Become a Mentor for a Student – apply by November 17th
Mentors will be paired with a master's level student for mentoring. The mentoring program lasts for six months, during which the mentor meets with the student at least three times. It is the student's responsibility to suggest meeting times and discuss preliminary questions and topics for the meetings.
The University of Oulu will organize a kick-off meeting, a mid-way meeting, and a closing session for all mentor pairs, providing an opportunity to network with others.
If you already have a University of Oulu student in mind whom you could mentor, you will be automatically paired. Otherwise, we will find a suitable mentee for you.
"We hope to receive numerous applications from professionals with diverse backgrounds, as we want to ensure that every student who applies receives a mentor and support in transitioning to the professional world. As a mentor, you can be yourself; the key quality is a genuine desire to help the student. The mentoring program has been highly appreciated, and many mentoring pairs continue to stay in touch even after the program ends," says the Alumni Coordinator Henna Rannanpää.
Anyone can become a mentor, even if their career path has been unconventional or complex. The goal of mentoring is to help the student reflect on their own career and goals. Mentoring also provides mentors with new perspectives and energy for their own professional development and career. In many workplaces, serving as a mentor is seen to develop leadership skills.
The mentoring program of the University of Oulu started in 1999 as a mentoring program within the field of business education, and it has expanded to cover the entire university.
The University of Oulu's mentoring program is based on voluntary participation and does not offer payment or travel reimbursements.