What do we mean by “mentoring”?
 Mentoring is a tool for professional and personal development as well as for career avancement. It is based on the pairing of a mentor and a mentee. These pairings are formed across hierarchies and generations. A person with more professional life experience (the mentor) supports the development and career of a younger, less experienced person (the mentee). Mentees learn from their mentors, benefit from their knowledge, and gain insight into his or her network and contacts. Mentors pass on their personal experience based on their own career and professional style. Mentors provide mentees with guidance that helps them to develop on their own. The meetings are confidential and it is encouraged to discuss personal issues.
During Phase I, each student will be assigned a mentor from the BMS faculty. The mentor:
- advises the student on his/her study and follows its success
- meets with the student on a regular basis to evaluate the progress made
- consults with the lecturers and tutors of the courses taken.
After each semester, students must write a short report on their activities. These reports form the basis for discussion with the mentor and are then forwarded to the BMS executive board.
During Phase II, students continue to have a mentor, separate from the thesis advisor. While your advisor supports you concerning progress on the PhD thesis, choosing the right conferences and publishing articles, your mentor can
- guide you concerning career planning and networking
- give you a second opinion
- help in case of e.g. communication problems with your advisor.
The mentor should not be a member of your research group but it is quite reasonable if he/she works in the same field. The mentor must be a member of the BMS faculty and can be a member of another university, but does not have to be.
Tanja Fagel, the Gender + Diversity Officer, will help you in all matters associated with mentoring.
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