tag:theconversation.com,2011:/global/topics/mentoring-1003/articlesMentoring – The Conversation2023-02-16T06:10:44Ztag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1983312023-02-16T06:10:44Z2023-02-16T06:10:44ZWhy young people in every sphere – not just business and politics – should learn to lead<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/510075/original/file-20230214-24-m5xy8p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/crowd-anonymous-people-walking-on-busy-594270185">Babaroga </a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Leadership is most commonly held to be the ability to motivate others to achieve set goals. For some, this means being heroic and special. The world stood still when Nelson Mandela died. His achievements alone – the freedom fighter turned political prisoner, the first black president of South Africa, the Nobel peace prize winner – <a href="https://www.nelsonmandela.org/content/page/biography">would qualify</a> him as a great leader. </p>
<p>For others, leadership is synonymous with management. But although these words are often used interchangeably, they <a href="https://www.proquest.com/openview/9e519b2df53655fd0f5f39c35480c1ac/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=37083">don’t</a> actually mean the same thing. You might well have had firsthand experience of a manager you would not necessarily choose to follow, but whom you must obey simply because they are in a position of authority and you don’t want to lose your job. </p>
<p>My research <a href="https://doi.org/10.1108/JSBED-05-2017-0160">shows</a> that what sets a leader apart from a manager is an extraordinary form of influence. And far from being the sole preserve of business and politics, every collective – no matter the profession or activity – needs someone at the helm. </p>
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<img alt="Quarter life, a series by The Conversation" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/451343/original/file-20220310-13-1bj6csd.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/451343/original/file-20220310-13-1bj6csd.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/451343/original/file-20220310-13-1bj6csd.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/451343/original/file-20220310-13-1bj6csd.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/451343/original/file-20220310-13-1bj6csd.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/451343/original/file-20220310-13-1bj6csd.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/451343/original/file-20220310-13-1bj6csd.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<p><em><strong><a href="https://theconversation.com/uk/topics/quarter-life-117947?utm_source=TCUK&utm_medium=linkback&utm_campaign=UK+YP2022&utm_content=InArticleTop">This article is part of Quarter Life</a></strong>, a series about issues affecting those of us in our twenties and thirties. From the challenges of beginning a career and taking care of our mental health, to the excitement of starting a family, adopting a pet or just making friends as an adult. The articles in this series explore the questions and bring answers as we navigate this turbulent period of life.</em></p>
<p><em>You may be interested in:</em></p>
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<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/the-sharing-economy-can-expose-you-to-liability-risks-heres-how-to-protect-yourself-191560">The sharing economy can expose you to liability risks – here’s how to protect yourself</a></em></p>
<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/jacinda-ardern-resignation-has-people-wondering-when-to-quit-but-thats-the-wrong-way-to-think-about-burnout-198192">Jacinda Ardern resignation has people wondering when to quit – but that’s the wrong way to think about burnout</a></em></p>
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<h2>Core leadership skillsets</h2>
<p>At every stage and in every sphere of life, people need someone who can champion their values and fight for their needs. This means that even a 20-year-old in their first low-paid job should think about striving to gain leadership skills – and research identifies four main skillsets to develop.</p>
<p>Entrepreneurial skills involve identifying opportunities where others see problems or confusion, and being able to figure out how best to exploit them. Crucially, it means not being afraid to take risks. In 2018, Greta Thunberg risked jeopardising her school results when she started her lone school strike for climate, aged 15. The <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/mar/14/greta-thunberg-nominated-nobel-peace-prize">2019 Nobel peace prize</a> nominee has gone on to galvanise a global youth activist movement. </p>
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<img alt="A woman in a striped top against a pale blue background." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/510299/original/file-20230215-22-5wwrsv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/510299/original/file-20230215-22-5wwrsv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=750&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/510299/original/file-20230215-22-5wwrsv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=750&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/510299/original/file-20230215-22-5wwrsv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=750&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/510299/original/file-20230215-22-5wwrsv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=942&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/510299/original/file-20230215-22-5wwrsv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=942&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/510299/original/file-20230215-22-5wwrsv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=942&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/new-york-ny-november-19-2019-1565548465">Lev Radin</a></span>
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<p><a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1048984305000652">Technical skills</a>, meanwhile, are the competencies and analytical abilities to excel within your field. The literary and intellectual mastery that Nigerian author and feminist thinker <a href="https://dro.dur.ac.uk/34441/">Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie</a> has achieved was made plain in 2021 when she was <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-59514598">recognised</a> as one of the BBC’s 100 women of the year. </p>
<p>Interpersonal skills are the third set – the ability to understand and work with people. Being a good and compassionate communicator means you are able to make better decisions and build more effective teams. Mahatma Gandhi’s profound empathy, paired with his willingness to <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/nishacharya/2019/10/02/mahatma-gandhi-at-150-lessons-on-leadership/?sh=7dafeb98d7c1">live</a> like the people he sought to help, made him an excellent role model. </p>
<p>Last, conceptual skills allow people to process and analyse complex situations and generate new ideas. This means you are able to plan strategically and creatively solve problems. Martin Luther King inspired millions of people with his <a href="https://theconversation.com/mlks-vision-of-love-as-a-moral-imperative-still-matters-89946">unwavering vision</a> – a clear picture of a nation’s future, which he was able to effectively communicate to his fellow citizens. </p>
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<p>These leadership skills are transferable. Even if you change direction in your career, you take them with you. Before he ran for presidential office and served as US secretary of housing and urban development, <a href="https://achievement.org/achiever/benjamin-s-carson/">Ben Carson</a> was a <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/the-story-of-the-surgery-that-made-ben-carson-famous--and-its-complicated-aftermath/2015/11/13/15b5f900-88c1-11e5-be39-0034bb576eee_story.html">pioneering</a> surgeon, the youngest chief of paediatric neurosurgery in the US. He has since founded a prominent policy-focused thinktank. </p>
<p>Carson achieved these professional milestones despite coming from a disadvantaged background. His story showcases how being a leader <a href="https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-319-68672-1_4">involves</a> setting your own goals (envisioning), putting in the work to achieve them (determination and decision-making), and seizing opportunities (risk management). </p>
<h2>Heroes and mentors</h2>
<p>One of the best ways to cultivate leadership skills is by learning from the successes – and failures – of the people you admire. Oprah Winfrey <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/oprah-winfrey-remembers-mentor-maya-angelou/story?id=23901061">cites</a> the author Maya Angelou, whom she met early in her career in the 1970s, as her greatest mentor. </p>
<p>Part of being mentored is learning to develop skills you already have. As Winfrey has said of Angelou: “‘When you learn, teach. When you get, give’ is one of my best lessons from her.” </p>
<p>Investing in personal growth is equally important. <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/jls.21327">Read books</a>, do further training – make a conscious effort to diversify your sources, challenge yourself and keep learning. Take note of your strengths and weaknesses, and tailor your learning accordingly – put plans in place to address those gaps. Stay curious and humble and be methodical in tracking your progress. Remember, no one becomes a leader overnight and nor do they ever reach perfection. Politics is full of people in positions of leadership who lose their way.</p>
<p>Self-reflection is key. Ask yourself why you want to be a leader. Those who seek to wield authority purely for self-gratification often fail. Leadership is best framed as <a href="https://hbswk.hbs.edu/item/why-leaders-lose-their-way">serving</a> whomever you propose to lead.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/198331/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Christian Harrison does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>The conceptual, technical, entrepreneurial and interpersonal skills that make a good leader are crucial to every profession and activity. Developing them will enrich your life.Christian Harrison, Reader in Leadership, School of Business and Creative Industries, University of the West of ScotlandLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1936072022-12-05T19:03:58Z2022-12-05T19:03:58ZSupporting feminine leadership can help create a just and kinder future<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/496832/original/file-20221122-22-e46hd0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=38%2C91%2C5045%2C3292&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">For women to reach leadership positions, they need to be valued and recognized for their contributions, which may look different than those of their male colleagues.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span></figcaption></figure><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100px; border: none; position: relative; z-index: 1;" allowtransparency="" allow="clipboard-read; clipboard-write" src="https://narrations.ad-auris.com/widget/the-conversation-canada/supporting-feminine-leadership-can-help-create-a-just-and-kinder-future" width="100%" height="400"></iframe>
<p>Women are still struggling to reach leadership positions. Though there are <a href="https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/36-28-0001/2021011/article/00004-eng.htm">more women earning college degrees</a> and a <a href="https://www.catalyst.org/research/women-in-the-workforce-canada/">comparable number entering the workplace</a>, women are still <a href="https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/89-28-0001/2022001/article/00002-eng.htm">not reaching mid-level and top-level leadership positions at the same rate as men</a>. </p>
<p>In Canada, <a href="https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/220518/dq220518c-eng.htm">women hold only 19 per cent of corporate board positions</a>. Less than one per cent of senior leadership and pipeline positions <a href="https://canadianwomen.org/the-facts/women-and-leadership-in-canada/">are held by Black and Indigenous women, women with disabilities and LGBTQ2S+ women.</a> </p>
<p>A model of leadership that encompasses the feminine traits within each of us can help move us towards a more just and sustaining world.</p>
<p>As a social innovation designer, I study complex challenges with the aim of finding common approaches needed to solve them. My goal is to frame the principles that can help us <a href="https://www.trickleupdesign.com/podcast">design a more humane future</a> — where all voices are heard and valued. To understand how to get there, <a href="https://www.trickleupdesign.com/podcast/episode6-we-need-feminine-leadership">I listened to stakeholders and emerging leaders engaged in the work of championing more inclusive and equitable leadership.</a></p>
<h2>The enduring glass ceiling</h2>
<p>Terms like <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/diversity-and-inclusion/women-in-the-workplace">“broken rung”</a> and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1108/GM-02-2015-0007">“sticky floor”</a> describe the difficulty women encounter moving up from entry-level roles. Metaphors like the <a href="https://journalistsresource.org/economics/workplace-discrimination-glass-ceiling-glass-escalator/">“glass ceiling”, “glass escalator”</a> and <a href="https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2015.01751">“glass cliff”</a> illustrate the struggles women face in attaining managerial and executive roles. </p>
<p><a href="https://doi.org/10.1108/GM-02-2015-0007">Scholars argue that the metaphor of a labyrinth</a> better describes the complex maze of barriers that make it difficult for women to rise to the top.</p>
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<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/496836/original/file-20221122-26-fmumv3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A woman in an office working on a laptop." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/496836/original/file-20221122-26-fmumv3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/496836/original/file-20221122-26-fmumv3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/496836/original/file-20221122-26-fmumv3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/496836/original/file-20221122-26-fmumv3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/496836/original/file-20221122-26-fmumv3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/496836/original/file-20221122-26-fmumv3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/496836/original/file-20221122-26-fmumv3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<span class="caption">Critics of ‘leaning in’ say that it puts the onus on women to change their behaviours and ignores the systemic barriers at play.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span>
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<p>During the pandemic, women have carried the brunt of the caretaking responsibilities <a href="https://www.oecd.org/coronavirus/policy-responses/caregiving-in-crisis-gender-inequality-in-paid-and-unpaid-work-during-covid-19-3555d164/">at home and at work</a>. They are doing <a href="https://hbr.org/2021/10/research-women-took-on-even-more-invisible-work-during-the-pandemic">more to support their teams’ well-being and engage in diversity and inclusion initiatives</a>. </p>
<p>Yet, these efforts are <a href="https://leanin.org/women-in-the-workplace/2022/the-importance-of-managers">rarely captured in performance evaluations that determine raises and promotions</a>. By narrowly defining leadership, using <a href="https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2015.01400">metrics that skew towards a masculine style of management</a>, barriers remain for women and gender-diverse people to break through the glass ceiling. </p>
<p><a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s11199-018-0969-6">Deep-seeded bias</a> and ideas around <a href="https://doi.org/10.1108/GM-03-2015-0012">“respectable femininity”</a> still impact how women are perceived and evaluated.</p>
<p><a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/peps.12266">Analysis shows</a> that though the gender leadership gap is slowly narrowing, traits like being competitive and aggressive associated with men are still highly valued. While traits like being kind and understanding connected with women are still seen as detrimental in leadership roles. </p>
<h2>The problem with leaning in</h2>
<p>For women to reach better leadership positions, they need to be valued and recognized for their contributions, <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/GM-09-2013-0114">which may look different than those of their male colleagues</a>. </p>
<p>Instead of being told to <a href="https://www.vox.com/first-person/2018/12/6/18128838/michelle-obama-lean-in-sheryl-sandberg">“lean in”</a>, <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/diversity-and-inclusion/women-in-the-workplace">research</a> and <a href="https://www.trickleupdesign.com/podcast">women’s experiences</a> underscore the need for their contributions to be recognized and for workplaces, and society, to <a href="https://www.uhn.ca/Research/Research_Institutes/The_Institute_for_Education_Research/Events/Documents/Care-Manifesto-Readings.pdf">value collective care</a>.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/the-end-of-lean-in-how-sheryl-sandbergs-message-of-empowerment-fully-unraveled/2018/12/19/9561eb06-fe2e-11e8-862a-b6a6f3ce8199_story.html">Critics of ‘leaning in’</a> state that it puts the onus on women to change their behaviours and ignores the systemic barriers at play. </p>
<p>Research on women who reach senior positions in male-dominated organizations and exhibit more masculine management styles has often <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/0956797611417258">focused on personality traits</a>. Yet studies <a href="https://doi.org/10.1348/014466610x525280">show how women are shaped by sexist workplaces</a>, causing them to disengage from their gender identity, and from other women, to prevent experiencing discrimination.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2015/09/sexism-corporate-culture/407260/">Workplaces are shaped by the broader culture</a>. A society where women are devalued not only produces <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/19/business/sexism-women-birthplace-workplace.html">men who devalue women but also permeates how women value women</a>. </p>
<h2>Feminine leadership is not just for women</h2>
<p>Research on effective leadership underscores the need for approaches that align with <a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/abc.21274">feminine characteristics of empathy, support and community-building</a>. These traits do not belong solely to women; <a href="https://doi.org/10.1108/MRR-04-2017-0131">they are inherent in all of us</a>. </p>
<p>Employees feel seen and heard <a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/abc.21274">where they can learn and make mistakes</a> without fear of blame. Other values include the prioritization of care, respect and co-operation above competition and an emphasis on honesty and accountability. </p>
<p>Feminine leadership encompasses the aspects of ourselves that have been <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.leaqua.2003.09.004">pushed aside and devalued within conventionally male-dominant spaces</a>. Recentring them can define a model of leadership embraced and practiced by all genders.</p>
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<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/498053/original/file-20221129-9456-pbsdrl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A woman wearing glasses and a white shirt speaking to other people around a table." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/498053/original/file-20221129-9456-pbsdrl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/498053/original/file-20221129-9456-pbsdrl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/498053/original/file-20221129-9456-pbsdrl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/498053/original/file-20221129-9456-pbsdrl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/498053/original/file-20221129-9456-pbsdrl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/498053/original/file-20221129-9456-pbsdrl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/498053/original/file-20221129-9456-pbsdrl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<span class="caption">Mentorship and networking opportunities are vital to getting more women into leadership positions.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span>
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<h2>Leaders of the future</h2>
<p>So how do we get there? </p>
<p>Helping <a href="https://www.innovatingcanada.ca/diversity/working-together-to-help-canadian-women-find-their-voices/">girls find their own unique voices and ways of leading</a>, without conforming to narrowly defined leadership traits often modelled by men, <a href="https://medium.com/communityworksjournal/voice-and-vision-how-girls-learn-to-lead-and-resist-leading-907f24a7fe86">can shape the next generation of leaders</a>. Organizations like <a href="https://girlsincyork.org/">Girls Inc. of York Region</a> and <a href="https://plancanada.ca/get-involved/youth-opportunities">Plan International Canada</a> are providing girls and young women with opportunities to explore what being a leader means for them.</p>
<p>It is also critical for boys to <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/12/learning/lesson-plans/boys-to-men-teaching-and-learning-about-masculinity-in-an-age-of-change.html">appreciate their own inherent feminine qualities of empathy and care, helping them grow into men who value feminine qualities</a> and who embrace following women and gender diverse leaders. </p>
