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Mentoring in higher education

How to use mentoring in teaching, research supervision and university career development: academics explain coaching, support and skills development in the mentor-mentee relationship.

A group of people work around an office table

Create healthy relationships between faculty members for the benefit of everyone

When staff members at an institution work together amicably, student performance improves, a collaborative environment forms and the academic community is made even stronger. Here’s how to do it

Rania Shalaby

Dubai Medical University

Community of practice concept illustration

A framework to develop communities of practice

Supporting communities of practice across an organisation can provide extraordinary benefits. Drawn from the author’s experience, these tips aim to build connection and engagement through a formalised framework and senior leader sponsorship

Karen Mather

University of Canterbury | Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha

A holographic image of a brain emerges from a smartphone

Three key collaborations to foster digital fluency in students

While digital skills development is all-important for employability, no one can predict what the job market will look like in a decade. Instead, focus on digital fluency for well-rounded future employees. Jeni Brown and Nedelin Velikov explain how

Jeni Brown, Nedelin Velikov

The London School of Economics and Political Science

A young woman shakes an interviewer's hand over a table

Sharpen your students’ interview skills

The employees of the future will need to showcase their skills in job interviews. Make sure they’re prepared for each setting, writes Lewis Humphreys

Lewis Humphreys

The London School of Economics and Political Science

A group of people laugh over a sheet of paper in a well-lit office

Three tips for using capstone projects to improve employability

How can we make sure our students are workplace-ready? Capstone projects may hold the key, writes Ardy Cheung

Ardy Cheung

The London School of Economics and Political Science

‘Gender equality is more rewarding than just ticking a box’

A whole-culture change to dismantle structural barriers has included mentoring, promotions workshops, and childcare and family leave support. Here are reflections on 25 years of advancing gender equality at Queen’s University Belfast

Karen McCloskey

Queen’s University Belfast

Student standing outside a campus building

How to build inclusive mentorship programmes for Black students

To create inclusive mentorship programmes for Black university students, we must ensure they are culturally relevant, address unique challenges and foster peer support

Patrice Seuwou

University of Northampton

Using reflective practice to support postgraduate studies in the biosciences

Small-group workshops create space for postgraduate researchers to share ways to manage stress, impostor syndrome, feelings of isolation and student-supervisor relationships. Here’s how to set up a programme

Jo Haszczyn , Johanna Fish , Jennifer Tullet

University of Southampton, University of Kent

Two people discuss diagrams laid out on a table

Maximise your research impact through interdisciplinary collaboration

What’s the best way to achieve research impact? Qingyan Chen makes the case for an interdisciplinary approach

Qingyan Chen

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

A bird's eye view of a table with reports and laptops

Researchers need support to change the world – here’s how to provide it

To generate world-changing research, the Hong Kong Polytechnic University’s Research and Innovation Office took on the role of fostering collaboration and allocation of resources to allow their academics to focus completely on their work. Lixin Situ outlines how to provide support.

Lixin Situ

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

How can we embed inclusion in our research culture for postgraduate researchers?

Small, systemic changes can help universities make their research community more welcoming and collaborative. Here, Maisha Islam looks at four actions to consider – from PGR surveys to widening access

Maisha Islam

University of Southampton

Black female engineer working on a drone

How to help young women see themselves as coders, inventors and engineers

Female students can be overlooked in STEM fields. Janille Smith-Colin shares four ways to empower tomorrow’s engineering leaders to find their voice and the determination to use it

Janille Smith-Colin

SMU Lyle School of Engineering

A group of students laugh while using laptops

Four ways to create an entrepreneurial culture at your institution

Universities are perfectly placed to help start-ups get off the ground. Alan Murray, Robert Crammond and Kingsley Omeihe advise on how best to get your students thinking with a business mindset

Alan Murray, Robert Crammond, Kingsley Omeihe

University of the West of Scotland

When good enough is not enough

Back your own abilities and let your talents be seen, writes Verna Yiu. Here, she shares lessons from her own career journey on how women can increase opportunities for themselves and each other

Verna Yiu

University of Alberta

A team of white water rafters battle the rapids

Build yourself a life raft by establishing a strong mentor relationship

Mentorship can offer a place of stability amid the choppy waters of a new role. Ibiyemi Omeihe explains how to find your new guide

Ibiyemi Omeihe

University of the West of Scotland

The transformative power of mentoring in historically black colleges and universities

