NEOLAiA Project

ESRs (Early Stage Researchers) are hereby invited to apply to participate as mentees in the NEOLAiA ESR Mentorship Programme 1 (MP1).

Programme Duration:

1 January 2025 – 30 June 2026
We hereby invite all universities within the NEOLAiA Alliance to select and nominate one Early Stage Researcher (ESR) willing to participate as a mentee in the ESR Mentorship Programme (MP 1).

Programme Objectives:

The MP 1 aims to support ESRs in various aspects of career development, both within academia and beyond. Each mentee will be assigned a mentor from another NEOLAiA university (or associated partner).

The following key objectives are included in the programme:

1. Enhance participants' networking skills.
2. Provide expert guidance on career development within and outside academia.

These objectives can be further broken down into specific focus areas:

• Career Guidance: Advice on career development, research techniques, and professional growth.
• Networking Opportunities: Facilitating introductions to relevant contacts and networks.
• Publication and Presentation Support: Assistance with publishing papers and preparing presentations.
• Skill Development: Training on soft skills such as communication, time management, and teamwork.
• Personalized Goals: Setting individualized development plans to ensure tailored objectives.
• Psychosocial Support: Offering emotional support to help mentees balance professional and personal life.

Programme Structure:

This is a preliminary schedule and could be subject to change. Exact dates and workshop leaders will be announced at a later stage. Hosts for the workshops will also be presented later.

Module 1: 1 January 2025 – 30 June 2025
Module I include mandatory online workshops on topics relevant for ESRs in general and will include networking meetings among ESRs. Mentees will be matched with mentors in April. During Module 1 no mentor-mentees meetings will be held. Exact dates, times (2 hours) and hosts for the workshops will be announced later.

Workshop 1: 27^th January 2025, 10.15-12.00 CET
Topic: Welcome to the NEOLAiA ESR Mentorship Programme

Host: ESR Team

Workshop 2: February 2025
Topic: The benefits of an international network

Workshop 3: March 2025
Topic: Introduction to interdisciplinary research

Workshop 4: April 2025
Topic: Academia as a foundation for a career outside academia

Workshop 5: May 2025
Topic: Engaging with society as a researcher

Workshop 6: June 2025
Topic: Mentees discussion forum

Module 2: 1 July 2025 – 31 December 2025
Module 2 involves individual mentor-mentee online meetings, held at least once per month. This module also includes three workshops.

Workshop 7: September 2025
Topic: Roundtable discussion with mentors and mentees

Host: ESR Team

Workshop 8: October 2025
Topic: Stress management

Workshop 9: December 2025
Topic: Separate Workshops for mentees and mentors to discuss experiences

Module 3: 1 January 2026 – 30 June 2026
Module 3 continues with monthly mentor-mentee meetings and includes four mandatory workshops.

Workshop 10: January 2026
Topic: Joint discussion forum for mentors and mentees

Note: Topics will be based on experiences from Modules I and II

Workshop 11: March 2026
Topic: Research ethics and integrity

Workshop 12: May 2026
Topic: How to write funding applications

Workshop 13: June 2026
Topic: Reflecting on the mentorship programme

Host: ESR Team

Additional Information:

Mentor Selection: During Module 1, mentees must indicate their preference for a mentor from the same or a different scientific field. More details about this process will be provided during the first workshop.

Mobility: During Modules 2 and 3 one mandatory mobility experience is included for the mentee to visit the mentor. This mobility is funded by the NEOLAiA project. The mentee and mentor agree on the timing of this mobility.

Commitment: Mentees are expected to participate in 10 at least of the workshops, including workshop 1 and workshop 13, and scheduled meetings with mentors, including the mobility to fulfill the program to be awarded a certificate.

Certificate: A certificate will be issued to mentees who complete the program, verifying their attendance at workshops, mentor-mentee meetings, and mobility.

Application Procedure:
Only candidates from NEOLAiA Alliance universities who are ESRs are eligible. Selection will be based on the quality of applications and alignment with the programme's objectives.

An ESR is defined as either a PhD student or a postdoctoral researcher who defended their thesis on or after January 1, 2018, and has not yet attained the academic rank of professor (including W1) or an equivalent position.

If you are interested in becoming a mentee in MP1, please send your application to the following e-mail address: ida_marie.altheide@uni-bielefeld.de. Your application must include the following documents:

1. CV
2. motivation letter stating why you wish to participate (max. 1 page)
3. short description of your current PhD/research project (max. 0,5 page)
4. last relevant study certificate (Master degree or PhD certificate)
5. one recommendation letter from a member of staff at Bielefeld University

The application deadline is November 20, 2024.

Please contact Dr. Annika Merk (annika.merk@uni-bielefeld.de) in case of any questions.

We look forward to your application and your commitment to the NEOLAiA ESR Mentorship Programme 1.