About Mentoring Programme ****************************************************************************************** * Charles University Mentoring Programme for Early-Career Researchers - Postdocs ****************************************************************************************** Charles University is pleased to announce the opening of the Mentoring Programme for Early Researchers.  The mentoring programme represents a new form of career support for early-career researche University through the sharing of informal practices. The Call for 2025/2026 mentoring cycle is now open [ URL "UKEN-2151.html "] ! Call for mentors [ URL "UKEN-2043.html "] is closed now. Next round of applications will be opened in early 2026. (We would especially like to welcome mentors from the non-academic sector.) Schedule of the Pilot Mentoring Cycle 2024/2025: Call for applications to the programme - mentors - CLOSED 08-10/2024 Call for applications to the programme - mentees - CLOSED 11-12/2024 Matching mentee-mentor pairs - CLOSED 01/2025 Mentoring meetings (approx.five meetings per year)  02/2025 - 12/2025 Schedule of the cycle 2025/2026: Call for applications to the programme - mentors - CLOSED until 31/8/2025 Call for applications to the programme - mentees 15.10.-10.12.2025 Matching mentee-mentor pairs 12/2025-01/2026 Mentoring meetings 02/2026 - 12/2026 The mentoring programme focuses on: 1. Providing tools for the smooth career development of young researchers. It helps to eff obstacles and address dilemmas related to career direction. 2. Supporting equal opportunities and cultural and institutional change at Charles Univers emphasis on supporting women in science and research. Target Group Mentees are employees of Charles University - researchers in the early stages of their car holders with a maximum of eight years of experience in science and research, both women an are welcome regardless of their preferred future career in research - those aiming for hab as those planning further career steps outside of academia. Mentors are experienced researchers with a minimum of eight years of experience in science after earning a Ph.D. Mentors are expected to come from Charles University, other Czech or institutions, and non-academic sectors (companies, government institutions, non-profit org Mentors from academic environments must have a permanent position (associate professor or Mentors from non-academic environments will not be required to have a Ph.D. title. Expected Benefits of the Mentoring Programme: Benefits for Mentees • Identifying and achieving preferred career goals through gaining informal information an networks (networking). • Informed decisions in the area of enhancing competencies to facilitate progress in the c path. • Informed decisions in balancing personal and professional life. Benefits for Mentors • Gaining mentoring skills and transferring them into work as a supervisor and educator. • Adopting a supportive culture in working with young researchers. Benefits for Charles University • A functioning mentoring programme as a proven support tool for women - researchers in th of their careers, and subsequently reducing gender segregation in middle and higher posi university management. • Introducing new procedures for the career development of early-career researchers throug experiences from experienced colleagues from Charles University and other institutions. Content of Mentoring Meetings Meetings must always be confidential. Mutual trust and the awareness that discussed topics will not be disclosed outside the pair are the foundation of successful mentoring. The meetings should focus on the programme's objectives, i.e., setting and achieving caree identifying the competencies needed to achieve them, and balancing personal and profession relevant). At the first meeting, the mentee, in cooperation with the mentor, will set spec they want to achieve during the mentoring meetings. Examples of discussed topics include: specifics of an academic career, the path to a perma position, career transition to a non-academic institution, competencies needed to achieve competitiveness/conflicts within the research group, balancing personal and work life, etc Various forms of meetings are welcome: discussions, joint visits to professional symposium events, etc. Selection of Mentors Mentors will be selected based on the applications received within the Call for Mentors. B received applications, mentors will be selected, ensuring a roughly equal representation o covering all major scientific disciplines (humanities and social sciences, natural science sciences, and technical fields), and including both employees of Charles University (agent and those from other academic and non-academic institutions. Emphasis will be placed on ca variability. The list of mentors will be published on the programme's website, and if necessary, potent outside this list will be contacted to reflect the preferences of mentee applicants. Mente opportunity to propose their own mentor, whom the programme administrator will contact. Me be financially compensated for their mentoring activities. The main benefit for mentors is competencies through mentoring. These competencies include: the ability to motivate and support younger colleagues, leader communication skills, the ability to see a situation from another's perspective, and creat open feedback. A mentor should also be someone ready to share their own experiences, knowledge, and exper be empathetic, open, and supportive. Selection of Mentees Mentees will be selected based on the Call for Mentees. The application will consist of an form, CV, and motivation letter. If the programme administrator receives more than maximum applications, the selection will be based on the following criteria: a) gender (priority w to female researchers, with half of the mentee spots reserved for them), b) scientific dis representation of disciplines across the university will be preferred), c) the applicant's participate in the programme. Special consideration will be given to applications that add as parenting, mobility, and non-traditional career paths. Matching Mentee – Mentor Matching will be based on the preferences indicated by mentees in the programme applicatio can choose a mentor from the list. If no potential mentor matches the mentee's preferences administrator will contact other potential mentors outside the original list. Interdiscipl mentee-mentor will be welcomed. Mentors and mentees must also have a "minimum professional distance." Minimum professional means that the mentor must not be an employee of the same department/institute as the ment experienced researchers working in a similar field at foreign universities or applicants f private sector will be preferred as mentors to ensure the mentors' independence from the p institution. If you have any questions, please contact Mentoring programme coordinators [ URL "https:// UKEN-1515.html"] with the subject "Mentoring Programme for Early-Career Researchers." The Mentoring Programme is administered by the Research Support Office of Charles Universi Other Tools for Supporting the Career Development of Early-Career Researchers at Charles U The mentoring programme is one of the pillars of the Career Development Programme for Earl Researchers at Charles University. In addition to mentoring, young researchers can also ta of Educational opportunities [ URL "UKEN-2041.html "] according to the European Competence Researchers.