<p>For organizations, it is not just about recruiting more women and gender diverse employees. It also means creating a workplace culture that truly embraces diversity and provides opportunities for growth.</p>
<p>Women are at a huge disadvantage when it comes to <a href="https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2022/07/gender-pay-gap-women-networks-work/">accessing networking</a> and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1108/GM-08-2015-0074">mentorship opportunities</a>. Being an ally means going beyond speaking up if you see something unfair. It is advocating for more advancement opportunities and getting directly involved in mentorship for women, especially for women of colour, women with disabilities and LGBTQ2S+ women. </p>
<p>Organizations must recognize the <a href="https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.849566">emotional work and leadership already being modelled by women</a>. Evaluations and performance reviews should capture the full spectrum of what employees, especially women, bring to work and <a href="https://leanin.org/women-in-the-workplace/2021">be tied to increased pay and leadership opportunities</a>. </p>
<p>Without a shift to fully valuing the contributions of women, workplaces will continue to be labyrinths full of barriers, and the leadership gap will never close. Without understanding and embracing the importance of feminine qualities of care, empathy and collaboration in how we live, work and lead, the status quo will continue. </p>
<p>The current paradigm — a patriarchal leadership model that continues to value self-interest and competition over collective benefit and co-operation — <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/jun/12/capitalism-isnt-broken-its-working-all-too-well-and-were-the-worse-for-it">just isn’t working for most people</a>. </p>
<p>As we face the challenges of political division, social injustice, economic uncertainty and climate change, now is the time to recentre the feminine within and champion a different, kinder way to lead.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/193607/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Sarah Tranum does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Feminine leadership encompasses aspects of ourselves that have been pushed aside within conventionally male-dominant spaces. Recentring them can foster leadership that is more inclusive.Sarah Tranum, Associate Professor, Social Innovation Design, Faculty of Design, OCAD UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1805462022-08-29T19:54:48Z2022-08-29T19:54:48ZMicrocredentials and mentoring: How universities can boost student employability<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/479415/original/file-20220816-8463-5ffk8h.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=38%2C69%2C5137%2C2599&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Microcredentials are short, modular programs or courses that focus on developing skills and competencies to help students enter the labour market quickly.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Wes Lewis/unsplash)</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>The looming recession climate <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/wesleywhistle/2020/04/06/what-a-likely-recession-means-for-higher-education/?sh=4cb5947a6f83">is causing concerns over skyrocketing student debt</a>. On top of a deeply <a href="https://news.yorku.ca/2022/02/11/lack-of-affordable-housing-affects-student-mental-health-promotes-social-hierarchies/">unaffordable housing market</a>, these factors call for universities to be more relevant in terms of preparing students for employability. </p>
<p>This is a break with the traditional mission of the universities. Economist George Fallis, professor emeritus at York University, notes that traditionally, universities aimed to “<a href="https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED535141">provide liberal education for undergraduates, to conduct research and to contribute to society including the economy and culture</a>.” </p>
<p>This is what shaped autonomous thinkers and better citizens. While there is a lot of merit to preparing better citizens, this aim can be compatible with helping students gain skills for making a living while creating accessible and relevant educational opportunities.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/universities-have-thrived-despite-past-disruptions-and-could-grow-even-stronger-after-covid-19-150346">Universities have thrived despite past disruptions and could grow even stronger after COVID-19</a>
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<h2>Chances of employment</h2>
<p>In Canada, having a bachelor’s degree increases a person’s chances of employment by <a href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/442509/canada-employment-rate-by-educational-attainment">close to 25 per cent, compared to having only a high-school diploma</a>, but all students don’t gain these benefits equally.</p>
<p>Three years after graduation, 90 per cent of Canadian university graduates are employed, however <a href="https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/81-595-m/81-595-m2020002-eng.htm">females and humanities graduates are more likely to work part-time</a>. For some, this is by choice, but 42 per cent are working part-time involuntarily.
Another concern is that four out of five graduates are working in a domain somewhat related to their studies, but close to 20 per cent are working in unrelated fields. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A man sitting at a keyboard." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/479418/original/file-20220816-10908-2wgmlz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/479418/original/file-20220816-10908-2wgmlz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/479418/original/file-20220816-10908-2wgmlz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/479418/original/file-20220816-10908-2wgmlz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/479418/original/file-20220816-10908-2wgmlz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/479418/original/file-20220816-10908-2wgmlz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/479418/original/file-20220816-10908-2wgmlz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Many graduates remain underemployed.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span>
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<p>What’s worse is that many graduates are underemployed, meaning that they work in jobs that require less than a bachelor’s degree. Immigrant women who are university graduates from institutions outside Canada are more likely to <a href="https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/200902/dq200902a-eng.htm">experience persistent overqualification</a>.</p>
<p>In Canada, many <a href="https://sustain.ubc.ca/sites/default/files/2020-41_Relationship%20between%20COVID-19%20and%20poverty_Duan.pdf">low-income people have been pushed into poverty</a> as the pandemic unfolded. Although recessions have been known to <a href="https://www.universityworldnews.com/post.php?story=20090226171626384">spark an increase in people seeking post-secondary education</a>, it’s not clear that this means committing to a multi-year degree.</p>
<h2>Integrated professional experiences</h2>
<p>In 2021, Times Higher Education — a body that provides data about universities — published <a href="https://www.timeshighereducation.com/student/best-universities/best-universities-graduate-jobs-global-university-employability-ranking">a list of universities producing the most employable graduates, as ranked by companies around the world</a>. While it’s unclear which companies participated or what fields they represent, according to this ranking, the institutions named often integrate professional experiences in their degrees, such as a mix of entrepreneurial hubs for start-ups and innovation incubators and work-integrated learning opportunities. </p>
<p>Here are four ways universities can tailor their offerings to become more relevant to students:</p>
<h2>1. Microcredentials</h2>
<p>According to <a href="https://www.collegesinstitutes.ca/policyfocus/micro-credentials/">College and Institutes Canada</a>, a “microcredential is a certification of assessed competencies that is additional, alternate or complementary to, or a component of a formal qualification.”</p>
<p>Microcredentials are short, modular programs or courses that focus on developing skills and competencies to enable students to enter the Canadian labour market quickly and work in industries and communities that need workers. </p>
<p>Universities can offer microcredentials by repackaging courses, creating nimble courses that meet specific employment market needs and building rigorous evaluation methods that make them credible. </p>
<p>A report prepared for the British Columbia Council on Admissions and Transfer — a not-for-profit agency that governs credit-transfer agreements between post-secondary institutions — notes that <a href="https://www.bccat.ca/pubs/Reports/MicroCredentials2020.pdf">Thompson Rivers University and Simon Fraser are universities that have exemplary practices in offering microcredit courses</a>. In Ontario, <a href="https://micro.ecampusontario.ca/">eCampusOntario</a> is working to support pilot projects.</p>
<h2>2. Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition</h2>
<p><a href="http://capla.ca/what-is-rpl/">Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition</a> (PLAR) is a process that allows people to obtain formal recognition of their prior learning and competencies against established standards and policies in institutions of higher education. </p>
<p>PLAR avoids the need for a person to relearn what he or she has already acquired through previous formal or informal learning experiences in educational or experiential settings. This allows students to save both time and money if they can gain credits towards some programs or certifications. </p>
<p>A recent study by the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education, a not-for-profit in the United States that helps Western states and institutions address employment and higher education issues, <a href="https://www.wiche.edu/key-initiatives/recognition-of-learning/">has shown that PLAR boosts completion rates of adult students by 17 per cent</a>. </p>
<p>Universities can offer PLAR services through <a href="https://capla.ca/what-is-rpl/">one-on-one examination of portfolios or projects and challenges</a> that provide proof of equivalency of skills and competencies acquired in programs. For example, <a href="https://www.athabascau.ca/prior-learning/frequently-asked-questions.html">Athabasca University in Alberta has a centre for learning accreditation with full PLAR services</a>. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Two women are seen seated in a room looking at a laptop." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/479416/original/file-20220816-2787-xntu8p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/479416/original/file-20220816-2787-xntu8p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/479416/original/file-20220816-2787-xntu8p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/479416/original/file-20220816-2787-xntu8p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/479416/original/file-20220816-2787-xntu8p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/479416/original/file-20220816-2787-xntu8p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/479416/original/file-20220816-2787-xntu8p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Developing human connections is critical for university students as they build expertise in particular fields.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(UK Black Tech)</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span>
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<h2>3. Mentorship</h2>
<p>Mentoring by community members and industry representatives, as well as student leadership in peer mentoring, are key aspects of human connection. <a href="https://hilo.hawaii.edu/blog/cce/2021/02/05/the-importance-of-connection/">Developing human connections</a> is critical for university students as they build expertise in particular fields. </p>
<p>Students need a sense of belonging, especially since the closure of university campuses <a href="https://hbsp.harvard.edu/inspiring-minds/seeking-human-connections-when-all-weve-got-are-virtual-ones">in the wake of the pandemic</a>. Universities can explore novel ways of building mentorship programs, whether <a href="https://www.mentoring.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Full_Toolkit.pdf">traditional one-on-one mentoring, group mentoring, team mentoring, peer mentoring or online mentoring</a>, through their alumni networks or partners. </p>
<h2>4. Partnerships</h2>
<p>Universities can develop meaningful partnerships by co-ordinating efforts to reach out to businesses, community organizations and government bodies. Benefits to universities and students from partnerships include offering students <a href="https://www.colorado.edu/academicfutures/sites/default/files/attached-files/benson_et_al.pdf">access to mentorship, employment opportunties</a> and experiential learning.</p>
<p>These partnerships can take <a href="https://www.brightspotstrategy.com/industry-university-partnerships">many forms</a>, such as research projects, internships, <a href="https://www.concordia.ca/academics/co-op.html">co-op placements</a>, funded PhDs or <a href="https://www.mitacs.ca/en/programs/accelerate/industrial-postdoc">post-doctoral fellowships</a>, as well as <a href="https://www.uiin.org/events/">networking events</a>, prototype or product development seminars, <a href="https://www.concordia.ca/students/gradproskills.html">skills workshops</a>, <a href="https://www.concordia.ca/next-gen/innovation-lab/challenges.html">innovation challenges</a> or alliances to provide mentorship to students. </p>
<p>These four mechanisms are nothing novel, but through a fine meshing of microcredentials, PLAR, mentorship and partnerships, universities can improve the relevance of what students learn. It can also heighten their chances of employability while being more inclusive of different needs and without disrupting the whole system.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/180546/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Ann-Louise Davidson receives funding from SSHRC, FRQSC, MÉÉS and OBVIA. </span></em></p>Recognizing and accrediting students’ prior learning and competencies is one way universities can tweak business-as-usual approaches.Ann-Louise Davidson, Concordia University Research Chair, Maker culture; Professor, Educational Technology, Concordia UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1625152021-06-22T20:02:59Z2021-06-22T20:02:59ZHere’s an approach to mentoring that can help close the leadership gender gap<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/407360/original/file-20210621-35447-36u9yj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C5176%2C3453&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/two-women-working-computer-contemporary-office-284518922">Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Mentoring is known to be a critical component of <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0207634">job satisfaction and career development</a>. It is also widely recognised that career advancement in medicine, research and health more broadly remains <a href="https://humanrights.gov.au/our-work/education/face-facts-gender-equality-2018">in favour of men</a>. </p>
<p>Traditional academic mentoring programs rely on a unidirectional mentor-mentee relationship: a senior academic mentors a junior (female) academic. This model has been shown to increase mentees’ <a href="https://bmcmededuc.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12909-018-1290-3">personal achievement</a>, <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0207634">career progress and satisfaction with work environment</a>. </p>
<p>While these are important achievements, <a href="https://www.publicanthropology.org/interrogating-model-mentoring-by-simone-dennis-and-alison-behie/">Simone Dennis and Alison Behie</a> <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-mentoring-for-women-risks-propping-up-patriarchal-structures-instead-of-changing-them-157965">argue</a> that “by replicating action of the mentors, junior women are merely trained how to navigate a system that favours men”. Traditional mentoring programs teach women how to work within, rather than change, a system biased against them. This perpetuates patriarchal structures.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/why-mentoring-for-women-risks-propping-up-patriarchal-structures-instead-of-changing-them-157965">Why mentoring for women risks propping up patriarchal structures instead of changing them</a>
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<p>We have established a mentoring program for women scientists that focuses on diversifying and changing the education sector. This program helps equip them to challenge systemic values and culture. </p>
<h2>What’s different about this model?</h2>
<p>The <a href="https://www.hotnorth.org.au/opportunities/catalyse-mentorship-program-women-scientists/">Catalyse Mentorship Program</a> in regional and rural Australia follows a dual-mentorship model. This means each female mentee is matched with an academic mentor and a corporate-sector mentor. </p>
<p>Our <a href="https://bmcmededuc.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12909-020-02219-w">research</a> found the Catalyse academic mentors provided technical university/ research pathways advice. They advised on explicit and implicit academic growth, such as formal university progression, the types of journals to publish in and how to distinguish one’s specific work. </p>
<p>The corporate mentors, on the other hand, provided advice on strategy, leadership and interpersonal skills. Advice included “how to generate consensus within a team and with external stakeholders”, “how to have difficult conversations”, and “how to build and express your personal brand”. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Chart showing topics discussed with Catalyse program's academic and corporate mentors" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/407373/original/file-20210621-22-1mups4y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/407373/original/file-20210621-22-1mups4y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/407373/original/file-20210621-22-1mups4y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/407373/original/file-20210621-22-1mups4y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/407373/original/file-20210621-22-1mups4y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/407373/original/file-20210621-22-1mups4y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/407373/original/file-20210621-22-1mups4y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://bmcmededuc.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12909-020-02219-w">Chart: The Conversation. Data: Championing women working in health across regional and rural Australia – a new dual-mentorship model</a>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/how-mentoring-improves-the-leadership-skills-of-those-doing-the-mentoring-143668">How mentoring improves the leadership skills of those doing the mentoring</a>
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<p>The Catalyse mentees reported positive “discomfort” at being pushed out of their “comfort zones”. This allowed them to reflect on leadership and impact outside their academic institution. The mentees set the agenda and explored first-time activities such as developing business cases, establishing peer-to-peer networking groups and applying for awards and accolades. </p>
<h2>Group approach has additional benefits</h2>
<p>Group mentoring is a way to go beyond supporting women and enhancing their capacity to manage a patriarchal culture. Bringing women together with a senior (retired) researcher has delivered several additional benefits compared to traditional unidirectional mentoring. </p>
<p>As the group members share their stories and worries, the sense of injustice and the care for each other increase. The women also bring a range of solutions and support to each other. This process strengthens ties within the cohort. </p>
<p>Such solutions are far more likely to be effective than those a single older mentor might suggest. That’s because they come from a contemporary context and a broader set of experiences. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="chart showing outcomes of Catalyse mentorship program" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/407371/original/file-20210621-62599-u32u50.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/407371/original/file-20210621-62599-u32u50.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/407371/original/file-20210621-62599-u32u50.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/407371/original/file-20210621-62599-u32u50.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/407371/original/file-20210621-62599-u32u50.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/407371/original/file-20210621-62599-u32u50.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/407371/original/file-20210621-62599-u32u50.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://bmcmededuc.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12909-020-02219-w">Chart: The Conversation. Data: Championing women working in health across regional and rural Australia – a new dual-mentorship model</a>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/how-to-support-junior-staff-in-a-time-of-turmoil-for-universities-148917">How to support junior staff in a time of turmoil for universities</a>
