The Foundation for Polish Science (FNP) has launched a pilot edition of a mentoring program for researchers working in all fields. The program will connect young scholars who have received the START scholarship with their more experienced colleagues – laureates of FNP’s other programs. The mentoring relations will support the mentees’ professional development in making work-related decisions, R&D activities, and other spheres. The recruitment of mentors is in progress, and the application procedure for mentees will follow.
The program will enable young scholars working in Poland to establish contact and build mentoring relations with their more experienced colleagues – the mentors. The relations in question will support the young researchers in making decisions regarding their further professional development. The program will also help the mentees acquire and improve skills which facilitate working in the research environment, including R&D. Finally, FNP wishes to promote the idea of knowledge sharing and develop the mentors’ and the mentees’ interpersonal skills.
“The program’s primary purpose is to support young scholars in their further professional development. We are convinced that the vast knowledge and experience of FNP scholarship holders, combined with their career paths, observations, and reflections, can serve as a source of highly valuable guidelines for researchers at the early stage of their careers. However, we believe that the benefits will prove mutual, and that the role of a mentor will also be a useful and valuable experience. Moreover, we wish to promote the idea of knowledge sharing and help academics develop the relevant competence, including interpersonal skills. Therefore, we will provide the mentors with subject matter support. Finally, we hope that the mentoring program as a whole will integrate the circles of FNP laureates” – says Marta Łazarowicz-Kowalik, PhD, Deputy President of the FNP Board..
The pilot edition of the MENTORING FNP program will select up to 15 mentoring pairs, whose cooperation will involve 4 to 10 meetings during 9 to 12 months.
FNP programs’ laureates are welcome as mentors. A mentor can be an active researcher or a person with another type of experience – for example, in business or commercialization.
A mentee must fulfill two conditions:
- they have obtained the START scholarship within two years of applying for the program; and
- they conduct research work in Poland or are a PhD student/candidate in Poland.
FNP offers preliminary training for both mentors and mentees. The training will cover skills which are useful in a mentoring relation. FNP will also provide support by an external expert, who will supervise the mentoring processes as needed.
The recruitment of mentors for the program’s pilot edition is in progress. The recruitment of mentees will commence once FNP has completed the mentor selection procedure.
The program’s partner is the FNP Scholarship Recipients Club, which consults its assumptions, promotion, and recruitment, and participates in the analysis of results.
More information:
- For more on the program and the recruitment, click here