Professor Dr. Moha: Yamin Hossain
Department of Fisheries, University of Rajshahi.
At a university, a mentor is an experienced individual who provides guidance to students for their personal and professional development. Mentors usually assist students in achieving their academic, professional, and personal goals. If a mentoring system is implemented in an organized manner, it can significantly contribute to enhancing students’ mental, academic, and professional skills.
Below are detailed steps and examples on how to initiate a mentoring system at a university:
1. Who can be a mentor:
Selecting mentors is crucial before launching a mentoring system. The following individuals can serve as mentors at a university:
Faculty Members:
A professor or teacher who can provide students with academic advice and guidance in research. For example, a professor can help answer research-related questions, assist in thesis writing, or help improve the quality of research.
2. Senior Students:
Senior students can act as advisors to juniors. They are able to share campus life experiences, study strategies, and offer professional guidance.
3. Alumni:
Those who have graduated from the university and are now established in their careers can mentor current students. They can share real-life experiences and professional expertise.
4. External Professionals:
Many universities include professionals as mentors who help students by sharing industry experience, job-seeking strategies, and networking opportunities.
2. Steps to Implement a Mentoring System:
(a) Determining Mentors and Mentees:
Mentors and mentees should be selected first. Mentors should be chosen based on students’ needs. For example, academic mentors for academic requirements and professional mentors for career development. Mentees can regularly communicate with their mentors to resolve their issues.
(b) Defining the Purpose of Mentoring:
The mentoring system must have clear goals and objectives. To ensure students’ personal and professional growth, it is important to clearly define the purpose of mentoring sessions. For instance, career counseling, academic support, personal challenge resolution, etc.
(c) Regular Mentoring Sessions:
Mentoring sessions should follow a specific routine. Regular sessions help maintain communication between mentors and students and enable quicker problem resolution. For example, a mentoring session can be scheduled once a month, where students share their problems and mentors try to provide solutions.
(d) Training Workshops:
Initial training programs should be organized for mentors. Through these, they will learn how to provide advice to students, understand their problems, and find solutions. Additionally, orientation sessions can be conducted for mentees to help them learn how to get the most benefit from their mentors.
(e) Collecting Feedback:
Collecting regular feedback is important for running an effective mentoring system. Feedback forms can be used to determine the quality of service students or mentees are receiving from their mentors. Through feedback, the effectiveness of the system can be assessed and changes can be made as necessary.
(f) Mentor and Mentee Matching:
Properly matching students with mentors is a critical step. Mentors should be assigned considering each student’s academic, professional, and personal goals. For example, if a student is interested in working in the tech industry, an IT or software specialist would be the ideal mentor.
(g) Digital Mentoring Platform:
An online platform can be created where both mentors and mentees can conduct their sessions, exchange questions and answers, and access necessary information. For example, virtual mentoring sessions can be arranged using Microsoft Teams, Zoom, or Google Meet.
Examples:
MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) Mentoring Program:
MIT’s mentoring program is conducted very successfully. There are various levels of mentorship programs for students, such as academic mentorship, professional mentorship, and research mentorship. Students receive mentorship from faculty members, research scientists, and senior students from their departments. They organize various workshops, seminars, and sessions where students can enhance their skills.
Stanford University’s BEAM Program:
Stanford University’s BEAM (Bridging Education, Ambition & Meaningful Work) mentoring program helps students develop professional skills. Here, students seek advice from successful professionals and alumni to receive proper career guidance. Through regular workshops, networking events, and expert sessions, this program prepares students for their future.
Conclusion:
An organized mentoring system can enhance students’ personal, academic, and professional lives. By properly selecting mentors and conducting mentorship sessions, it is possible to build an effective mentoring system. Universities can introduce such systems to facilitate students’ development and lay a strong foundation for their future success.
Note: Collected from Facebook ———–https://www.facebook.com/share/p/18XKowUEgZ/
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