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<p>In addition, all the groups we have mentored have debated carefully developed strategies aimed at changing the status quo. This would not have happened in one-on-one mentoring. Examples of these strategies are:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>request data on fund-raising within the organisation – and relate that data to gender as well as research area</p></li>
<li><p>demand administrative support for women who are asked to take on additional leadership or other roles – which made organisations look as if they were supporting more women but didn’t give them the capacity to manage those roles without significant impacts on their research time</p></li>
<li><p>present collective suggestions for the organisation to consider </p></li>
<li><p>push for the women to be the leading chief investigator on grant applications and first or senior author on papers, to be considered for national committees and to give keynote presentations at major conferences. </p></li>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/forget-the-ideal-worker-myth-unis-need-to-become-more-inclusive-for-all-women-men-will-benefit-too-156107">Forget the ideal worker myth. Unis need to become more inclusive for all women (men will benefit too)</a>
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<p>One of us (Fiona Stanley) has experience in group mentoring of First Nations health research scholars. The benefits of sharing experiences within these cohorts is that the scholars are able to provide much more solid collective solutions than if in a one-on-one session with a non-Indigenous older researcher. </p>
<p>It was clear from these sessions that racism pervades the health academic sector. However, empowering the group of mentees has resulted in major activities to address racism in their organisations. These include: mentees offering to give major presentations to the executive teams, often bringing in external speakers who have more power; suggesting and running NAIDOC activities; and reviewing reconciliation action plans to make them real rather than a token or box-ticking exercise.</p>
<h2>3 key elements to bring about change</h2>
<p>A <em>strong</em> mentoring model should consider three key elements to close the leadership gap:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>mentees set the agenda and are empowered to initiate change within the organisation</p></li>
<li><p>diversify mentors, include mentors from corporate/business sectors, and do group mentoring to enhance networks </p></li>
<li><p>hold mentor networking events throughout the program, leading to cross-fertilisation between networks and (funding) opportunities.</p></li>
</ul>
<p>Mentoring programs like these provide a more rounded approach to closing the leadership gap. These programs offer participants both discipline-based technical advice and external guidance on personal attributes and the strategic thinking needed to lead. </p>
<p>As <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Mary-Wollstonecraft">Mary Wollstonecraft</a> <a href="http://www.womeninworldhistory.com/lesson16.html">wrote</a> in laying out the first steps toward bringing down the patriarchy for the betterment of all humanity, “I do not wish them [women] to have power over men; but over themselves.”</p>
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<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/its-not-lack-of-confidence-thats-holding-back-women-in-stem-155216">It's not lack of confidence that's holding back women in STEM</a>
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<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/162515/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Fiona Stanley received funding from NHMRC and ARC over many years of her research career; she no longer receives funds but is associated with several grants for which she is an unpaid advisor and mentor.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Teresa Wozniak does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>One criticism of traditional mentoring is that it teaches people how to succeed by playing by existing rules, thus reinforcing the status quo. But mentoring can also be a force for change.Teresa Wozniak, Senior Research Fellow and co-founder Catalyse Mentorship Program, Menzies School of Health ResearchFiona Stanley, Perinatal and pediatric epidemiologist; distinguished professorial fellow, Telethon Kids InstituteLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1579652021-05-23T20:15:34Z2021-05-23T20:15:34ZWhy mentoring for women risks propping up patriarchal structures instead of changing them<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/401791/original/file-20210520-17-1jojkeq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C9%2C6240%2C4138&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/mature-young-women-colleagues-sitting-desk-1375932218">Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>It won’t come as a surprise to anyone that women are underrepresented in leadership roles in many industries. This has led to a proliferation of women-only mentoring programs designed to challenge industry standards for female participation. The idea is to normalise women’s participation at all employment levels, especially senior ones. </p>
<p>However, our year-long prize-winning <a href="https://www.publicanthropology.org/interrogating-model-mentoring-by-simone-dennis-and-alison-behie/">international study</a> focused on university mentoring programs has discovered women-only mentoring programs are not all they seem. Surprisingly, they can perpetuate the gendered hierarchies they attempt to remove. Through mentoring, women who have succeeded on male terms set other women on the same path. </p>
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<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/no-change-at-the-top-for-university-leaders-as-men-outnumber-women-3-to-1-154556">No change at the top for university leaders as men outnumber women 3 to 1</a>
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<p>This might not be so surprising if you think about Homer’s Odyssey – the original story of mentoring. In this myth, the figure of Mentor cares for the young boy Telemachus while his father, Odysseus, is away at war. But the guidance that Mentor provides to Telemachus is designed to keep things just as they were in Odysseus’s absence, ensuring the system of power is maintained. </p>
<p>We found a similar thing happens in the modern university. Our study found that, without meaning to, female mentors and mentees participated in the conditions of their own domination, thus keeping male bias and advantage firmly in place.</p>
<p>Our study collected detailed data from mentors and mentees from a range of academic disciplines in universities across the Western world, including several in Australia. These programs typically work by matching the specific career goals of junior women with senior women who have already achieved them. In doing so, women who have risen to the top of the university, despite its gender bias, give structural support to junior women so they can make it to the top, too. </p>
<p>Having made it into the senior roles of professor or associate professor, dean or pro vice chancellor, these exceptional women advise their juniors on how to replicate their actions. The junior women can then follow a tried and tested pathway to success. Senior men often lend their support to these programs, too, making sure women are afforded equal opportunities. </p>
<p>However, by replicating the actions of the mentors, junior women are merely trained how to navigate a system that favours men. For instance, women can calculate the time and effort they could not put into research while pregnant or caring for their children. This is taken into account when their applications for research funding are considered. </p>
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<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/the-fatherhood-penalty-how-parental-leave-policies-perpetuate-the-gender-gap-even-in-our-progressive-universities-160102">The fatherhood penalty: how parental leave policies perpetuate the gender gap (even in our 'progressive' universities)</a>
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<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Mother on the phone holds baby on her lap as she works in her home office" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/401792/original/file-20210520-19-h367tg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/401792/original/file-20210520-19-h367tg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/401792/original/file-20210520-19-h367tg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/401792/original/file-20210520-19-h367tg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/401792/original/file-20210520-19-h367tg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/401792/original/file-20210520-19-h367tg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/401792/original/file-20210520-19-h367tg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Women who explain the impacts of having children on their research output can be accused of ‘playing the baby card’.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/hispanic-mother-baby-working-home-office-290627438">Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>That sounds like it ensures equity, but it reveals women have to explain the reasons for not producing as much as the standard male figure would. Instead of asking why women were compared against a male standard, mentors often gave advice about how to navigate the system. </p>
<p>For instance, male colleagues accused some woman in our study of “playing the baby card” to excuse research outputs lower than their own. Mentees were often advised about how best to play the baby card to make them look like they were outperforming men, rather than excusing themselves from doing research. Whether a woman is made to look worse or better than her male colleagues, she is still judged against a male standard that our research participants rarely questioned. </p>
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<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/forget-the-ideal-worker-myth-unis-need-to-become-more-inclusive-for-all-women-men-will-benefit-too-156107">Forget the ideal worker myth. Unis need to become more inclusive for all women (men will benefit too)</a>
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</p>
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<h2>Playing by the existing rules</h2>
<p>Because women in our study genuinely wanted to help junior women to make it, they did not see these kinds of problems. In fact, their very generosity contributes significantly to perpetuating the patriarchal system. When senior women generously give their knowledge, junior women become indebted to them. One mentee said:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>“I always feel a combination of being thrilled and feeling guilty when I have an appointment with [my mentor] because I know there’s a zillion things she could be doing instead […] I know how much I owe her […] I pay her back by being successful.”</p>
</blockquote>
<p>When they pay their mentors back, they do so in the same gender-biased terms in which they were mentored; and so it continues for generations of women. Meanwhile, the <a href="https://www.dese.gov.au/uncategorised/resources/2019-staff-numbers">female participation rate in the top positions</a> in universities remains low. </p>
<p>Our research showed mentoring practices can conceal power relations and their effects. That’s because they teach women how to work within, rather than change, a system biased against them. </p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/how-covid-is-widening-the-academic-gender-divide-146007">How COVID is widening the academic gender divide</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>So does this mean we should abandon mentoring programs? Not at all. But to really achieve gender equity, programs must stop helping women to succeed on existing male standards. Standards are hardly fair if they’re biased to begin with. </p>
<p>Institutions can do this if they stop making junior staff into replicas of successful senior members. </p>
<p>It is difficult to abandon current programs because we’ve so thoroughly accepted what success is supposed to look like. And it’s hard to level criticisms at well-intentioned programs established especially for women. But it’s necessary so we can make sure they actually <em>are</em> good at eliminating gender bias, especially in light of growing awareness of how women have been treated more broadly, including in our own parliamentary system. </p>
<p>Approaches to mentoring need to change so they can really change things for women in universities and beyond. If they don’t, the impact women can make on what we know about the world might never be realised – and it if isn’t, we can expect gender bias will continue. </p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/my-partner-or-my-degree-a-choice-that-exposes-how-students-battle-gender-inequity-157054">My partner or my degree: a choice that exposes how students battle gender inequity</a>
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</p>
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<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/157965/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Through mentoring, women who have succeeded on male terms set other women on the same path.Simone Dennis, Professor of Anthropology and Head of School of Archaeology and Anthropology, Australian National UniversityAlison Behie, Associate Professor in Biological Anthropology, Australian National UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1507952020-12-02T14:25:46Z2020-12-02T14:25:46ZHow “cradle-to-career” schools provide all-round support and tackle inequality<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/372536/original/file-20201202-17-1wjrfz5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C6720%2C4466&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/front-view-diverse-group-elementary-school-1651768768">wavebreakmedia/Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>During the COVID-19 lockdowns, stories have been shared of schools delivering <a href="https://www.warringtonguardian.co.uk/news/18904369.season-giving-penketh-high-school-fundraises-help-vulnerable-families/">food parcels</a>, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/education/2020/mar/28/i-am-deeply-scared-for-so-many-children-diary-of-a-headteacher-in-lockdown">phoning struggling families</a> and providing on-site care for the children of key workers. We have seen many schools go much further than their statutory role of educating and safeguarding their pupils, sometimes acting as the most important support institution for whole neighbourhoods.</p>
<p>This broader school role is the thinking behind “cradle-to-career” schools. Their core approach involves providing a pipeline of support from birth to early adulthood, combined with activities which target different aspects of young people’s lives. This could include free antenatal classes and social groups for parents, youth groups, mentoring and career advice.</p>
<p>Cradle-to-career school designs are the latest in a <a href="https://cpag.org.uk/sites/default/files/files/policypost/ExtendedSchools_April2018.pdf">long line</a> of attempts to coordinate schools with other local services, in order to tackle the causes of social and educational inequality. I carried out research in one cradle-to-career school in <a href="https://www.reachacademyfeltham.com">west London</a> during my PhD fieldwork. There are other examples across the UK and in North America.</p>
<p>Schools cannot address inequality on their own, but neighbourhoods often lack local, coordinated support systems. Cradle-to-career school designs are a bold attempt to go beyond a school’s typical role. They join up local services to improve prospects for young people and their communities. </p>
<h2>A new vision for schools</h2>
<p>Poor educational outcomes can have a <a href="https://societyhealth.vcu.edu/work/the-projects/why-education-matters-to-health-exploring-the-causes.html">lifelong impact</a>. People with less education tend to have worse health, lower income and limited job opportunities. But while schools are held responsible for academic success, many young people face <a href="https://resourcecentre.savethechildren.net/node/13661/pdf/developing_childrens_zones1.pdf">social and economic challenges</a> <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/03054985.2020.1824901">beyond the school gates</a> which affect their ability to learn. </p>
<p><a href="https://www.local.gov.uk/marmot-review-report-fair-society-healthy-lives">Research</a> suggests that causes of inequality – such as poverty, social exclusion or social isolation – are tightly interconnected. This makes it extremely difficult for one specific policy area or organisation to deal with them effectively. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Group of pregnant women in class" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/372549/original/file-20201202-22-1wnqh8x.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/372549/original/file-20201202-22-1wnqh8x.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=419&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/372549/original/file-20201202-22-1wnqh8x.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=419&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/372549/original/file-20201202-22-1wnqh8x.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=419&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/372549/original/file-20201202-22-1wnqh8x.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=527&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/372549/original/file-20201202-22-1wnqh8x.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=527&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/372549/original/file-20201202-22-1wnqh8x.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=527&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Cradle-to-career programmes may include support for parents.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/pregnant-women-class-760933195">Rawpixel.com/Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Cradle-to-career school designs can be tailored to local contexts, matching the complexity of neighbourhood challenges. The services they provide, such as early years education and parental employment support, aim to improve a range of outcomes relating to health, education, housing, and material wellbeing. </p>
<p>Rather than work alone, schools form partnerships with local providers across different policy areas, including early years education, social care and health. New provision is developed where necessary. This allows for a joined-up approach to local challenges.</p>
<h2>Community links</h2>
<p>Cradle-to-career initiatives are also deeply connected to their local communities. They allow close relationships to form between schools and their neighbourhoods, leading to coordinated and flexible responses to local challenges. These can go far beyond the capacity of a national-level initiative when it comes to engaging with local issues. </p>
<p>Some longstanding examples have become influential in recent years. <a href="https://hcz.org">Harlem Children’s Zone</a> in New York was arguably the first – and is certainly the best known. It inspired the US Department of Education’s <a href="https://www.promiseneighborhoodsinstitute.org">Promise Neighbourhood initiative</a>, which aims to improve outcomes for young people by providing funding for cradle-to-career programmes in under-resourced communities. <a href="https://www.strivetogether.org">Strive</a> is the other major US cradle-to-career programme, operating in 30 states. </p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1328391479732166656"}"></div></p>
<p>In the UK, emerging cradle-to-career initiatives include <a href="https://righttosucceed.org.uk/working-collectively/cradle-to-career/">Right to Succeed</a>, <a href="https://www.communitymca.co.uk/family-zone">The North Manchester Family Zone</a> and <a href="https://www.reachacademyfeltham.com/reachchildrenshub">Reach Children’s Hub</a>. </p>
<p>To avoid adding to schools’ already heavy workload, these organisations have created separate roles to focus on developing the schools’ broader support. Their governance models and funding structures vary, but underpinning every design is the view that children experiencing complex difficulties have the best chance of success if they receive well coordinated support from birth to adulthood. </p>
<p>If cradle-to-career designs prove successful, though, there is a risk that local community partnerships are seen as the solution to <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-48354692">poverty</a> and inequality. In reality, they can only ever be part of a wider, strategic response. On their own, they could become a form of social first aid, helping to ease the worse harms of inequality while the root causes remain unaltered.</p>
<p>Whatever their wider political consequences, cradle-to-career designs help to show that schools can be more than standalone educational institutions. COVID-19 has not created new social or economic difficulties – it has intensified existing ones. The role many schools have played through the pandemic in tackling these difficulties has shown how well positioned they are to address communities’ needs. </p>
