2nd Edition of the Arqus Mentoring Programme for Early-Stage Researchers
The Arqus Mentoring Programme for Early-Stage Researchers is designed for doctoral candidates and early-stage postdoctoral researchers who are interested in receiving high-quality support during a decisive phase in their academic careers. The new round of the 9-month programme will begin in September 2024 with an in-person kick-off workshop in Lyon.
The deadline to apply is 10th March 2024, 23:59 CET (see below for details).
Pursuing a successful research career and navigating the (official and unofficial) rules of academic life can be challenging or even discouraging. During this process, exchanging with and gaining feedback from someone not directly involved in your research project, employment contract or thesis supervision can be beneficial. An experienced mentor can provide insight and offer a space for discussion about the challenges and opportunities of life in academia.
Within this international mentoring programme, early-stage researchers are matched with established researchers from another Arqus university to receive feedback and advice on topics such as career options and decisions, time management, application processes, work organisation and skills development.
Please be aware that a mentor is not a second supervisor, the aim of the mentoring is not academic collaboration but support with challenges in academic life, personal and professional growth and career development. Mentors will be from comparable or adjacent disciplines to the mentee, but matchings will not be according to specific research topics or narrow research fields.
Key aspects
Mentees will be matched with a mentor from another Arqus university.
Mentor and mentee meet for a minimum of four (virtual) sessions over the course of nine months.
An in-person visit of the mentee at the mentor’s home institution is highly encouraged, but not mandatory. We will help you explore funding options.
Mentees will take part in four one-and-a-half-hour online training sessions offering input and opportunities for exchange on how to successfully navigate academia and how to respond to shared challenges (see programme below).
To ensure a clear focus on strategic (personal) decisions and further career steps of interdisciplinary researchers, guiding materials will be provided.
Mentors will have the opportunity to participate in regular Mentors’ Lounges, led by the programme facilitator.
An in-person kick-off workshop in September 2024 in Lyon, France, will allow mentees to connect and exchange experiences (funding for travel and accommodation will be available, participation in this meeting is part of the programme).
The trainer and host for both mentees and mentors is Dr. Yasmin Dolak-Struss, who is a systemic coach, trainer and facilitator. She has been supporting researchers on European funding programmes and career development for more than 16 years and has a background as a researcher in the field of biomathematics.
Target groups and eligibility criteria
You must be affiliated with one of the Arqus universities or the associate partner Kyiv Mohyla Academy in one of the following ways to apply:
as a doctoral candidate/PhD student beyond the first year of their doctoral studies with an ongoing enrollment or
as a postdoctoral researcher with an active employment contract.
You are not eligible if you have already participated in the Arqus Mentoring Programme previously.
The selection of participants will be made by local selection committees at each university. Two participants (one pre- and one postdoc) will be selected per Arqus university. For more information about the selection process, please contact your home university’s Arqus Officer.
Participants commit to stay with the Mentoring Programme for the duration of nine months.
Funding for the kick-off workshop will be available, please note however, that you might have to complete a subsequent application for the funding, depending on your home university.
NOTE: If you are from the University of Minho, special funding eligibility criteria apply – to be able to receive funding for participation in the Career Week, you may not:
have funding from the Portuguese Foundation of Technology as FCT PhD funding
have a contract as researcher in a project founded by the Portuguese Foundation of Technology.
If you are from Kyiv Mohyla Academy and are unable to travel to/receive funding for the kick-off workshop, you can still apply to the Mentoring Programme.
Programme and dates
June 2024, Date TBA
Online Welcome and Briefing Session
An initial online meeting before the summer break to welcome all the mentees, introduce the organising team, discuss the first steps and outline what to expect at the kick-off workshop.
Tuesday, 24th September to Wednesday, 25th September 2024
In-Person Kick-Off Workshop in Lyon
A 2-day event in Lyon (France) to get to know the other mentees, discuss mentorship roles, opportunities and challenges, and explore possible topics for the mentoring process.
Wednesday, 6th November 2024 (14:00-15:30 CET)
Online Training Session on “Secrets of Academia” with Dr. Gerald Lind
Academic success is not solely based on excellent research. Successful researchers are also aware of academia’s much less visible social dimension. In this context, Gerald Lind from the Doctoral Academy Graz will provide insight into the social aspects and rarely talked-about rules of academic life.
January 2025, date TBA
Research Careers in the Digital Sphere, speaker TBA
It is increasingly relevant for researchers to have a strong online presence, for science communication, networking and visibility. Yet it can be challenging to navigate the different platforms and tools at one’s disposal. In this session, we want to discuss research and social media platforms, AI tools and strategies to make use of the online sphere without being overwhelmed.
Wednesday, 13th March 2025 (14:00-15:30 CET)
Online Group Check-In
A check-in with the group to discuss the status of the mentoring relationships, and discover if there are any shared issues or struggles and to exchange on common topics that are being discussed. Reflecting the process of the mentoring with regard to topics discussed in the kick-off workshop.
Wednesday, 14th May 2025 (14:00-15:30 CET)
Online Training Session on “International Funding Landscapes” with Dr. Yasmin Dolak-Struss
Based on her extensive experience in supporting researchers in European funding programmes, Yasmin Dolak-Struss will give insight into funding possibilities and procedures for early-stage researchers.
Wednesday, 18th June 2025 (14:00-15:30 CET)
Final Online Meeting and Evaluation
Last meeting with all the mentees to discuss the experiences and outcomes of the mentoring programme, reflect on benefits and challenges as well as wishes and suggestions.
Application
The deadline for the application is Sunday, 10th March 2024 (23:59 CET).
Please apply using this online form.
Only fully completed forms can be considered.
Please prepare a statement of motivation (300-500 words in English) on why you want to participate in the programme, which challenges in academia you would like to receive support with, how you expect to benefit from the mentoring process, etc. This text will be the key aspect for the selection process. Please also prepare to attach your (academic) CV.
Applicants will be informed about the selection outcome within a month after the deadline.