HBCUs’ culture of generosity and community has much to offer all colleges and universities, write Marybeth Gasman and Levon T. Esters. Here, they distill their research into four key elements

Marybeth Gasman, Levon T. Esters

Rutgers University, Penn State University

Targeted support to enhance retention among first-generation students

Outreach initiatives and support programmes can address first-generation students’ challenges, such as belonging and financial literacy, while increasing retention and graduation rates. Here, Charmaine Troy shares her recommendations

Charmaine Troy

Georgia Tech’s Center for 21st Century Universities

How to help first-generation students navigate the challenges of higher education

First-generation university students face distinct challenges. Strategies such as mentoring programmes and conversations that celebrate their achievements can help them succeed

Lyn R. Keith

The University of the West Indies

veterinary students on work placement watching farmer worm a sheep

Leveraging internships to empower first-generation students

Professional placements – whether paid or unpaid – offer practical, hands-on experiences aligned with students’ academic pursuits and help level the playing field for first-gen students in competitive job markets

Lisa M. Lee

Virginia Tech

Two young women at a laptop having a conversation

Five steps to finding effective mentors in academia

Five steps to help you find a mentor who aligns with your goals and can help you achieve academic success

Lyn R. Keith

The University of the West Indies

Campus Talks: How to be a good mentor and mentee

Contributors from across the globe offer their advice on how to make these critical relationships work for everyone involved

Campus contributors

Campus

How mentor and mentee can help each other

Mentorship is a symbiotic relationship. Here, two scientists look at steps in the meeting process and benefits from both sides

Greta Faccio, Maria Koumouri

Independent academic, University of Cyprus

Six lessons from facilitating a formalised mentoring programme

An institutional formalised mentoring scheme can offer invaluable career guidance for early- and mid-career academics. Here, based on 15 years of managing a programme for academic staff, Karen Mather offers her key takeaways

Karen Mather

University of Canterbury | Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha

Why micro-mentoring works for Generation Z

Breaking the support experience into bite-size exchanges does more to increase younger students’ appetite to keep going than the traditional one-to-one mentoring model

Raphaella Prange

Maryville University

A white male academic talking to a young Black female student

Tips and tricks for impactful reverse mentoring

How to structure and manage effective reverse mentoring programmes which can bring benefits for participants and the wider sector

Rachael O’Connor

University of Leeds

University staff member talking to a female student

The case for reverse mentoring in higher education

Reverse mentoring can drive progress on many challenges faced in higher education today, if planned with care, as Rachael O’Connor explains

Rachael O’Connor

University of Leeds

Engaging in controversial topics in teaching and research

Sensitive subjects such as trolling and sexual assault require a careful approach at all points – from examining your motivation before you begin and setting up support to sharing findings, writes Ekant Veer

Ekant Veer

University of Canterbury | Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha

Darwin and teaching originality in university

Teaching originality: an essential skill in the age of ChatGPT

Academic originality is not about chance, genius or magic. It is about engagement and a clear sense of scholarly contribution. And it can be taught, writes Alastair Bonnett

Alastair Bonnett

Newcastle University

A university tutor talking to a male student

Five characteristics of effective supervisor training

What constitutes effective training to ensure research supervisors are well equipped to work with doctoral students? Sioux McKenna and Puleng Motshoane share advice based on their research in South Africa

Sioux McKenna, Puleng Motshoane

Rhodes University, University of Johannesburg

Young female student talks to an older coach or mentor

How academic coaching influences student performance and institutional outcomes

As colleges and universities grapple with stagnant graduation rates, academic coaching offers a tangible means to improve individual student performance as well as institutional outcomes, Lindsay F. Tierney explains

Lindsay F. Tierney

Virginia Commonwealth University

Power to the people through automation of peer support programmes

The management of large institution-wide programmes such as peer support can be improved and scaled with the help of automation, as Amanda Pocklington explains

Amanda Pocklington

The University of Exeter

A man and two women in a meeting around a laptop

How professional supervision can benefit academics

Common in health professions, supervision has much to offer faculty and higher education institutions – whether it takes place one-on-one or in groups. Here, Anita Volkert explains how to use the 3Cs of effective supervision to get started

Anita Volkert

Glasgow Caledonian University

Two colleagues speaking to one another by a computer

A mentoring scheme for graduate teaching assistants

How to shape a mentoring scheme to help graduate teaching assistants develop their instructional practice and gain professional qualifications