<p>Whether acting as templates for a new, more equal education system and society, or just as a measure to ease the effects of inequality and poverty, cradle-to-career schools offer a blueprint for a new type of school, which maximises their role in supporting their neighbourhood.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/150795/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Victoria Hirst works part-time for the Reach Foundation and taught at Reach Academy Feltham for four years (2013-2017). Her PhD is funded by the Economic, Social and Research Council. </span></em></p>Schools cannot deal with inequality alone, but can help to provide joined-up support.Victoria Hirst, PhD Candidate, Institute of Education, University of ManchesterLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1489172020-11-16T02:13:16Z2020-11-16T02:13:16ZHow to support junior staff in a time of turmoil for universities<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/369211/original/file-20201113-23-2wxryh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=1366%2C0%2C5343%2C3424&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Roman Samborskyi/Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>An estimated <a href="https://melbourne-cshe.unimelb.edu.au/lh-martin-institute/fellow-voices/australian-university-workforce-responses-to-covid-19-pandemic">17,500</a> casual and fixed-term academic staff at Australian universities are projected to lose their jobs over the next six months. Most of them will be early career researchers (ECRs). ECRs are junior academics who face increasing workloads and expectations, and insecure employment. </p>
<p>This combination of factors makes them susceptible to termination, <a href="https://theconversation.com/wage-theft-and-casual-work-are-built-into-university-business-models-147555">exploitation</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/job-ready-graduates-changes-loom-as-last-straw-for-emerging-researchers-144853">burnout</a> as they pursue a permanent position in academia. During the pandemic, these vulnerabilities have been amplified. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/as-universities-face-losing-1-in-10-staff-covid-driven-cuts-create-4-key-risks-147007">As universities face losing 1 in 10 staff, COVID-driven cuts create 4 key risks</a>
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<p>Most universities have programs to assist the career development of ECRs. However, exceptional times required a more proactive and holistic response to meet the urgent needs of vulnerable staff. </p>
<h2>A program guided by participants</h2>
<p>As Swinburne University’s ECR Program co-ordinator in 2020, here’s what I did. My team and I carefully designed a program of hands-on mentoring, skill-building and social connection for ECRs working remotely. The aim was to keep ECRs engaged and to help them professionally and emotionally navigate the most difficult phase of their careers. </p>
<p>How did we decide what activities to offer our ECRs? We asked them. My first undertaking as program co-ordinator was to survey all ECRs to identify areas of need at the beginning of Victoria’s first lockdown. </p>
<p>The responses directly informed the program. I also formed a committee comprising ECRs from across the university to help oversee and take ownership of their program. The 2020 program, somewhat unexpectedly, provided us with a model of early career professional engagement for post-pandemic life. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/job-ready-graduates-changes-loom-as-last-straw-for-emerging-researchers-144853">Job-ready graduates changes loom as last straw for emerging researchers</a>
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<h2>What did the program offer?</h2>
<p>This is what we delivered.</p>
<p>First, we substantially increased the number of ECR events in 2020. Seminars were held two to three times a month so ECRs working from home would have more opportunities to connect. </p>
<p>As it turns out, online events are more accessible. Eliminating travel and scheduling barriers allows those with competing life commitments to log on at their convenience. </p>
<p>Second, we matched the content of the seminars to the immediate concerns of our cohort. Historically, ECR professional development seminars provide generic information on applying for funding and writing academic papers. Instead, our seminars canvassed a wide-range of relevant and urgent issues facing ECRs. These included a focus on:</p>
<ul>
<li>work-life balance while working remotely</li>
<li>career strategy in uncertain times</li>
<li>being professionally flexible</li>
<li>marketing one’s skills externally</li>
<li>opportunities arising from the pandemic</li>
<li>developing and nurturing industry collaborations.</li>
</ul>
<p>Third, we introduced small group sessions in addition to the larger seminars. These sessions allow for ten ECRs and two to three guest senior mentors to have private, informal discussions where targeted advice and guidance are provided. This format created an intimate and reflective environment conducive to open dialogue and hands-on personalised mentoring. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Group of people on a computer screen taking part in an online chat session" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/369213/original/file-20201113-17-xa1zpi.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/369213/original/file-20201113-17-xa1zpi.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/369213/original/file-20201113-17-xa1zpi.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/369213/original/file-20201113-17-xa1zpi.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/369213/original/file-20201113-17-xa1zpi.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/369213/original/file-20201113-17-xa1zpi.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/369213/original/file-20201113-17-xa1zpi.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Small group sessions of a dozen or so people create a more intimate and reflective environment that makes it easier to talk freely.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">fizkes/Shutterstock</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>These sessions enabled ECRs to navigate immediate professional challenges and proved to be very popular. Specific small group sessions were arranged for sub-groups such as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ECRs.</p>
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<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/phd-students-need-support-at-the-best-of-the-times-how-can-you-help-in-a-pandemic-144799">PhD students need support at the best of the times. How can you help in a pandemic?</a>
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<p>Fourth, we conducted several sessions with senior university administrators. The 2020 ECR program featured events with Swinburne’s new and outgoing vice-chancellors. In these sessions, they shared personal insights into their lives and candidly described the challenges and obstacles they faced in their early careers. This gave ECRs a rare opportunity to meaningfully access and interact with both leaders at a difficult time.</p>
<p>Last, we created an online virtual spreadsheet for ECRs to network with each other and seek collaborative opportunities. Building a broad professional network is critical early in researchers’ careers.</p>
<h2>What were the results?</h2>
<p>The outcomes of our program were encouraging. We tripled the number of attendees from the previous year and more than doubled the average number attending per session. A core group of 50 attendees attended every session. </p>
<p>Feedback noted that the sessions were not only practically useful, but provided a regular source of social connection to the university. </p>
<p>2020 has been an emotionally demanding year for junior academic staff. With campuses unlikely to re-open for some time, many face uncertain futures while disconnected socially and physically from the institution. </p>
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<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/budgets-1bn-research-boost-is-a-welcome-first-step-billions-more-plus-policy-reforms-will-be-needed-147662">Budget's $1bn research boost is a welcome first step. Billions more, plus policy reforms, will be needed</a>
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<p>Yet we discovered that a simple suite of online activities, led and designed by early career professionals, can provide meaning, connection and guidance in challenging times. </p>
<p>The program’s success shows such schemes can and should be employed across sectors for early career professionals during the pandemic and beyond.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/148917/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Stephane Shepherd does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>To navigate the toughest phase of their careers, junior academics need to know more than how to write research papers and apply for grants. Structured mentoring, based on their input, is a huge help.Stephane Shepherd, Associate Professor, Centre for Forensic Behavioural Science, Swinburne University of TechnologyLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1436682020-10-18T12:43:23Z2020-10-18T12:43:23ZHow mentoring improves the leadership skills of those doing the mentoring<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/363441/original/file-20201014-21-1ro7luo.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C6702%2C4464&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Mentoring isn't just good for the person on the receiving end. New research suggests those who serve as mentors benefit too.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Unsplash)</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>In a mentoring relationship, a more experienced person (or mentor) provides a less experienced person (or protégé) with information, support and friendship. </p>
<p>Mentoring can happen <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvb.2007.04.005">in almost any context</a>, including workplaces and universities. We often assume that, in mentoring relationships, protégés are those who benefit the most. As such, the majority of mentoring research has focused on the benefits to people who are at the receiving end of mentoring support. </p>
<p>But what about mentors? Do they benefit from mentoring as well?</p>
<h2>Enhancing leadership skills</h2>
<p>To answer this question, we focused <a href="https://doi.org/10.1108/JMP-10-2019-0591">our research</a> on the benefits of mentoring for actual mentors. We examined whether mentors gain leadership skills through providing mentoring support. </p>
<p>Why did we focus on leadership development as an outcome?</p>
<p>The majority of leadership research has examined leadership development in classroom settings or through training programs. However, people can practise their leadership qualities — including negotiation, communication, emotional, interpersonal and problem-solving skills — <a href="https://hbr.org/2019/04/to-develop-leadership-skills-practice-in-a-low-risk-environment">every day throughout many activities and assignments</a>. That includes helping and mentoring others.</p>
<p>Mentors help their protégés solve problems, communicate many topics with their protégés and use their emotional skills to cheer up, encourage or influence their protégés. Our research suggests that performing these services helps mentors practise their own leadership skills and contributes to their development as leaders.</p>
<h2>Leader identity and confidence</h2>
<p>To conduct our study, we initiated <a href="https://www.concordia.ca/cunews/main/stories/2017/01/23/mentors-pave-the-way-for-post-grad-success.html">an eight-month mentoring program for PhD students</a>. Through various means (newsletters, graduate program directors and word of mouth, to name just a few), we invited senior PhD candidates to volunteer in the program. Ultimately, 46 agreed to participate in our study. These senior PhD students were assigned to first-year PhD students who had contacted us to be mentored.</p>
<p>At four times throughout the mentoring program, we measured the extent to which mentors identified themselves as leaders (or leader identity) and the extent to which they had confidence in leading a team project (or leader self-efficacy). </p>
<p>Towards the end of the mentoring program, we also measured the extent to which mentors provided their protégés with mentoring support. This way, we could see the relationship between mentors’ engagement in the practice of mentoring and the extent to which they gained leader identity and leader self-efficacy.</p>
<p>Our analysis showed that the more mentors provided mentoring support, the more they saw themselves as leaders (gained leader identity) and the more confident they became in leading a project (gained leader self-efficacy).</p>
<h2>Gains made</h2>
<p>Our research suggests that mentoring can be used to improve and enhance leadership skills among the members of an organization, namely students or employees. Administrators and practitioners can initiate mentoring programs not only to welcome new team members, but also to develop leadership skills in their senior personnel.</p>
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<img alt="Two women sit in front of a laptop and look at the screen." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/363451/original/file-20201014-15-1usjzwj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/363451/original/file-20201014-15-1usjzwj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/363451/original/file-20201014-15-1usjzwj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/363451/original/file-20201014-15-1usjzwj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/363451/original/file-20201014-15-1usjzwj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/363451/original/file-20201014-15-1usjzwj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/363451/original/file-20201014-15-1usjzwj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Leadership skills can be improved via mentoring.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Unsplash)</span></span>
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<p>It is often more difficult for mentoring program administrators to attract volunteer mentors than protégés. Our research suggests that they can now encourage their senior members to volunteer as mentors as a way to gain or enhance their leadership skills.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/143668/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Research suggests mentoring can be used to improve leadership skills among both junior and senior members of any organization.Mostafa Ayoobzadeh, Lecturer, Leadership Development, Concordia UniversityKathleen Boies, Associate Dean, Research and Research Programs, Concordia UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1457182020-09-21T14:36:45Z2020-09-21T14:36:45ZWhat can be done to better support women pursuing their PhDs in Africa<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/358312/original/file-20200916-16-1rrs2u8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Women in a lab</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">anyaivanova/Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>A Doctor of Philosophy – commonly known as a <a href="https://www.topuniversities.com/blog/what-phd">PhD</a> – is the highest level of academic training. It allows the degree holder to teach the chosen subject at university, conduct research or practise in the specialised area. </p>
<p>However, in many African countries like Kenya there are <a href="http://www.cue.or.ke/index.php/downloads/category/18-universities-data-0-3">gender gaps</a> when it comes to women enrolling in, and completing, their PhD studies. This subsequently <a href="https://www.weforum.org/reports/the-global-gender-gap-report-2017">affects their</a> recruitment into university teaching and research positions. Women make up just <a href="http://data.uis.unesco.org/">just</a> 30% of the Africa’s researchers.</p>
<p>There are various reasons for this. For instance, <a href="https://www.pasgr.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Gender-Barriers-Scoping-Paper-Final.pdf">a study</a> covering several African countries found that barriers include sexual harassment, a lack of mentors – with some male faculty mentors unwilling to act as mentors for junior women – and difficulty finding a balance between career and family. </p>
<p>A study by the African Academy of Sciences reported similar challenges faced by women scholars in <a href="https://www.aasciences.africa/sites/default/files/Publications/Women%20in%20STEM%20Report_Final.pdf">science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM)</a> disciplines. It found that the success of women already working in STEM was highly influenced by the work environment, the recruitment process and gender relations. <a href="https://www.universityworldnews.com/post.php?story=20180214101303394">More has to be done</a> to help women overcome gender-based challenges. </p>
<p>To support postgraduates in further education, <a href="https://aphrc.org/addrf/">several</a> <a href="https://ideal.kemri-wellcome.org/">initiatives</a> offer PhD fellowships – a merit-based scholarship – in Africa. </p>
<p>My colleagues and I from the African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC) wanted to examine one of these and how it catered for women. Our <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/16549716.2019.1670002">case study</a> was on the Consortium for Advanced Research Training in Africa (CARTA). This is an initiative that was formed in 2008 and is jointly led by the APHRC, based in Kenya, and the University of the Witwatersrand in South Africa. </p>
<p>We focused on CARTA for our study because it tries to build the capacity of individual PhD scholars – who focus on public and population health – using doctoral fellowships and research grants. CARTA also tries to get member universities to <a href="http://cartafrica.org/institutionalization-of-carta/">institutionalise</a> good practices. </p>
<p>By the end of 2019, CARTA had graduated 87 of its 209 active PhD fellows. These individuals <a href="http://cartafrica.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/BKC_CARTA-evaluation-report_V5.pdf">produced</a> peer-reviewed publications and some fellows were promoted in their academic careers. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/africas-research-ecosystem-needs-a-culture-of-mentoring-143030">Africa's research ecosystem needs a culture of mentoring</a>
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<p>Of the active fellows, 55% are women. We found that the programme caters well for women looking to complete their doctorates. For instance, it recognises that women need special consideration when it comes to pregnancy and in the care of newborn babies, and that they may have different responsibilities when it comes to domestic chores and the care of the family. </p>
<p>All of these are factors could have previously prevented them from enrolling in, or completing, their PhDs. It’s important that other institutions offering fellowships replicate aspects of this model to better support Africa’s women academics.</p>
<h2>Gender-sensitive</h2>
<p>CARTA works with eight partner African universities and four research centres. Individuals attached to these institutions can apply for PhD fellowships that can last for up to four years. The fellowship includes participation in seminars, stipends and small grants for research activities. </p>
<p>One of CARTA’s gender-sensitive policies is that it uses a different cut-off age for male and female applicants, at 40 and 45 years respectively. The aim of this is to cater for women who may have been delayed starting their PhD studies until later because they had children.</p>
<p>PhD fellows are entitled to paid maternity and paternity leave. And fellows are granted a leave of absence during their maternity leave – their award restarts upon their return. This ensures they are not penalised in any way and eventually enjoy the same benefits as other fellows.</p>
<p>The programme also supports new parents as they participate in month-long “joint advanced seminars”, training courses offered four times in the course of the PhD. CARTA pays for the cost of a childminder during the seminar, and the fellow can use this facility for as many seminars as they need. </p>
<p>We found that meeting these practical needs during training supported women to maintain on-time graduation rates similar to their male counterparts. </p>
<p>There are a few challenges though. A recent <a href="http://cartafrica.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/BKC_CARTA-evaluation-report_V5.pdf">evaluation</a> of the CARTA programme revealed that it lacked systematisation of data and learning from it. </p>
<p>A second challenge relates to building a stronger feedback mechanism between actors. While the CARTA programme has managed to address practical gender needs, structural barriers – like unequal pay and unfair workloads – can be addressed by working with institutions to change their gender policies in higher education. </p>
<h2>Future benefits</h2>
<p>Having a programme like this, which strategically addresses gender differences, has long-term benefits. Women CARTA fellows were able to gain certain strategic advantages in academia. This includes promotion to senior academic and leadership positions, winning other research grants, <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/16549716.2020.1768795">sustaining collaborative research</a> and being recognised by their peers, hence providing female role models to junior scholars.</p>
<p>The programme is a timely initiative that ought to be replicated for greater coverage across the continent. It would take careful programming, <a href="https://gh.bmj.com/content/5/6/e002286">commitment of resources in cash and kind</a> and sustainable partnerships by African state and non-state actors with northern partners. But these could help create a more gender equal mix of successful PhD researchers and faculty on the continent.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/145718/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Anne Khisa, PhD is a recipient of the CARTA PhD fellowships (2013) and CARTA post doctoral fellowship (2018).
