The popular Flinders University Researcher Mentoring Program for Early-Career Researchers will be running again in 2024, and expressions of interest from academics across Flinders are now open.

This innovative program pairs Early-Career Researchers (ECRs) with senior academics who can help develop their research careers through meeting their research aspirations and goals, and forming strategies for their future academic success.

Conducted between March and November 2024, the program also provides an opportunity for ECRs to form a university-wide community with other mentees at similar career stages (all are within eight years post-PhD) – and this dynamic ECR community serves as a source of support and information for the mentees during the program and beyond.

In the weeks before the next program commences in March, mentees and mentors are provided with resources to help them succeed in the program. Each mentee–mentor pair is expected to meet regularly, and the cohort of mentees also gather for three Roundtable Workshops to discuss topics of relevance to their career stage.

Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) Professor Robert Saint is pleased the program is returning for 2024.

“This program provides an opportunity for early-career researchers to benefit from the support and valuable skills and knowledge of senior researchers at Flinders,” says Professor Saint. “The program has served more than 240 ECRs since 2012, and feedback from the mentees has been consistently positive, highlighting the improvements it has brought to their research profiles and wellbeing.

“The University values the input and wealth of experience that our senior academic staff bring to mentoring our early-career researchers. I strongly encourage researchers at all stages of their careers to participate in this program, either as mentees or mentors.”

This year’s program received excellent feedback from both mentees and mentors:

• Mentee: “My mentor has been excellent and provided me with support specific to my role, promotion application and work-life balance.”
• Mentor: “[The Program] provides an opportunity for self-reflection and understanding what has worked well for me and where I have previously struggled.”
• Mentee: “I always come away from [our meetings] feeling really positive about my research trajectory and plans to develop my individual research identity.”
• Mentor: “The program is extremely well organised and the resources are excellent.”

For more information, including the 2024 program overview, eligibility criteria for mentees and mentors, and links to Expression of Interest forms for mentees and mentors, please visit the program webpage. Expressions of Interest must be lodged by COB Monday 27 November 2023.

For more information or to ask any questions, please contact Program Coordinator Dr Jen Beaudry (Manager, Researcher Training, Development and Communication).