The programme has a dual purpose. First, it aims to support each mentee in their individual career development. This happens both through the backing of a confidential peer group and through shared knowledge that helps mentees better understand and navigate the academic landscape.
The mentor group provides a safe space to discuss sensitive topics and difficult situations, allowing for more qualified approaches to problem-solving and decision-making. The insights developed within the group are intended to support a critically constructive perspective on academic structures and dynamics, as well as career paths and strategies. This enables mentees to move more confidently and in a more informed and self-directed way through academia, aligned with their personal ambitions and competencies.
The second aim is to strengthen the organisation’s ability to create better conditions for early-career researchers. Group meetings generate shared insights into structural barriers to career progression—barriers that often transcend disciplinary and individual contexts.
Mentors and mentees work together to identify these challenges, and mentors are expected to relay this knowledge (without breaching confidentiality, of course) to relevant decision-makers—such as faculty leadership and heads of department—who are in a position to improve institutional frameworks. In this way, the mentor groups serve not only the individual but also the broader goal of shaping better conditions for the career development of early-career researchers.
The Faculty’s Gender Equality Council (SUND LiU) serves as the programme’s advisory group. Once a year, GET and the faculty’s administrative coordinator report on progress, feedback and recommendations to the wider organisation.
Equality, diversity and inclusion form a key foundation for this dual approach. The programme is based on the assumption that structured, supported, systematic and strategic career development efforts benefit early-career researchers in general—but will be of particular value to those who differ most from established norms. This includes individuals from underrepresented groups and those with non-academic backgrounds, among others.
- Two full-day seminars and a minimum of five two-hour group meetings between mentees and mentor.
- The seminars are in-person events while the group meetings are scheduled online or in person as agreed by the groups.
- The programme spans two semesters – that is, one year.
- Groups may schedule more meetings than outlined if they wish.
- The seminars take place in the autumn and in the spring. The next seminars will take place: Friday 1 November 2024 and Thursday 3 April 2025.
Here you'll find a diagram illustrating the structure of the mentorship programme
Group meetings:
A catalogue of ideas is created, containing topics that may be discussed. This is supplemented with a catalogue of ideas for mentors, containing tools for facilitating discussions of the topics.
As a minimum, the following should be discussed in each group:
- Who are we in the group/where do we come from
- Contract for the collaboration
- Create individual career development plans
- Topics of interest to the group
Participants are welcome to continue the group (without a mentor) after the formal programme has ended.
Full-day seminars:
Each seminar covers two topics. Each topic opens with a presentation to provide inspiration for the subsequent discussions.
Topics covered:
- Negotiation techniques
- How do we communicate with the outside world (including publication strategy, SoMe, etc.)
- Sponsorship, mentorship, networking
- Work-life balance
- The groups are formed spanning the departments of the faculty.
- Mentees meet in groups of 4–5 people with the same mentor throughout the programme.
- The groups are organised so that PhD students and postdocs/assistant professors are in separate groups.
- The PhD groups are established twice a year and the postdoc/assistant professor group once a year.
- Mentees are mixed so that they do not form groups with close colleagues.
- The aim is to have some degree of career recognisability for the group participants while ensuring that there is no direct overlap or shared affiliation between mentor-mentees or amongst the mentees.
- To take part in all group meetings and seminars. Regular attendance is essential for building trust and a strong sense of community within the group.
- To respect confidentiality. Everything shared in the group stays in the group
You must be affiliated with the Faculty of Health Sciences as a PhD student, postdoc or assistant professor.
PhD student:
You will be offered the mentoring programme at your PhD introduction course.
Remember to inform your primary supervisor about your participation, before enrollment in the program through the link provided. There are two annual start-up opportunities (spring and autumn).
Postdoc and assistant professor:
Participation requires an agreement with your head of department. There is one annual start-up opportunity (autumn). Upon confirmation of agreement, you will receive a registration link.
Support organisation
Gender Equality Team (GET)
- Preparation of mentors (workshop) and debriefing after the programme (joint meeting)
- Planning and organisation of seminars
- Contact between senior mentors/steering committee and current mentors
- Sparring with mentors as needed
- Facilitation of steering committee meetings
The Faculty of Health Sciences (SUND)
The faculty provides administrative coordinator resources to manage:
- Practical planning of seminars and support for organising group meetings
- Handling of written material for mentees, mentors, principal supervisors, heads of department
- Collaboration with the PhD school in relation to PhD mentees
- Mentor recruitment (in collaboration with heads of department)
- Preliminary composition of mentee groups and mentors
- Support of GET in connecting with mentorsissuing course certificates
- Composition of the steering committee and scheduling of steering committee meetings
- Collaboration with SUND's communications department in relation to describing the mentoring programme in internal and external communication
Contact
If you would like more information, please contact sund-hr@health.sdu.dk and HR-partner Karina Kringlum.