At the time of publishing this article, Dr. Khisa is a postdoctoral research fellow at the African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC), Kenya. CARTA is jointly led by the African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC), Kenya, and the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits), South Africa.
</span></em></p>Fellowships should recognise that women may have different responsibilities when it comes to domestic chores and care of the family. This influences their academic opportunities and career choices.Anne M. Khisa, PhD, Post- Doctoral Research Fellow, African Population and Health Research CenterLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1430302020-08-04T15:23:17Z2020-08-04T15:23:17ZAfrica’s research ecosystem needs a culture of mentoring<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/350845/original/file-20200803-16-1lxp0dk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Mentoring can help build the confidence of young researchers in Sub-Saharan Africa </span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/african-centre-of-excellence-for-genomics-of-infectious-news-photo/1227450975?adppopup=true">Pius Utomi Ekpe/AFP via Getty Images </a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Sub-Saharan Africa faces a range of development challenges, including <a href="https://blogs.worldbank.org/africacan/7-facts-about-population-in-sub-saharan-africa">high population growth</a>, <a href="https://isdsnet.com/ijds-v3n12-3.pdf">poverty</a>, <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fsufs.2019.00104/full">food insecurity</a>, and <a href="https://www.who.int/bulletin/africanhealth/en/">poor health</a>. There is <a href="https://www.britishcouncil.org/sites/default/files/h233_07_synthesis_report_final_web.pdf">a clear need</a> for qualified and skilled researchers to tackle these issues. But there is also a scarcity. For instance, Sub-Saharan Africa <a href="https://dl.uswr.ac.ir/bitstream/Hannan/79487/1/2018%20Lancet%20Volume%20392%20Issue%2010153%20September%20%2825%29.pdf">contributes less than 1%</a> to global research output despite accounting for <a href="https://dl.uswr.ac.ir/bitstream/Hannan/79487/1/2018%20Lancet%20Volume%20392%20Issue%2010153%20September%20%2825%29.pdf">13.5% of the global population</a>.</p>
<p>This asymmetry calls for a <a href="https://dl.uswr.ac.ir/bitstream/Hannan/79487/1/2018%20Lancet%20Volume%20392%20Issue%2010153%20September%20%2825%29.pdf">response</a> that builds research capacity and trains skilled researchers for the continent. Mentoring is a key ingredient of this approach. </p>
<p>Mentoring can help build the confidence of young scholars by improving research outputs, thereby <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1877042813032837">reducing</a> the likelihood of brain drain from the region. But higher education programmes don’t always provide regular mentoring opportunities. And where there are opportunities, there may be other <a href="https://europepmc.org/article/med/27170084">barriers</a> to building research capacity. These include scarcity of mentors, ambiguity in mentor-mentee relationships, limited mentoring knowledge and skills, <a href="https://bmcmededuc.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12909-017-0962-8">lack of formal structure</a> and the nonsupporting cultural atmosphere of African institutions of learning.</p>
<p>Mentoring can confer many <a href="https://journals.lww.com/academicmedicine/Fulltext/2013/07000/Mentoring_Programs_for_Physicians_in_Academic.37.aspx">benefits</a> to the careers of junior faculty. But there are challenges in finding mentors or sustaining relationships with them. This has already been highlighted by other <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/316650133_Challenges_facing_young_African_scientists_in_their_research_careers_A_qualitative_exploratory_study">researchers</a> in the region. It could have serious implications for the development of research in the region. For instance, researchers who do not have mentors may not be motivated to continue their academic programmes or may try to <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1877042813032837">leave the region</a>.</p>
<p>Understanding this need, we conducted <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/17441692.2020.1776365">research</a> among doctoral fellows in the <a href="http://cartafrica.org/">Consortium for Advanced Research Training in Africa</a> (CARTA) programme. The aim was to examine the mentoring experiences of fellows within the programme and highlight how mentoring can be further improved.</p>
<p>Our study established that there is a need to improve institutional capacity for the development of mentoring systems in higher education and research systems in Africa. This matters because mentoring in the region can sustain the gains being made to retain African researchers for development.</p>
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<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/africas-research-capacity-is-growing-thats-good-news-for-pandemic-response-efforts-142293">Africa's research capacity is growing. That's good news for pandemic response efforts</a>
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<h2>Building local research capacity</h2>
<p>The CARTA programme aims to build local research capacity in population and public health by creating a network of locally trained but globally recognised scholars through a <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.3402/gha.v3i0.5693">PhD training fellowship </a>. Fellows are usually staff of nine academic and four research institutions representative of Africa. We contacted fellows in the CARTA network through the <a href="https://www.project-redcap.org/">RedCap</a> platform and asked them questions about their perceptions of mentoring and what could be done to improve this aspect of the programme. </p>
<p>At the time of data collection, CARTA had only seven cohorts and each cohort had between 24 and 27 members from diverse academic disciplines and backgrounds. More than half of the respondents worked in health sciences while 35% were in social sciences. Our results showed that only 47% of the fellows had mentors and 20% had mentees. One of the reasons stated for this was the difficulty in finding a mentor.</p>
<p>We also found that fellows perceived mentorship to be a responsibility. They saw it as an opportunity to live up to their duty to scholarship, their mentors and to society. </p>
<p>Several fellows had not received any request for them to act as mentors. We deduced that young scholars within the network may be reluctant to seek guidance useful for their professional development. Poor understanding of the need for and importance of mentoring to academic career growth may also be responsible. It is important that mentees learn the art of networking and gain skills that will help them to confidently seek out mentors within and outside their network. </p>
<p>Peer mentoring, in which CARTA fellows mentor each other, was a striking feature of our findings. Young researchers from different parts of the continent and involved in diverse research topics across varied disciplines help and learn from one another. Peer mentoring should be encouraged as these relationships are likely to increase collaboration among scholars on the continent.</p>
<p>Some fellows who are mentees complained about the delay in getting feedback from mentors. Some of the reasons they identified were time, internet connectivity and geographical time difference. </p>
<p>In the view of the young researchers in our study, a successful mentor-mentee relationship can improve the level of progress in mentees’ research publications and career options. </p>
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<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/international-research-collaborations-how-can-we-shift-the-power-towards-africa-142421">International research collaborations: how can we shift the power towards Africa?</a>
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<h2>Transforming mentoring programmes</h2>
<p>Our results are important as they are quite representative of a broad group of researchers from different countries in sub-Saharan Africa. Mentoring does not seem to be part of the institutional culture or framework in several African institutions. </p>
<p>A well-designed research capacity building programme like CARTA can provide young researchers with mentoring opportunities. Ultimately, combining formal and informal mentoring approaches appears to be the way forward.</p>
<p>The culture of training and capacity building in Africa’s institutions of higher learning must transform to widen the access of young researchers to mentoring opportunities.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/143030/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Mentoring can help build the confidence of young scholars in Sub-Saharan Africa, reducing the likelihood of brain drain.Oluwaseyi Dolapo Somefun, Postdoctoral fellow, University of the Western CapeKudus Adebayo, Research Fellow, Institute of African Studies, University of Ibadan, NigeriaLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1411902020-06-28T08:23:44Z2020-06-28T08:23:44ZOladipo Olujimi Akinkugbe: a giant of medicine in Nigeria, and a great mentor<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/343700/original/file-20200624-132978-js22ae.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Akinkugbe</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://vesta-hcp.com/dt_team/emeritus-professor-oladipo-akinkugbe/">Courtesy Vesta Healthcare</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Nigerian Emeritus Professor Oladipo Olujimi Akinkugbe, a medical icon and colossus, was one of the few remaining giants of modern medicine in Africa.</p>
<p>Professor Akinkugbe was born on July 17, 1933 in Ondo. He attended Government College, Ibadan, a popular secondary school, starting in 1946 with Nobel Laureate, Wole Soyinka. Ibadan was a common denominator in his life, he returned to the city in 1964 to teach medicine at the university. He later became the medical school dean, attracting local and foreign support for the faculty. This offered him a vantage position in training successive generations of medical students. </p>
<p>Other national assignments came in succession. He was chair of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, the body responsible for university admissions in Nigeria. He was also chair of the National Implementation Committee on Review of Higher Education. These, however, could not keep him away from Ibadan. He always returned to the city after each assignment. Akinkugbe later set up the Ibadan Hypertension Clinic for treatment of hypertension, his major interest as a medical doctor.</p>
<p>He chaired the planning committee that set up the Ondo State University in 1981 and also Federal Capital University, now University of Abuja, in 1983. </p>
<p>His <a href="https://punchng.com/emeritus-professor-of-medicine-akinkugbe-is-dead/">death</a> is an irreplaceable loss in the development of medicine in Nigeria. The country has also lost a teacher of medicine to several generations of Nigerian students, doctors, professors and vice-chancellors. This legacy will ensure that a good and worthy name in Nigeria’s medical lexicon will never go away. </p>
<p>It’s also a very deep personal loss. He was a like a father to me. For several years, he was the person I called my mentor, my role model extraordinary, my adviser, my teacher, my torchbearer, my arbiter, my social mobiliser, someone I called on when I faced difficulties, my referee for all positions I had sought since 1999. And someone who always worked for the good of people – and of the nation. </p>
<p>Indeed, a man of exceptional wisdom in medicine whose house in Ibadan became the “Aso Rock” - Nigeria’s president official residence - for all practitioners seeking increased knowledge in the field of medicine.</p>
<h2>Exemplary leadership</h2>
<p>When I was <a href="https://oer.unimed.edu.ng/OTHER%20OER%20VARIETIES/1/3/F-E-Okonofua-unimed-VCs-Address-at-Founders-day--lecture.pdf">Vice-Chancellor</a> of the pioneering <a href="https://www.unimed.edu.ng/">University of Medical Sciences, Ondo,</a>, Professor Akinkugbe was my boss. He was the chairman of the Governing Council of the university. He was invited to chair the council by the state governor then, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, who felt the university needed his pre-eminence to grow its brand and lay a foundation for future growth. </p>
<p>He led the council with integrity and serenity, and brought in great wisdom, purposefulness and accountability. This pushed us to strive towards higher levels of effectiveness, transparency and accountability. He led by example, not ever asking for the luxuries of office that those in similar positions often prioritise over the real essence of the job to be done. </p>
<p>For me, of all the high profile university jobs he held during his lifetime, it is his leadership in founding the University of Medical Sciences - in his native city in Ondo - that was most endearing and most phenomenal. It will be remembered as one of his major contributions to the development of the field of medicine in Nigeria. His was a manifestation in exemplary leadership that can never be forgotten.</p>
<h2>Extraordinary history</h2>
<p>Akinkugbe attended University College, Ibadan and did his clinical studies at London Hospital before working at Kings College, London. He earned a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Science degrees from the University of London in 1958 before a doctor of medicine from the same university in 1968. He also bagged a Diploma in Tropical Medicine, Liverpool University in 1960 and PhD from Oxford University in 1964. </p>
<p>Akinkugbe worked at Adeoyo Hospital in Ibadan. He became the dean of medicine at the University of Ibadan in 1970. He was <a href="https://hallmarksoflabour.org/others/hallmarks-of-labour-volume-7/">the youngest professor of medicine </a> to be appointed by an African university. He held two honorary doctor of science degrees. One was from the <a href="https://www.unilorin.edu.ng/">University of Ilorin</a> 1982, the other a decade later from <a href="https://www.futa.edu.ng/">Federal University of Technology, Akure</a>. </p>
<p>He was also the foundation principal of the University College, Ilorin now known as <a href="https://www.unilorin.edu.ng/">University of Ilorin</a>, Nigeria. Akinkugbe also served as vice chancellor, <a href="https://www.abu.edu.ng/">Ahmadu Bello University</a>, Zaria, Nigeria. </p>
<p>Professor Akinkugbe was a reliable and trust-worthy man who would go to any length to support anyone for whom he had a strong conviction. </p>
<p>I will miss him very much. He was one of the authentic builders of modern medicine in Africa. A great ambassador of Nigeria globally with his foray in some of the world’s leading universities. Also a dependable role model and mentor and one of the most consistent advocates and promoters of good health for all Nigerians.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/141190/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Friday Okonofua does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Nigeria’s medical community is mourning the death of medical professor and university administrator, Emeritus Professor Oladipo Olujimi Akinkugbe.Friday Okonofua, Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of BeninLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1069342019-01-02T21:05:29Z2019-01-02T21:05:29ZSix ways to support new teachers to stay in the profession<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/249394/original/file-20181207-128193-dvr0pt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">It's in everyone’s best interest to have high quality teachers.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">www.shutterstock.com</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Teaching is hard. Staying in the teaching profession can sometimes be even harder. There’s a <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0004944117752478">lack of national data</a> about attrition, but the Queensland College of Teachers estimates anywhere between <a href="https://www.qct.edu.au/pdf/Retention_Research_Report_RP01.pdf">8-50%</a> of new teachers leave the profession within the first five years. </p>
<p>High workloads, perceived lack of support, work-life balance and the absence of recognition appear to <a href="https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1012946.pdf">impact</a> new teachers’ decisions to stay. Some new teachers also report a lack of job security.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/seven-reasons-people-no-longer-want-to-be-teachers-94580">Seven reasons people no longer want to be teachers</a>
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<p>Other early-career professionals, such as doctors, are provided with structured support as they transition into their careers. The <a href="https://www.aitsl.edu.au/docs/default-source/research-evidence/spotlight/spotlight---induction.pdf?sfvrsn=a44aec3c_6">Australian Institute of Teaching and School Leadership</a> (AITSL) confirms new teachers need similar support. </p>
<p>Some support initiatives have emerged from employment systems, with the funding attached to each new teacher allocated to a school. Even though there are pockets of success, a <a href="https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1057887.pdf">report</a> found support for new teachers was not equally available to all of them. Here are six ways schools can support new teachers so they can transition successfully into the profession and stay there. </p>
<h2>1. Schools and universities should work together</h2>
<p>School-university partnerships can be very useful. These partnerships can lead to <a href="https://research.acer.edu.au/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1311&context=research_conference">positive outcomes for all</a>. University staff working in collaboration with school staff can provide informed professional learning designed to build the capacity of mentor teachers to <a href="https://eprints.qut.edu.au/26869/2/26869.pdf">better support new teachers</a>. </p>
<p>It’s in everyone’s best interest to have high quality teachers. University teacher educators can work with school staff as critical friends that can guide and support the implementation of effective mentoring and induction processes. Technology can be used for these connections to overcome the tyranny of distance and time constraints. </p>
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<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/249403/original/file-20181207-128193-moory0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/249403/original/file-20181207-128193-moory0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/249403/original/file-20181207-128193-moory0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/249403/original/file-20181207-128193-moory0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/249403/original/file-20181207-128193-moory0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/249403/original/file-20181207-128193-moory0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/249403/original/file-20181207-128193-moory0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">An orientation day can help new teachers feel more comfortable in their new work environment.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">from www.shutterstock.com</span></span>
