How to become a successful mentor in research management and administration (RMA)? This will be the main question that the next foRMAtion event addresses.

HETFA Research Institute, Coordinator of foRMAtion will host the Mentors’ Training Event which will be held online from 22 to 24 March 2021. The three-day-long virtual event is specifically targeted at the staff of research support offices becoming future mentors of students participating in the foRMAtion mentorship programme. The mentorship programme is a blended learning activity consisting of online and offline parts. The frames of the programme are laid out in a Methodological Guide which will be presented at the training event.

The main aim of the event is to prepare the mentors for the mentoring activity. Among others, the training will provide tips and hints on:

  1. which processes and RMA-related activities students can be involved in during the mentorship programme;
  2. how to encourage and support students to start building up their professional career in RMA;
  3. what kind of specific knowledge of students need to be deepened and what skills should be developed;
  4. how to assess and monitor the students’ performance and personal development.

Through interactive games, future mentors will try themselves in challenging situations and get a taste of their forthcoming assignments. The event will also put special emphasis on sharing knowledge and experience as well as exchanging best practices of mentors from previous mentoring activities. It will also provide an opportunity for participants to discuss how to tailor the mentorship programme to the institutional/organisational specificities and also to the national circumstances.

By the end of the training it is expected that each participant dealing with RMA will have the necessary knowledge to become mentor of university students interested in the profession of RMA. The results and main findings of the discussions will be incorporated in the Methodological Guide to make it a truly needs-based and valuable material that can go beyond the scope of the project.

The event will make an important contribution to the implementation of a meaningful RMA-related mentorship programme which will be mutually beneficial for university students and research entities facilitating the transition between university and labour market.

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