Mentoring in PhD studies
Get familiar with the types and benefits of mentoring, find out how to get a mentor, or get inspired abroad.
PhD candidate Supervisor Doctoral Board
Mentoring and its types
Mentoring is a long-term personally led process where an experienced expert (mentor) guides the PhD candidate (mentee) on their professional and personal journey. It is more than academic guidance; the mentor shares personal experience of their PhD studies, helps with career orientation, problem resolution and search for work-life balance.
Both parties may meet in person or online with trust, openness and sharing always in mind.
- Individual mentoring – personal relationship between mentor and mentee
- Group mentoring – one mentor, multiple mentees
- Speed mentoring – brief structured meetings with multiple mentors (e.g. also with potential long-term mentors)
How can mentoring help
- The mentor brings new perspectives of how to present oneself, how to use networking or manage academic challenges. PhD candidates may benefit from a senior scientist’s experience and their work at another institution (or country) or a different field of science.
- Regular support from a mentor helps PhD candidates overcome doubts, improves their mental wellbeing and strengthens their personal attitude toward research. It also enhances their motivation and persistence.
- Through mentoring, PhD candidates develop their research and professional skills as well as active listening, psychological insight and other personal competencies.
- A supervisor who supports mentoring benefits from a better-prepared PhD candidate who can handle challenging periods without prematurely ending their studies.
- The practice of mentoring also fosters interdisciplinarity within the faculty and, through care for students, promotes the good reputation of the department or faculty among prospective applicants.
Mentoring is not an add-on. It is an investment in the personal growth of PhD candidates and in the quality of the faculty and university. It helps to reduce stress, increases the likelihood of successfully completing the doctoral studies and cultivates a positive academic environment. Experience from abroad shows that effective mentoring strengthens community, motivation and the prestige of the faculty and university.
How to start cooperation with a mentor
- If you wish to consult with a mentor, you should discuss the possibilities with your supervisor and the faculty. Your faculty may have or mediate an official mentoring programme or group mentoring which you can join.
- If your faculty does not provide such an offer, you can address an expert in a different field of science or institution (write a short e-mail introducing yourself and your dissertation project, mention why you think mentoring might be an asset and suggest an informal meeting).
- You can encounter your future mentor at a conference, workshop or networking event.
Don’t be shy to address the best minds in the field. It is an honour for academics to collaborate with and support young researchers – and they will often respond more positively than you might expect.
Inspiration from Europe and USA
- PhD Mentoring Initiative (European Accounting Association)
- The programme facilitates the preparation of the doctoral thesis with the guidance of senior scientists; regular consultations shape the quality of the research.
- First Generation Doctorate Mentoring+ (Universität zu Köln, Germany)
- Targeted mentoring for PhD candidates without an academic background – mentors share similar experience, complemented by practical workshops. The programme lasts one year and is conducted in German and English.
- Group Mentoring (Georg August Universität Göttingen, Germany)
- Regular group mentoring sessions focused on sharing research challenges, peer support, networking and team building skills.
- Mentoring for female doctoral students (Universität Paderborn, Germany)
- One-to-one mentoring with a same-gender academic for 12 months, supplemented by workshops (presentation skills, writing, etc.) focusing on career planning and connecting women in science.
- YUFE Non Academic Mentoring (Universiteit Antwerpen, Belgium)
- Mentees manage meetings with mentors from non-academic sectors (industry, non-profit, government) according to their needs in order to develop soft skills for careers outside of academia.
- MyMentor within the National Research Mentoring Network (USA)
- Virtual mentoring in biomedical fields – the platform pairs mentors and mentees, offers online training and targeted guidance as necessary.
- MAC Peer Mentoring Program (Cornell University, USA)
- First-year PhD candidates are paired with more advanced PhD candidates/postdocs; they organize joint workshops and informal get-togethers to promote esprit de corps.