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<h2>2. A planned orientation</h2>
<p>When new teachers first arrive in schools, they likely have completed up to four professional experience placements in schools during their university program. But all schools are different, so a planned orientation is <a href="https://ro.ecu.edu.au/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1703&context=ajte">most helpful</a> in introducing new teachers to their new workplace. These practices should also be considered for new casual teachers or those employed on long term contracts.</p>
<p>Outlining the size of the school, the number of staff and their roles in the school, the timetable and an overview of the school philosophy can help new teachers feel more comfortable. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/teachers-who-feel-appreciated-are-less-likely-to-leave-the-profession-89864">Teachers who feel appreciated are less likely to leave the profession</a>
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<p>As part of any orientation, new teachers need to have access to the school intranet systems before teaching starts so they can access important information about the students in their classes. Information about students is essential in the planning of suitable and supportive lessons. A working knowledge of school resources will also support these new teachers to develop appropriate teaching programs.</p>
<p>Morning tea gatherings and welcome events can ensure newcomers are introduced to staff and the wider school community. A sense of belonging can be maximised through these initiatives and help new teachers develop collegial relationships. The goal is that beginning teachers feel they are <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10476210.2014.996746">connected to and valued</a> in their new school.</p>
<h2>3. Allocation of an effective mentor teacher</h2>
<p>The selection of a <a href="https://eprints.qut.edu.au/26869/2/26869.pdf">mentor teacher</a> needs to be given careful consideration. While a teacher may be effective in the classroom, it’s important they have the enthusiasm, personal attributes and practices to offer the support and guidance required to be an effective mentor. </p>
<p>Mentor teachers need to be prepared to dedicate time to develop a professional relationship with their mentee (the new teacher). This happens through professional conversations, active listening, confidentiality, trust, modelling lessons, providing feedback, unpacking the requirements for teaching and sharing the mentor’s professional knowledge of teaching. </p>
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<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/249402/original/file-20181207-128196-5f6ev7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/249402/original/file-20181207-128196-5f6ev7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/249402/original/file-20181207-128196-5f6ev7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/249402/original/file-20181207-128196-5f6ev7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/249402/original/file-20181207-128196-5f6ev7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/249402/original/file-20181207-128196-5f6ev7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/249402/original/file-20181207-128196-5f6ev7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Mentor teachers can pass on their professional knowledge with new teachers, but they need support too.</span>
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<p>Teachers who are selected to be mentors should also be supported. To better support new teachers professional learning should be offered to mentors to strengthen their professional knowledge. Such professional learning is available through programs such as the <a href="https://metprogram.com/">Mentoring for Effective Teaching program</a> and the <a href="https://www.emeraldinsight.com/doi/abs/10.1108/IJMCE-04-2017-0030">Mentoring Beginning Teacher program</a>. </p>
<p>As with all professional learning, there needs to be ongoing support and follow-up conversations. University partnerships can help by providing ongoing support for mentors as they guide the development of their mentee. </p>
<h2>4. Creating a school community of mentors</h2>
<p>Supporting new teachers should be a shared responsibility. Developing a community of mentors within the school culture <a href="https://www.aare.edu.au/blog/?p=3417">ensures the sustainability</a> of future mentoring support. </p>
<p>While the mentor may be the first point of call for a new teacher, school leaders and teachers with specific expertise should have the opportunity to participate. School leaders can share their knowledge of key policies and procedures while teachers with particular expertise can share their practices. Through the sharing of mentoring responsibilities new teachers <a href="https://eprints.qut.edu.au/56785/1/1._Supporting_beginning_teachers.pdf">can benefit</a> from support from the whole school.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/teachers-are-leaving-the-profession-heres-how-to-make-them-stay-52697">Teachers are leaving the profession – here's how to make them stay</a>
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<p><a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/1359866X.2014.928267">In-school professional learning</a> for new teachers can also be helpful. Schools have reported innovative ideas such as <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/999859?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents">Visiting Other Teachers</a> programs where experienced teachers share and model their expertise during the new teacher’s non-contact time. </p>
<h2>5. Ongoing strategic induction program</h2>
<p><a href="https://www.aitsl.edu.au/docs/default-source/research-evidence/spotlight/spotlight---induction.pdf?sfvrsn=a44aec3c_6">Induction</a> is often confused with orientation. For new teachers, an induction program is a <a href="https://www.aitsl.edu.au/docs/default-source/default-document-library/building_right_foundation_improving_teacher_induction_australian_schools_hay.pdf?sfvrsn=22feec3c_0">sustained professional learning program</a> that helps them make the transition to the profession. </p>
<p>Induction can be provided by the mentor teacher but it’s better if a community of mentors are involved to share responsibilities and provide a diversity of expertise. The <a href="https://www.esc19.net/cms/lib/TX01933775/Centricity/Domain/91/NT%20induction%20program.pdf">literature</a> has advocated for some time that new teacher induction be sustained for between one to three years, but most education systems advocate for two years. </p>
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<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/249404/original/file-20181207-128193-264aa7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/249404/original/file-20181207-128193-264aa7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/249404/original/file-20181207-128193-264aa7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/249404/original/file-20181207-128193-264aa7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/249404/original/file-20181207-128193-264aa7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/249404/original/file-20181207-128193-264aa7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/249404/original/file-20181207-128193-264aa7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">New teachers and their mentors may need time outside school hours to catch up.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">from www.shutterstock.com</span></span>
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<p>The induction is strategic in supporting the beginning teacher because it aligns to the activities in the school calendar. For example, in first term regular meetings may involve topics such as key school policies related to recording attendance, child protection, planning and classroom management. Term two may consist of topics such as writing student reports and parent-teacher interviews. </p>
<h2>6. Evaluation of the induction and mentoring program</h2>
<p>At the start of any induction and mentoring program, <a href="https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/5e6e/574df63c91a7e5bba0391e8dfdd5c1ff01fd.pdf">clear objectives</a> must be established. Allocation of funds need to be responsive and adjusted as the developing needs of new teachers are addressed.</p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/being-able-to-adapt-in-the-classroom-improves-teachers-well-being-95788">Being able to adapt in the classroom improves teachers' well-being</a>
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<p>For example, as the new teacher transitions to the school, more support is required. So, the allocation of funds needs to correspond. The mentor teacher and the new teacher may need time outside of school hours to share planning or participate in collegial observations to share practices for teaching. </p>
<p>By the beginning of the second year, less funding may be required as the new teacher understands the school context, the requirements and becomes more independent. The induction program and funding should then be modified to adjust to the new teacher’s development.</p>
<p>At the conclusion of each year, induction and mentoring programs can be evaluated against the objectives, with feedback from the mentors, the critical friends and the new teachers. Through reflection and evaluation, future planning can be informed and modified to better support future new teacher induction programs.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/106934/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Many new teachers leave the profession after only five years. Here are six steps schools can take to better support new teachers.Dr Suzanne Hudson, School Director, Professional Experience, Southern Cross UniversityAlexandra Lasczik, Associate Professor, Arts & Education, Southern Cross UniversitySarah James, PhD researcher, assessor, Southern Cross UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1008332018-07-31T13:31:11Z2018-07-31T13:31:11ZBongani Mayosi: South Africa’s giant of cardiology and a powerful mentor<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/229976/original/file-20180731-136649-9sghil.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Professor Bongani Mayosi was a gifted researcher.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Michael Hammond/UCT</span></span></figcaption></figure><p><em>South Africa’s medical fraternity is mourning <a href="https://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/family-devastated-by-death-of-professor-mayosi-who-struggled-with-depression-20180728">the death</a> of renowned academic and cardiologist Professor Bongani Mayosi. Mayosi, who was the Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of Cape Town, was 51-years-old. He was a <a href="http://www.nrf.ac.za/content/professor-bongani-mayosi">National Research Foundation</a> A-rated scientist.</em></p>
<p><em>Mayosi’s family issued a statement after his death in which they described his <a href="https://www.sowetanlive.co.za/news/south-africa/2018-07-28-uct-health-dean-bongani-mayosi-took-his-own-life-says-devastated-family/">battle with depression</a> and called his death “a desperate decision to end his own life”. Tributes have poured in from many of his colleagues and former students: Mayosi was a committed mentor to many young medical students. Tolullah Oni, who previously worked with Mayosi at the University of Cape Town, spoke with Zolelwa Sifumba about Mayosi’s legacy as a mentor.</em></p>
<p><strong>Tell us a little bit about yourself and how you ended up meeting Professor Mayosi.</strong></p>
<p>My name is Dr Zolelwa Sifumba; I’m an intern working at Prince Mshiyeni Hospital in KwaZulu-Natal. I am originally from the Eastern Cape and completed my medical degree at the University of Cape Town (UCT) in 2017. </p>
<p>In my junior years at UCT medical school, as a young black person I was always so inspired by the black seniors and academics on campus. They always served as an encouragement that I could also reach the status of being a well-respected professional in the field of medicine. Professor Mayosi was top of that list.</p>
<p>I remember passing him in corridors with my friends and just staring, thinking, “Wow.” As I reached my senior years I started to understand and engage with <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Bongani_Mayosi">the research</a> he did and its relevance, his accomplishments and the difference his work was making; luckily I even managed to be on a few ward rounds and in cardiology tutorials with him. </p>
<p>We met properly in painful circumstances. In 2012 I <a href="http://www.tbproof.org/who-we-are/our-team/zolelwa-sifumba/">was diagnosed</a> with Multi Drug Resistant TB because I’d been exposed to it at work. The following year, I was <a href="http://blogs.msf.org/en/patients/authors/zolelwa-sifumba">struggling</a> with the treatment and its side effects. Professor Mayosi helped bridge the information gap between me and my family; they were far away at the time. He advised my parents that the insertion and use of a port to receive the injectable TB medication would be the best option to ensure my survival. </p>
<p>Later, he motivated for a much needed leave of absence from medical school. Honestly, that saved my life.</p>
<p>He managed to reassure my parents that taking time off to recover fully would not negatively affect my prospects of returning to complete my degree.</p>
<p><strong>How did he influence you as a medical student, and now as a medical intern?</strong></p>
<p>Through his example and great achievements, he taught me the importance of hard work and that even I could make a difference in the world.</p>
<p>In tutorials, he taught us not just the basics of cardiology but also to think critically when learning – not only to read but to try to understand. He taught us to also be human with patients. While watching him on ward rounds, he taught me a level of confidence, clinical knowledge and excellence to aspire to. </p>
<p><strong>I know that your experience has influenced your passion to work as an advocate for the health and well-being of health professionals. Can you speak to what lessons you’ll take from Professor Mayosi into this and other aspects of your work and life in future?</strong></p>
<p>Professor Mayosi encouraged the advocacy work I do around the health of health care professionals. We were also in conversation about how to increase awareness at medical school around issues of occupational exposure to TB. </p>
<p>I was especially looking forward to engaging with him on this, as I felt he understood my plight after having seen me suffer through TB; he would do all he could to ensure that I was able to assist our faculty in instituting a TB programme.</p>
<p>This support was not limited to his time as Dean. While he was Head of the Department of Medicine at Groote Schuur Hospital, he invited me to address senior management on matters regarding TB on campus, which was amazing for me. It showed that he not only understood my fight, but would fully support me. </p>
<p>After the meeting he gave me pointers to look at and tackle to reach the next level of seeing my dreams for the faculty becoming a reality, which was so encouraging. To have the Dean of a medical school who is an accomplished world renowned scientist agree with you, support you and allow you opportunities to make a difference was honestly incredible.</p>
<p>He showed me that my fight was relevant and that he supported it, which taught me to continue to fight and advocate for change.</p>
<p><strong>Clearly he was a powerful mentor. Why are good mentors so important in a field like medicine?</strong></p>
<p>The presence of good mentors serves as encouragement that it’s possible to reach heights you never knew existed. Their presence serves as a guide as to how to become what you want to become, also at times further stretching definitions of greatness. Their presence creates an environment that bolsters the strive for greatness within others. They serve to inspire, to educate, to show the way forward, to encourage, to work with, to lead and for us to follow.</p>
<p>Professor Mayosi was a great mentor to me. In losing him to mental illness, I am reminded that we are all human. This illness, which I and many others have suffered with, has nothing to do with being weak. It’s a part of the human condition for many of us and I pray that through this, many will begin to engage on the issue of mental well-being in health care workers.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/100833/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Tolullah Oni does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>South African Professor Bongani Mayosi was a great mentor to many. Losing him to mental illness is a reminder that we are all human.Tolullah Oni, Clinical Senior Research Associate, MRC Epidemiology Unit, University of CambridgeLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/732802017-02-28T14:52:44Z2017-02-28T14:52:44ZGood mentorship has the power to unlock university students’ potential<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/158490/original/image-20170227-26337-ldh84p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Good mentoring can open up entirely new worlds for university students.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>When I sent out an informal notice to my computer science students offering mentorship to anyone who wanted it, I wasn’t expecting many replies. After all, how many students rush to get involved in voluntary activities when they’re already so busy with academic work?</p>
<p>I was wrong. </p>
<p>Within two days 40 students had signed up. More requests followed – five of them from students who don’t even attend my university. The mentorship program kicked off in September 2016 and has been running for nearly six months. </p>
<p>In that time the students and I have learned a great deal about what it takes to mentor and be mentored in a structured, meaningful way. </p>
<p>There’s a vast amount of research evidence that proves how valuable mentorship can be. It improves students’ <a href="http://www.academia.edu/6993034/EFFECTS_OF_MENTORING_AND_INCULCATING_LIFE_SKILLS_TO_UNIVERSITY_STUDENTS_A_CASE_STUDY_OF_DAYSTAR_UNIVERSITY_PRE-UNIVERSITY">academic performance</a> and, at its best, also equips them with the skills they’ll need to excel in a <a href="http://www.mentoring.org/why-mentoring/mentoring-impact/">professional environment</a>.</p>
<p>I have started to see all of this for myself, and have learned a number of lessons about what works when it comes to good mentoring programs. These lessons may be valuable to others who want to establish mentoring programs at their own universities.</p>
<h2>Ask questions before you start</h2>
<p>I conducted a survey to determine what the students expected and whether they’d had any prior experience with mentoring. 83% had never been mentors or mentees. My next step, using their survey answers, was to categorise students’ expectations into themes so I could tailor the mentorship program to these.</p>
