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Mentors

German version

Osnabrück University recruits university professors and executives from non-university research institutions, companies, and public bodies to act as mentors. The mentees themselves can suggest their preferred mentors.

Mentors are characterized by their outstanding commitment to developing early career researchers and by their joy in passing on knowledge.

Within the mentoring partnership, they pass on their experience and knowledge concerning career planning and progress to mentees. They often help mentees prepare for upcoming career steps and important milestones (e.g., appointment processes) and support the establishment of networks.

Role of Mentors

As a mentor, you support your mentee in their decisions and in realistically assessing and valuing their own abilities. You advise the mentee on a wide range of topics and professional situations. Mentors contribute their experience and knowledge of informal structures, give mentees feedback on their skills, and help them develop their strengths. The mentor's tasks do not include being able to answer every question. It remains the mentee's task to find her own solutions to her concerns; mentors can accompany her on the way to finding solutions.
The mentoring relationship should be based on partnership and be at eye level, with the mentor and mentee jointly deciding on the topics of the discussions. The key requirements are confidentiality, voluntariness, and independence: There should be no relationship of dependency between the participants.
Mentoring is not a one-way process. Mentors also benefit from mentoring and from the intergenerational transfer of knowledge.

 

Benefits for Mentors:

  • You take on an active role in the promotion of early career researchers
  • You gain insights into the situation of early career researchers and receive open feedback
  • You have the chance to reflect on your career path and experiences
  • You can further develop your consulting skills and gain new impulses
  • You can expand your scientific networks