Thomas Rodgers, Claudia E Henninger

The University of Manchester

Diverse team of scientists in a competition

How supervisors can use research competitions to inspire lifetime learning

While some may think that entering student science competitions is all about the gold medals, the long-term nature of such projects is perfect fodder for learning meaningful skills

Zheng Pai

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Research competitions and university sutdents

Tactics for leading and engaging students in research competitions

Research competitions can motivate, encourage and inspire students, but we must align their expectations and encourage teamwork throughout the project

Zheng Pai

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Young Asian man jumping through circular obstacles

Building resilience in students: give them roots and wings

Teachers can act as their students’ strongest supporters and life coaches, assisting them in acquiring the knowledge, abilities and resilience they need to face life’s challenges

Cheong Fan

Macau University of Science and Technology

Older professional woman and young professional woman working together at laptop

How reverse mentoring helps co-create institutional knowledge

Reverse mentoring flips traditional power hierarchies, seeks connections across generations and offers opportunities to build relationships between students and faculty. The result boosts leadership skills and institutional knowledge

Monika Foster

Northumbria University

A female lecturer addressing a class of students

Introduce coaching principles into your work in four easy steps

Coaching is a popular tool for personal and professional development. Rushana Khusainova discusses how it can be used in higher education

Rushana Khusainova

The University of Bristol

It’s worth rethinking how we engage graduates – they can be teaching gold

National teaching fellow James Derounian highlights the potential for recycling graduate contributions back into university teaching

James Derounian

University of Bolton

The power of gender-sensitive mentoring

Mentoring is a powerful tool to enhance job satisfaction and work-life balance. This guide aims to help mentors adopt a gender-sensitive approach to support women and people who identify as women in teaching-focused roles

Marion Coderch

Durham University

Illustration of mentoring tree of lightbulbs

Career mentoring can support student employability

Support for students extends beyond the classroom. Here’s how to develop a successful mentoring programme to help students take their first steps into the workplace

Zurria Qureshi

University of Westminster

Improving research culture at universities

To improve research culture, we must change the way we measure performance

Jo Cresswell explains how universities can support more collaborative cultures by changing the way academics are reviewed, assessed and rewarded

Jo Cresswell

Dr Joanne Cresswell Coaching

Midwife hands baby to mother after hospital birth

Ways to support research students in nursing and midwifery

PhD supervision requires a specific skill set – from communication to emotional intelligence – to meet its challenges and secure its rewards. Here, Helen Allan shares her advice based on more than 20 years of experience

Helen Allan

Middlesex University

Peer mentoring at university can make a difference to student confidence

As a black, female student, I wish I’d had a peer-mentoring scheme

Asking more experienced students to volunteer to help first-years navigate their university journey can make all the difference in terms of belonging and confidence

Bernadine Idowu

University of West London

Diverse hands illustrating inclusive student-staff partnership concept

Student-staff partnerships: seven strategies for adopting inclusive practices

Student-staff partnerships can support skills development and enrich courses, as well as offer life-changing professional and academic opportunities for diverse students. Here, Madelaine-Marie Judd and Brooke Szücs encourage others to embrace this ethos

Madelaine-Marie Judd, Brooke Szücs

The University of Queensland

Four steps to robust and respectful classroom discussion

This video offers a four-part approach that gives space for students to speak up eagerly in classroom debates and shows them how to disagree well. Brian Ray, director of the Poe Business Ethics Center at the University of Florida, explains how to put it into practice

Brian Ray

University of Florida

The role of peer mentoring in the design and development of online learning

Peer mentoring is an effective way to support faculty in the development and delivery of quality online courses. Jonathan Muir explains when and how best to use it

Jonathan Muir

University of Leeds

Diversity statements in higher education can embed inequality more deeply

Embedding equality, diversity and inclusion within public policy training for academics

Steps higher education institutions can take to make their policy engagement training programmes as diverse and inclusive as possible, based on the experience of a UK university

Audrey Tan

UCL

Tips for writing a PhD dissertation: FAQs answered

From how to choose a topic to writing the abstract and managing work-life balance through the years it takes to complete a doctorate, here we collect expert advice to get you through the PhD writing process

Campus team

Campus

Working alongside students can have positive impacts on research time and also student outcomes

Research time disappearing before your eyes? Try student collaborations

Working alongside students can help academics to both protect their research time and boost student employability, say Dean Fido and Louise Wallace

Dean Fido, Louise Wallace

University of Derby

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