Asia-Pacific Academic Mentoring Program

Mentees must reside in the Pacific and be currently enrolled at a university within the Pacific region as master’s or PhD students or early career researchers (0 – 5 years post PhD excluding career interruptions). The mentee should have an excellent track record of research aspiration and dedication to progress their career within academia. Their study focus can encompass any field of academia.

Mentors will have a track record of leading research projects, acquiring and managing grants, publishing scientific papers and mentoring early- and mid-career researchers at home and abroad. The role is voluntary and offers a valuable opportunity to share knowledge, support early career researchers and contribute to the Pacific academic community.

Round one of the program will run from September 2024 for 12 months, with an expectation of monthly one-hour, one-to-one online meetings. Both mentor and mentee will need to dedicate some time to prepare for these meetings to ensure the most productive outcomes.

Prior to starting the programme, mentors are invited to take part in the workshop, ‘Mentoring Excellence: Equipping Mentors for Success’. This workshop aims to give practical guidance on running effective mentoring sessions.

Participants will take part in an initial in-person Introductory Session at Science at the Shine Dome in Canberra, Australia from Monday 9 to Thursday 12 September 2024. Travel and accommodation will be covered by the ISC RFP-AP. This is a great opportunity for mentors and mentees to meet in-person prior to starting the online sessions, as well as meeting with the other participants. It will also provide an opportunity to network with the wider scientific community in Australia.

Matches are made based on academic interests and fields of expertise indicated in the application to ensure compatibility and to maximize the benefits of the mentorship relationship.

Being a mentor will open opportunities to support future science leaders in the discipline or area of interest, and to build a network of research collaborators in the Pacific.

Mentees can build on their professional capabilities and networks by working closely with a well-known and respected academic in their field of research, who can also provide guidance to progress their careers in academia.

The programme is free for all participants.

Participants will receive continuous support from the mentoring programme Project Officer, including regular check-ins and feedback opportunities.

Success will be evaluated through mid-programme and end-of-programme feedback surveys, along with regular check-ins to ensure that the mentorship goals are being met.

The mentoring programme will adopt known best practise to be delivered in a culturally appropriate way. All participants will agree to adhere to the Australian Academy of Science Code of Conduct.

For further information please contact: Nina Maher, Project Officer, ISC RFP-AP at isc-ap@science.org.au.