Women Researchers Mentoring Scheme

The Women Researchers Mentoring Scheme (WRMS) is a dynamic new scheme that aims to promote equality  and facilitate professional development for women researchers.  Endorsed by the University’s Research and Knowledge Exchange Executive the scheme will enable mentees to receive encouragement, support and advice from a more experienced colleague to help realise potential and fulfil career aspirations. We aim to cultivate a supportive university network through which women researchers can learn by example, receive encouragement, support and advice, access the necessary information and resources to advance their careers and fulfil their potential.

A mentoring scheme of this kind will be one method of providing support to women to develop and strengthen their research portfolio therebypromoting equal opportunities for researchers. In the longer term it is anticipated that such a scheme will help to achieve the strategic aim of increasing the number of women in University senior roles and enhancing the research careers of women.

During the pilot year we are planning to offer a specified number of mentoring opportunities to women staff who are new to research as well as more experienced academic staff who wish to develop their careers. Experienced researchers will be invited to take on mentoring roles and training will be provided for mentors and mentees.  The scheme will entail a nominated woman researcher being matched to a mentor, who can be a woman or man. Another aim of these relationships is for both the mentee and the mentor to get a mutually beneficial professional development opportunity. We hope that the WRMS will help create a culture where high aspirations and professional success and advancement for women working in UWE is ‘the norm’.

The deadline for both mentor and mentee applications is Friday 20th January 2012.

If you have any queries about the WRMS or would like to register your interest please contact the Women Researchers Mentoring Scheme Co-ordinator Dee Smart on ext: 86671 or email dee.smart@uwe.ac.uk