<p>Four themes emerged: professional development, innovation, community involvement, peer-mentorship, and scholarship. </p>
<p><strong>Professional development:</strong> 80% of the students said they wanted to work on their “soft” skills, such as the ability to express their skills in a scholarship or a job interview, confidence in presentations, and their writing skills. All of this was in a bid to become all-rounded graduates. This suggests that highly structured university curricula may not be enough: students may need additional support to prepare them for the working world.</p>
<p><strong>Innovation:</strong> most of the students said they wanted to improve their ability to develop quality ICT solutions, and to increase their confidence to participate in collaborative software projects. The students worried that the university curriculum may not be drawing from cutting-edge industry standards, leaving them at a disadvantage once they graduate.</p>
<p><strong>Community involvement:</strong> 60% of the students said they hadn’t participated in or attended a tech event while at university. And 83% hadn’t been involved in any peer-to-peer mentoring where they could learn from each other. The best teaching must happen within lecture halls, but students need to connect with each other and with different forums outside the classroom.</p>
<p><strong>Scholarship:</strong> Many of the students weren’t aware of the many scholarship or grant opportunities available through the university or external organisations. They also had little experience in how to write a good scholarship application.</p>
<p>Armed with all of this information, I was able to design a mentorship program that directly addressed the students’ needs.</p>
<h2>Responding to students’ needs</h2>
<p>We’ve focused on responding to the four themes students identified in the survey. For instance, the students have attended writing workshops as well as “soft” skill workshops hosted by industry professionals. Some have even attended international conferences, giving them a chance to develop their networking skills and meet professionals in the ICT industry.</p>
<p>There’s also been a lot of work around the issue of collaboration and innovation. The mentees have been involved in collaborative sessions with other Kenyan tech institutions like Moringa School and Nairobits. Some have also participated in Google’s Hashcode online programming competition for the very first time.</p>
<p>Some of mentees have taken the initiative and registered Kenya Methodist University’s Nairobi Campus’ first ever Computer Science Society. This organisation encourages students to get involved in software design and programming competitions.</p>
<p>Networking has been crucial. Whenever I get an invitation to speak at or attend any tech event, I ask whether I can bring my mentees along. </p>
<p>In some cases, the mentees have become mentors: they’ve volunteered to work with other students, participated in outreach activities at local tech schools and have even taught classes on software development aspects such as <a href="https://github.com/">GitHub</a>, a collaborative platform where programming projects can be hosted; web design, and programming using Java and C++. </p>
<p>The feedback from students attending the peer-training has been overwhelmingly positive, with 100% of the attendees asking for additional classes. </p>
<p>There’s also been great success on the scholarship front. The students now feel empowered to apply for scholarships or similar support. <a href="https://www.kemu.ac.ke/index.php/news-items/573-one-of-our-students-is-a-grace-hopper-scholarship-winner">Nyariak Deng</a>’ became the first-ever student from our university to attend the 2016 Grace Hopper Conference in Houston, Texas, on a full scholarship from Anita Borg Institute. This is the largest annual gathering of women technologists in the world.</p>
<p>Her achievement is particularly worth celebrating since 70% of those studying computing at my university are men. It is crucial to encourage women students to get involved in mentorship programs. </p>
<p>But it’s also important to note that the mentoring program I run is open to both men and women – universities shouldn’t ignore male students who need support and assistance.</p>
<h2>Mentoring matters</h2>
<p>All of this has proved to me how much university mentoring programs can offer. The quality of higher education in Kenya has been <a href="http://www.nation.co.ke/news/World-Bank-raises-concern-over-Kenya-s-graduates/-/1056/2893556/-/14wh4u2z/-/index.html">repeatedly criticised</a>. Some of the “fixes” are obvious: hire more quality academics, improve research culture and improve university facilities.</p>
<p>But immersive, active mentorship is also vital. It is a way to introduce students to the world of work in more ways than just through curriculum and classroom activities. </p>
<p>It is also a way to keep academics engaged and excited about their work. I am humbled to have recently been nominated for a “<a href="http://www.kenyanvibe.com/kenyan-women-trailblazers-feted-zuri-awards/">Zuri Award</a>” which recognises women who contribute positively to their communities in Kenya. This recognition, along with the mentees’ excitement, has given me the much needed impetus to continue holding the ladder for students in computer science.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/73280/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>A Women Techmaker's mentorship session that formed part of this mentorship program was funded by Google. </span></em></p>Mentoring programs can be enormously valuable for students, both in terms of their academic performance and their professional development.Dr. Chao Mbogho, Researcher and Lecturer of Computer Science, Mentor, Kenya Methodist UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/627202016-07-29T05:58:31Z2016-07-29T05:58:31ZAfrican philosophy needs to blossom. Being exclusionary won’t help<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/131437/original/image-20160721-32633-3kf87r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Devotees of the popular series “Game of Thrones” may recall Jaime Lannister’s fatal, but memorable, quip: “The things we do for love”. He said this just before hurling a ten-year-old boy down a high castle wall.</p>
<p>The boy’s “crime”? He’d caught Lannister in an incestuous embrace with his sister, Cersei. One can only truly fathom the enormity of Lannister’s wicked shove by becoming simultaneously acquainted with the intensity of his love for his sister. Love, or a certain way of loving, shows itself to be exclusive. It is always seeking to rid itself of the “outsider”. </p>
<p>Academic philosophy, too, is a love affair – with wisdom. But it’s one that, like the Lannisters’, comes with a distinctively dark side.</p>
<p>Much of academic philosophy is openly and unashamedly in love with the idea of the West as destiny. It loves the West’s culture, history and thinkers, to the exclusion of the other. And this other is everything African.</p>
<p>This is all happening right here in Africa. It is, to borrow American philosopher Paul Taylor’s <a href="http://philosophy.la.psu.edu/directory/pct2">phrase</a>, philosophy “corrupted”.</p>
<h2>Too much in common</h2>
<p>Some have seen the light and decided it’s time for “transformation” – a magical word that, in the mouths of a few, seems to promise more than it can deliver. These people have suggested a new state for academic philosophy in Africa; an alternate world to what currently exists at the continent’s universities.</p>
<p>The problem is that, for some, this “transformed” world of African philosophy has much in common with its Western counterpart. It comes with clearly defined geographical boundaries, strict rules of admittance and non-negotiable terms of legitimate citizenship. It has self-appointed gatekeepers. They bicker about who belongs and who doesn’t. They seem to think that politicking about identity and belonging is a necessary first step towards transformation. This, too, is becoming African philosophy’s dark side. </p>
<p>The seed for this sort of thinking was already sown in the early days of the formation of the canon of contemporary African philosophy. Benin’s <a href="http://hutchinscenter.fas.harvard.edu/paulin-hountondji">Paulin Hountondji</a> in his book, “<a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/221497?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents">African Philosophy: Myth and Reality</a>”, sought to distinguish what is mythical and what is real about African philosophy and in the process suggested that African philosophy is philosophy done by Africans. </p>
<p>As would later become clear, Hountondji’s primary interest was in seeing the development of a discursive tradition of African philosophy rooted in scientific rigour. This was instead of merely proposing an African identity as prerequisite for doing African philosophy.</p>
<p>But definitions, especially uncomplicated ones, have a way of prevailing with philosophers. So “African philosophy” was immediately assumed by many to be a philosophy practised by Africans – in the geo-ethnic sense of the word. These people belong to ethnic groups situated in the geographical area called Africa. This definition excludes those who may be Africans but trace their ethnic identity elsewhere.</p>
<p>This laid down the condition of legitimate citizenship; the basis of differentiation between the African and non-African Africanist philosopher; a sense of belonging and exclusion.</p>
<p>It is worth thinking about how the politics of identity in African philosophy might inhibit the aims of transformation – of giving academic philosophy an African face. Let’s ask a plain question: is the vocation to teach, research and publish on African philosophy the preserve only of black Africans? </p>
<h2>Silencing of black voices</h2>
<p>It may be argued that a certain kind of evil is perpetrated where non-African – here I mean white – philosophers take up this vocation: the continued silencing of black philosopher’s voices. The muzzling of marginal and specifically black voices in academic philosophy is systematic. It figures within a historical pattern of white savagery. </p>
<p>But the cure for this sort of silencing is not to have non-African, white philosophers shut their mouths and retire their pens. Instead, systemic barriers must be repaired. Black philosophers will need to be trained and employed in philosophy departments across the continent. Journals that have traditionally blocked black voices from being heard must begin to publish these philosophers.</p>
<p>The transformation agenda will suffer if an African identity is a precondition for teaching, researching and publishing in African philosophy. This precondition would be a let off for non-African, white philosophers on the continent who aren’t yet disposed to avail themselves as agents of transformation. </p>
<p>Regrettably, this breed of philosophers populates and still colonises philosophy departments – certainly in South Africa, where I’m based. Ruling them out on account of their illegitimate status as citizens of the imagined African nation equips them with enough of a reason to be mere onlookers in the process of transformation. This perpetuates the “corruption” of philosophy I referred to earlier. </p>
<p>Non-African, white philosophers should, because of their epistemic location and current employment in South African philosophy departments, be agents of the transformation agenda. </p>
<h2>The responsibility of white philosophers</h2>
<p>This shouldn’t be optional. These people have a responsibility to teach, research and, where possible, publish on African philosophy: on <a href="http://www.scielo.org.za/pdf/ahrlj/v11n2/11.pdf"><em>ubuntu</em> morality</a>, Kwasi Wiredu’s <a href="http://www.iep.utm.edu/wiredu/">Akan notion of truth</a> and <a href="https://www.rep.routledge.com/articles/yoruba-epistemology/v-1">Yoruba epistemology</a>. If they can’t, it may be a matter of incompetence rather than identity.</p>
<p>They should actively seek out and mentor promising black philosophy students to become faculty members who will replace them. Again, if they can’t, it has nothing to do with identity. It’s all about disposition. </p>
<p>After all, some non-African, white philosophers with an Africanist bent are already in the business of doing this. It is no use helping others evade the responsibility they have to this place. Nor should those who are already assuming that responsibility be scrutinised simply because they are not African. Transformation in philosophy is not about the politics of belonging and exclusion.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/62720/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Oritsegbubemi Oyowe does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Much of academic philosophy, even on the African continent, is openly and unashamedly in love with the idea of the West as destiny.Oritsegbubemi Oyowe, Lecturer of Philosophy, University of the Western CapeLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/622322016-07-13T20:56:54Z2016-07-13T20:56:54ZWant to do your PhD in Africa? Here’s what you need to know<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/129845/original/image-20160708-24067-lrhpc7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Embarking on the path to a PhD is a scary business.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>A Doctor of Philosophy, which most people know as a PhD, is the highest academic accolade. It demands a substantial investment of time, equipment, meticulous supervision and conscientiousness.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.scidev.net/global/education/multimedia/map-phd-enrolment-africa.html">More and more students</a> are registering for doctoral studies across Africa. They’re doing so in pursuit of higher qualifications and better future career opportunities. But many are left floundering when they try to actually get working on their PhDs. Masters’ programmes simply don’t equip students with the research skills they need, nor the conceptual thinking and critical analysis that’s so important for PhD study.</p>
<p>So what is holding Africa’s PhD candidates back and what can be done differently? To answer these questions, I’ve drawn from lessons learnt while working with a group of fellows in the <a href="http://cartafrica.org/">Consortium for Advanced Research Training in Africa</a> (CARTA). This is a consortium of nine African public universities that supports 140 fellows who are pursuing PhDs in population and public health. Their experiences and concerns may help others who are embarking on the tough, sometimes lonely journey to obtaining a PhD.</p>
<h2>The dark alleys of research</h2>
<p>The CARTA fellows are mostly full-time faculty members, usually assistant lecturers or lecturers. They are talented, well respected and have the potential to be developed into research leaders. But evaluations conducted with the latest cohort reveal that none of these factors keep them from battling with even the basics of starting their PhD work.</p>
<p>One of the problems lies with the structure of masters’ programmes in Africa. These tend to last for two or three years. They’re traditionally assumed to be the foundation for career advancement in academia. But their focus tends to be on a strong component of course work, with limited opportunities for serious research. And research, of course, is the backbone of any PhD degree.</p>
<p>When research is included in masters’ programmes, the scope of the work is narrow and the quality of supervision is poor. Candidates are left to flounder in the dark alleys of research. In Kenya, where I am based, it is very rare for masters’ students to produce work that’s good enough to publish in peer-reviewed journals. Their work doesn’t influence policy- and decision-making. Masters’ graduates get a feather in their cap, but that’s really all.</p>
<p>During their evaluations, the fellows said they were struggling to comprehend the philosophical underpinnings of their research topics. They seem not to know that research methodologies are informed by diverse paradigms. Those from “hard” sciences backgrounds indicated that they didn’t understand philosophy nor see its value to research.</p>
<p>Most have difficulty in identifying the research gap in their topic of interest and insist that the topic has not been studied in the geographical area they’re focusing on. They fail to appreciate that the essence of PhD research is to generate new knowledge and that one cannot contribute to this without a clear understanding about the current state of affairs in their subject.</p>
<p>Our work has found that many PhD students are apathetic about searching for and reading relevant articles. They don’t have the basic software skills needed to search databases and often haven’t heard of open-source software that might make their task easier and cheaper.</p>
<p>Without reading and a critical appraisal of sources, the students really battle to develop a workable research question. A good number end up joining sentences derived from various journals conveniently to create what is submitted as the literature review. The write-up lacks logic and coherence, and is marked by high levels of plagiarism.</p>
<p>One problem leads to another: most students struggle to understand and develop theoretical and conceptual frameworks for their proposed study.</p>
<p>Some of the approaches we’re trying through CARTA might really improve people’s experiences of their PhDs. They have certainly boosted the fellows’ experience of this challenging academic journey.</p>
<h2>Jump-starting the journey</h2>
<p>CARTA has developed a month-long residential seminar during which new students are equipped with the necessary skills and competencies to jump-start their doctoral journey.</p>
<p>Topics in the curriculum include knowledge philosophy; reading, writing and referencing; and how to develop a good research question and a conceptual framework. The seminars are learner-centred, with space for group work and one-on-one consultations. Since the seminars are residential, the fellows also get to spend lots of time with each other, sharing ideas and advice, and with mentors.</p>
<p>Feedback from previous seminars has suggested that this approach is really working. Fellows say that they find the sessions very helpful and this is obvious in the quality of their work. Some have even changed their PhD topics because of the seminars and are comfortable defending their new ideas when they return to their institutions.</p>
