Mentoring

FAR: Mentoring researchers far and beyond

CREAF runs its 1st mentoring programme by pairing postdoctoral researchers with more experienced researchers.

During a year, mentors and mentees will meet regularly to discuss in a safe and confidential environment issues relating to their professional life, involving the sharing of skills, knowledge, and expertise through developmental conversations, experience sharing, and role modeling.

The aims of the program are:

  1. To foster and guide postdoctoral researchers' career development.
  2. Make full use of wisdom, experience and skills present in the centre.
  3. Capitalise on and grow the talent pool within.
  4. Promote mutual learning from different experiences, ways of thinking and doing.

I want to participate as MENTEEI want to participate as MENTOR

Far - Mentoring far and beyond logo

The practicalities of the programme

 

Who can be a mentee?

 

Who can be a mentor?

  • Any CREAF postdoctoral researchers.
  • The first edition of the program will only accept 10 applications. They will be prioritised according to the following criteria:
    • Postdoctoral researchers who have obtained their PhD in the last three years.
    • Expression of interest regarding their career plans (100 words).
    • Diversity among mentees will be promoted.

The mentees should:

  • Propose 2 potential mentors he/she would like, or let the mentoring committee suggest a match. Mentors can be from CREAF (preferably) or from other research institutions. Mentees' preferences will be taken into account as much as possible.
  • Attend to the mentee briefing meeting (2h) to prepare their own learning objectives for the Mentoring Programme and set these down into a Learning Action plan.
  • A mentor should be at least a “level-up” professional category from postdoctoral career stage from CREAF (preferably) or from other research institutions.
  • The direct supervisor of a given researcher cannot be his/her mentor.
  • Mentor should not be part of the mentee's normal hierarchy or research group.
  • Mentees' preferences will be taken into account as much as possible when pairing with mentors.

The mentors should:

  • Attend to 2 midday training workshops (6h in total).
  • Share knowledge, skills and experience.
  • Help mentees to build self-confidence, identify personal strengths and career planning, and provide connections to develop their own professional networks.
I want to participate as menteeI want to participate as mentor
 

How often should mentors and mentees meet?

 

There are no specific indications about the organization of meetings between mentor-mentee. The relationship should be built upon common agreement and could be as flexible as necessary to adapt to the best functioning, with a minimum requirement of having two meetings during the year that will last the program.

Calendar

  • Kick-off: 27th March.
  • Call for Mentors and Mentees application: 27th Mar - 18th Apr.
  • Pairing process: from 18th - 28th Apr.
  • Mandatory training mentors: 16th May and 23rd May from 10h to 13h.
  • Mandatory mentees briefing: 24th May from 10h to 12h.

FAQs

What's the difference between supervision and mentoring

Supervision

  • The supervisor role is a bit like a line manager and there's a power imbalance.
  • Supervisor is from the same research field.
  • Involves directing the actions of those who report to you.
  • Mainly task/goal oriented (eg. completion of a thesis or paper).

Mentoring

  • The mentor does not form a part of the mentees normal hierarchy.
  • Mentor is not necessarily in the same research field.
  • Focus on career support.
  • Agenda set by mentee.
  • Advice allowed.
  • Caring for an individual's long-term development.
Who will designate the mentors for the mentees?

There will be a Mentoring Committee constituted of voluntary researchers (1-2 senior researchers, 1 postdoc) and the Talent officer that will designate the mentors for the mentees taking into account the mentees' suggestions when possible. During the 1st edition of the programme, the Mentoring Committee will be formed by Javier Retana, Jordi Martínez-Vilalta, Estela Romero and Teresa Rosas.

Which topics will be covered during Mentors’ training?
  • What is Mentoring and what is the role of a Mentor at CREAF
  • The learning contract and learning styles
  • Different Roles of a Mentor
  • The Mentoring journey different phases and what to prepare
  • The use of a Personal Development plan and setting objectives
  • Demonstration of a Mentoring conversation
  • How to build trust within the relationship
  • Listening and observing.
  • Questions to probe and to discover
  • Giving and receiving feedback.

Methodology: High level of participation, a mixture of presentation of theory with discussion groups, practice exercises with feedback and plenary sessions.

Which topics will be covered during Mentee briefing meeting?

The objective of this session is to guide CREAF postdoctoral researchers that will become mentees as they prepare their own learning objectives for the Mentoring Programme and set these down into a Learning Action plan while considering how they will approach their Mentor and what to prepare before each session.

Why I should join the Program as a Mentee?
  • Greater Self Awareness: Mentoring aims to build self-confidence and self-esteem by exploring the mentees awareness of their knowledge, skills, abilities, and aptitudes.
  • Broaden Horizons: By sharing ideas with a mentor, mentees will be able to question some of the self-limiting beliefs and career myths which can hold them back.
  • Realisation of goals and Achievements: By exploring in-depth mentees’ goals and achievements with an experienced scientist, Mentees are more likely to set challenging and attainable goals for the future.
  • Networking: Mentoring offers the opportunity for mentees to be introduced to a wider range of professionals through their mentor’s professional network.
  • Enhanced Career opportunities: By increasing mentees ability to develop professionally reviewed CVs and sharpening of their self-promotion skills.
  • Ability to manage change: Working with a more experienced Scientist/Professional offers the opportunity to identify successful practices for managing changes and transitions at key life intervals.
Why I should join the Program as a Mentor?
  • Validation of Leadership abilities and political position:This is also an opportunity to further develop your own interpersonal and feedback skills as a part of the training given and whilst working with your Mentee.
  • Increased creativity and fresh ideas: As mentoring is a two way process between the mentor and mentee, it offers excellent opportunities to cultivate and share ideas.
  • Personal satisfaction: By exploring in-depth mentees’ goals and achievements with an experienced scientist, Mentees are more likely to set challenging and attainable goals for the future.
  • Networking: Alongside the increased satisfaction of helping others, mentoring also offers the chance to put something back into the education system through the imparting of expertise and specialist knowledge and skills.
  • Networking: The prospect of broadening your professional network by meeting mentors from different areas of expertise.
  • Latest Developments and thinking: It will also help you keep up to date with developments in the world of research and strengthen your relationships in Science.
How is going to be the follow up and program evaluation?

The Mentoring Committee constituted by 1-2 senior researchers, 1 postdoc and the Talent officer will follow up the development of the program and will deal with potential conflicts if they arise. At the end of the program, all participants (mentors and mentees) will be asked to fill a final anonymous feedback survey and actions for improvement will be proposed if necessary.

More more information or questions contact:
Teresa Rosas (t.rosas@creaf.uab.cat).

The CREAF Mentoring Program is part of the Severo Ochoa “ULandscape” funded in 2019 by the Agencia Estatal de Investigación of the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation to support Research Centres of Excellence.