiences of Nigerian students enrolled at universities in the United Kingdom, Germany, and the Netherlands. Cross-cultural supervisory relationships involve complex dynamics shaped by differences in academic conventions, communication styles, power relations, and expectations around research independence. This descriptive study uses a qualitative approach, drawing on semi-structured interviews with Nigerian doctoral and master's students currently enrolled or recently graduated from UK, German, and Dutch universities, recruited through Nigerian academic alumni networks. The study explores how cultural differences manifest in supervisory interactions, including disagreements over thesis conceptualisation, writing conventions, and deadlines. The research also examines Nigerian students' coping strategies, including peer mentoring networks, cultural mediation by international student offices, and deliberate code-switching in academic communication. The geographic distribution of Nigerian student respondents reflects diversity across origin regions, including South-East, North-Central, and South-West Nigeria. Findings are expected to contribute to undergraduate understanding of the cultural dimensions of European-Nigerian academic relationships and to provide practical guidance for Nigerian students planning postgraduate study in Europe. Keywords: cross-cultural communication, Nigerian students, European supervisors, postgraduate supervision, academic migration.