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Postdoc Academy

 

Mentoring for postdocs

At the Postdoc Academy, we run a mentoring scheme which offers postdocs the opportunity to have reflective and developmental career conversations with a mentor from academia or beyond.

We match postdocs individually with a mentor that they will work with over a 9-month period.

The aim of mentoring is to support you to identify and achieve your professional goals or overcome challenges. The conversations with your mentor provide a confidential space for guided reflection, personal development, and the introduction of new perspectives.

Applications are now open for mentoring starting in September 2024.

To apply for a mentor in this round, please complete this application form.

If you have any  questions about mentoring, please get in touch with the team at mentoring.pda@admin.cam.ac.uk

 

What to expect from the scheme

The following introduction video explains how our mentoring programme works and what postdocs can expect when they apply to be matched with a mentor.

The key features of this scheme are that it is:

  • developmental - focusing on how you can achieve personal or professional goals
  • 9 months in duration - with at least 3-5 meetings over that time
  • driven by you, the postdoc - based on your needs and ambitions.

 

Other sources of support

If you miss an application window for our scheme, or you are looking for a different type of support with your development, you can find the following resources around the University:

  • Postdoc Careers Service - offer 1:1 appointments for career planning, feedback on applications and preparation for job interviews.
  • Staff Diversity Networks - are open to individuals who work for the University, a College or an associated institution and are members of a protected group. They provide networking and social events, and some run their own mentoring programmes.
  • Strategic Research Networks and Interdisciplinary Research Centres - provide opportunities to connect with people across the University working on similar research themes in different disciplines.
  • Staff Counselling Centre - provide counselling sessions open to all members of staff, you can refer yourself in confidence online. They also provide mental health resources and information about ways to seek support.
  • The p2i network app - connects you to experts in a range of entrepreneurial fields.

 

Are you interested in becoming a mentor?

We are always looking to expand our pool of potential mentors to meet the development needs of Cambridge postdocs - we would love to hear from you whether you work in academia or beyond.

Non-academic mentors just need to have experience working in a sector that may be of interest to postdocs.

Academic mentors need to hold a teaching or research position at the level of Senior Research Associate or above.

If you are interested in becoming a mentor, please complete this form.