SUND is focusing on creating opportunities for everyone to develop abilities and competencies. The mentoring programme is targeted towards younger researchers (mentees) engaging with more experienced researchers (mentors).
The goal is for mentees and mentors to be able to critically and constructively engage with academic structures and dynamics, as well as career opportunities and strategies so that they may navigate safely and in accordance with their own wishes and skills, using the knowledge they have acquired.
The individual mentee is introduced to a confidential network that can be maintained throughout all or part of the research programme/career according to their own wishes and needs.
- 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
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.
- Participation is voluntary, but registration is binding, since no-shows ruin the group dynamics
- The group constitutes a confidential space
- Participants are welcome to continue the group after the formal programme has ended
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
Working group
The Faculty’s gender equality committee (SUND LiU) acts as a working group. Once a year, The Gender Equality Team (GET) and the Faculty’s administrative coordinator present progress and feedback as well as input for the organisation.
Contact
If you would like more information, please contact Lene Ververs at lververs@health.sdu.dk