<p>Of course, PhD students must bear a great deal of the responsibility for bringing their research to life. They ought to know that one cannot lead a pedestrian life and expect to receive the highest possible academic accolade. It requires hard work, commitment and developing the skills I’ve outlined here.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/62232/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Peter Ngure is the Programme Manager of the Consortium for Advanced Research Training in Africa (CARTA) at the Africa Population and Health Research Center (APHRC) in Nairobi.</span></em></p>Many people are left floundering when they try to get working on their PhDs. In Africa, this is often because the skills they need haven’t been developed earlier in their academic careers.Peter Ngure, Associate Professor of Parasitology and Entomology, African Population and Health Research CenterLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/512592015-12-04T04:26:53Z2015-12-04T04:26:53ZHow an induction year can make all the difference to novice teachers<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/103843/original/image-20151201-26582-9uhjgr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Moroccan teacher Moulay Ismael Lamrani with his class. Research suggests that an induction year is extremely valuable for teachers just entering the profession.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Youssef Boudlal/Reuters</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>New teachers have several options once their degrees are finished. Some want to study further, whether in their subject area or cutting across to broader issues like special needs education or education policy. Others hope to travel, teach overseas and learn about different countries’ school systems.</p>
<p>In South Africa, according to an internal planning report by the Department of Higher Education, more than 15,000 new teachers are expected to graduate from universities in 2015. </p>
<p>Research shows that the first year at work is <a href="https://theconversation.com/improving-student-teachers-in-school-experiences-is-a-smart-investment-44785">toughest</a> for novice teachers. Some may be barely older than their learners, or daunted by having to manage large classroom groups. Some may feel intimidated that they have to master enough content knowledge to teach all the subjects in the primary school curriculum. Some may feel overwhelmed by the social problems in the community surrounding the school.</p>
<p>How best can the education system support these new teachers in such a way that they become competent and confident while also retaining their passion, enthusiasm and idealism? One possible intervention is induction, where novice teachers receive structured mentoring and support by more experienced teachers in their first year or two at work. </p>
<p>This has <a href="http://www.newteacher.com/pdf/PDK_Article_Jan05.pdf">worked well</a> in countries as diverse as Switzerland, France, China, New Zealand and Japan – and there is evidence to suggest it could be very useful in South Africa. </p>
<h2>A long term investment</h2>
<p>The South African Council of Educators has <a href="http://www.702.co.za/articles/5335/new-teachers-to-undergo-a-year-of-induction-from-2017">mooted the introduction</a> of an induction year from 2017. The statutory body <a href="http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/Teachers-set-for-induction-year-20150921">believes</a> that induction can promote the image of teaching by helping to identify those who are not able to live up to the profession’s required ethical standards.</p>
<p>I recently attended a presentation by independent education specialist Martin Prew for the Centre of Development and Enterprise in Johannesburg. Prew argued that induction enhances teacher effectiveness, strengthens teaching skills, helps with professional socialisation and, most importantly, has been shown globally to <a href="http://repository.upenn.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1127&context=gse_pubs">lower teacher attrition</a>. </p>
<p>Nobody will contest the value of providing support to novice teachers. But the nature of this support, and how best to implement it, still needs much discussion. </p>
<p>Stanford University’s Linda Darling-Hammond, who has <a href="http://learningforward.org/docs/pdf/nsdcstudy2009.pdf">researched</a> the issue extensively, told the Centre of Development and Enterprise there were several key factors for effective induction. These include:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>trained mentors who can give useful feedback;</p></li>
<li><p>opportunities to view and analyse good classroom practice;</p></li>
<li><p>a reduced load for beginner teachers;</p></li>
<li><p>shared planning time; and</p></li>
<li><p>additional learning experiences such as seminars about assessment, how to work with parents, and so on. </p></li>
</ul>
<p>This is much more than the general orientation to school rules and policies that often goes under the guise of induction. It requires far more time and commitment than is often available to senior teachers in the busy school year.</p>
<p>What, then, are some of the issues that should be considered as South Africa sets about designing an induction programme for new teachers?</p>
<h2>Time, training, cost and certification</h2>
<p>The first issue is time. This must be built into the crowded school day so that new and experienced teachers can get together and talk in earnest and thoughtful ways about their challenges, interventions and suggestions. Those designing the induction system must ensure that the pressures of a full curriculum and a myriad of administrative tasks do not mean such talk remains perfunctory, without analysis and reflection. </p>
<p>The second issue is that of training. An experienced teacher is not the same as a good mentor. Once mentors are identified, they themselves may need guidance on how best to support new teachers. The question of who will provide this training is at this stage not clear. </p>
<p>Cost is the third issue. School-based mentoring, which is sensitive to the context of the individual teacher and school, and is grounded in practice, has been shown to be <a href="http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/13611260220133117">most effective</a> in the long run. However, a standardised model of mentor training will be cheaper to implement, as one set of guidelines can be developed and teachers can be trained in a centralised venue. </p>
<p>Finally, there is the matter of certification. Presently it is universities which have the legal competence to provide qualified teacher status. If full qualification status becomes dependent on passing the induction year, a new framework of certification will need to be developed with its own rules and requirements, as well as its own bureaucracy and quality assurance mechanisms. </p>
<p>It is very doubtful that this is desirable in a system which already struggles with the capacity to carry out its work. </p>
<h2>An important discussion</h2>
<p>None of these considerations should detract from seriously considering the introduction of teacher induction. Any intervention that can support new teachers and add value to the teaching profession is worth exploring. </p>
<p>All those involved in teacher preparation should look forward to a deep discussion about the purpose and potential of induction, and careful planning as to how this might be achieved.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/51259/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Maureen Robinson does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>The first year at work is the toughest for novice teachers. Induction, guided by more experienced teachers, has proved an effective solution all over the world.Maureen Robinson, Dean, Faculty of Education, Stellenbosch UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/478942015-11-11T04:09:30Z2015-11-11T04:09:30ZUniversities must rethink how they retain and nurture young academics<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/101053/original/image-20151106-16258-1p178bi.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Producing brilliant graduates is one thing – developing and nurturing those who want to remain in academia is quite another.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Jason Reed/Reuters</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>In the years after South Africa became a democracy, the country’s universities began a tough process of change. They worked to improve access for students across the board of race and gender. They introduced a number of “accelerated development” programs designed to diversify their staff bodies. It was correctly deemed important that universities did not remain almost exclusively the domain of white South Africans.</p>
<p>These “accelerated development” programs had names like “Growing our own timber” to emphasise <a href="http://mg.co.za/article/2012-10-05-00-training-new-academics-is-a-complex-challenge">their focus</a> on attracting and retaining young black African, Coloured and Indian academics. Similar programs <a href="http://www.mckinsey.com/insights/leading_in_the_21st_century/why_leadership-development_programs_fail">are run</a> – not just in academia – and <a href="http://wiseli.engr.wisc.edu/docs/Benefits_Challenges.pdf">discussions</a> are still taking place <a href="https://theconversation.com/there-are-fewer-than-100-black-professors-in-britain-why-24088">around the world</a>.</p>
<p>On the face of it, South African universities’ programs included all of the classic and essential support structures for developing a new generation of academics. Participants were offered mentoring and support for their teaching and research. </p>
<p>So, did they succeed? If we look quite literally on the face of it – by examining staff demographics – it seems not. University staff bodies, particularly at the country’s wealthier and better resourced institutions, remain <a href="https://africacheck.org/reports/how-many-professors-are-there-in-sa/">mainly white</a> 21 years into South Africa’s democracy. Why have these programs failed – and what can be done to improve them in future?</p>
<h2>Stumbling blocks to success</h2>
<p>There are several reasons that talent retention programs have not worked. One is that many young academics leave universities after completing a Master’s or PhD because they can earn significantly more in government or the private sector. The other is <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/oct/06/south-africa-race-black-professors">a lack of</a> effective mechanisms within universities for identifying and mentoring young black students.</p>
<p>Then there’s the more challenging issue of alienating institutional cultures. Some young academics don’t feel valued by their university. In some cases, participants on these programs and their assigned mentors come from different cultural backgrounds and have divergent world views. They have little in common with their mentors, so may struggle to develop their academic identities without giving up their own views and values in order to “fit in”.</p>
<p>Another problem is that many participants are recruited into these programs at the same universities where they studied. This requires a shift of their identity and mindset from student to staff member. </p>
<p>Associated with this is the challenge of interacting with new “colleagues” who, just a few years earlier, were their lecturers. These power dynamics may significantly influence the retention of staff on these accelerated development programs.</p>
<h2>Change can’t happen in a vacuum</h2>
<p>The first rush of “grow our own timber” programs has passed. New programs <a href="http://mg.co.za/article/2012-10-05-00-training-new-academics-is-a-complex-challenge">are emerging</a>. But the question of staff transformation – ensuring that a university’s staff are representative of varied genders and races – remains a <a href="https://www.cput.ac.za/storage/services/transformation/ministerial_report_transformation_social_cohesion.pdf">burning issue</a> in South Africa. </p>
<p>Some universities, my own among them, responded to this renewed focus on transformation by attempting to facilitate dialogue sessions in so-called “safe spaces”. Here they tried to uncover the difficulties faced by Black and Coloured academics on the one hand, and Indian and white academics on the other. </p>
<p>Such spaces for open discussion are vital, but I believe it’s time to shift beyond our fears and explore these difficult and sensitive issues <em>together</em> rather than in individual racial groups.</p>
<p>An integrated approach is key in more than one way. Accelerated development programs have a much greater chance of success if these are integrated into broader institutional work towards transformation, rather than occurring in vacuums in different parts of universities. </p>
<p>Ideally, these programs should include the transformation of staff bodies, the curriculum and institutional governing bodies like senates and councils. This broader, systemic approach will also ensure that such changes become embedded in the academic project. </p>
<p>It might also positively influence the academic pipeline. Black students might identify more strongly with black role models who share the same cultural backgrounds, beliefs and values, which could inspire students to further their studies. This means the pool of qualified black postgraduates who could be recruited into the academy would be widened, and genuine long-term change can be achieved. </p>
<h2>Hard conversations</h2>
<p>Regardless of the institutional approach taken to address transformation, what is critical for success is deep mutual respect and a willingness to see other perspectives, <em>and</em> be shaped by them. Only then can institutional culture be shifted and transformation goals achieved. However, meaningful discussions across racial lines in a multi-racial, multi-cultural setting are naturally awkward and difficult. They are also often dominated by the most senior voices. </p>
<p>Such discussions also tend to uncover deep-seated, “below-the-surface” beliefs and personal biases – some which we might not even be consciously aware of or want to acknowledge. But it is for these very reasons that we must engage in open, honest conversations. Doing so will help us all understand ourselves better, and will enable us to widen our perspectives and find common ground. </p>
<p>One of the best environments for finding common ground is in cross-faculty staff development programs and workshops facilitated by academic development staff. These offer academic staff a chance to reflect on issues impacting teaching and learning in environments. </p>
<p>The workshops also tend to be designed to promote learning through shared experiences, and it is often in these moments of sharing that staff realise how common and widespread some of their more hidden challenges actually are. </p>
<p>To promote greater participation and reflection, academic developers should aim to create supportive, caring and ethically safe learning environments. These will facilitate deeper dialogue and the sharing of more contentious issues and challenges as well as promoting the development of valuable networks amongst new staff. </p>
<p>This may lead to a greater sense of belonging and value – arguably the most <a href="http://www.academicjournals.org/app/webroot/article/article1380550130_Samuel%20and%20Chipunza%20pdf.pdf">critical factors</a> in staff retention, irrespective of race group.</p>
<p>The transformation project in higher education in South Africa can no longer be ignored. The sooner we embrace unconventional and more inclusive ways of building the next generation of academic staff, the sooner we will be able to transcend the lingering legacy of our apartheid past.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/47894/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Kershree Padayachee does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Universities in South Africa have tried to “grow their own timber” in a bid to diversify staff bodies. These programs haven’t been wildly successful. Why, and what can be done differently?Kershree Padayachee, Senior Lecturer (Academic Development), University of the WitwatersrandLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/469162015-09-04T10:35:16Z2015-09-04T10:35:16ZThe secret to a college football coach’s success<p>With the new college football season upon us, fans across the country are hoping their team could be the one crowned national champion on January 11 2016 in <a href="http://www.collegefootballplayoff.com/university-of-phoenix-stadium">Glendale, Arizona’s University of Phoenix Stadium</a>. Of course, who is ultimately successful will depend a lot on the talents of their players – and a healthy dose of luck. </p>
<p>Oh, and let’s not forget about the coach. </p>
<p>There are just a handful of coaches who have excelled at creating successful, sustainable programs over the course of many years. Nick Saban, Urban Meyer, Mark Dantonio and Gary Patterson come to mind. </p>
<p>How do they do it?</p>
<p>While all have their specific plans, I believe the most successful coaches emphasize success beyond the playing field. That may sound like a cliché, but it has to be more than just a platitude. There has to be a system.</p>
<p>After all, the stakes are too high for colleges and universities to employ coaches that are not dialed into their players’ developmental needs. We need only recall the <a href="http://sports.yahoo.com/news/ncaab--why-don-t-college-athletes-call-out-abusive-coaches--222535612.html?nf=1">recent scandal</a> involving former Rutgers basketball coach Mike Rice, who was fired after administrators discovered a pattern of abusive behaviors displayed toward his student athletes.</p>
<p>Ultimately, it’s coaches who are closely attuned to their players’ social and emotional development that seem to have higher degrees of sustainable, on-field success. </p>
<h2>Rites of passage: turning boys into men</h2>
<p>In an <a href="http://journals.humankinetics.com/iscj-current-issue/iscj-volume-2-issue-3-september/turning-boys-into-men-the-incentive-based-system-in-urban-meyerrsquos-plan-to-win">article</a> for the International Sport Coaching Journal, I present a case study with Urban Meyer, coach of The Ohio State University Buckeyes. The hope is to show how his particular system bears striking resemblance to a modern-day rite of passage. </p>
<p>The literature on <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rite_of_passage">rites of passage</a> (also known as rituals of initiation) identifies three main phases through which children become adults: </p>
<ul>
<li><p>it begins with a separation phase, one that marks the beginning movement out of the individual’s childhood status</p></li>
<li><p>next, the transformation phase involves a “betwixt and between” period of uncertainty, characterized by wavering back and forth from less mature to more mature behaviors </p></li>
<li><p>finally, the reincorporation phase represents the individual’s integration of the attitudes, values and behaviors required of prosocial adults.</p></li>
</ul>
<p>There is overwhelming acceptance of the historical importance of <a href="http://rope.org/">rites of passage</a>, especially in terms of their use to foster cohesiveness within social groups. </p>
<p>Additionally, the absence of separation, transformation and reincorporation experiences in contemporary society is thought to be <a href="http://ncsu.edu/ffci/publications/2007/v12-n2-2007-summer-fall/scheer.php">significantly related</a> to youth violence, drug and alcohol use, gang involvement, bullying and delinquency. </p>
<p>These dysfunctional behaviors are believed to be the misguided attempts of young people to create rites of passage for themselves, in the absence of mentors or positive influences.</p>
<h2>Urban Meyer: the quintessential coach</h2>
<p>Why choose Urban Meyer as a case study? </p>
<p>Well, I have to admit that ease of access plays a part for me, since we both work at the same university. But Meyer is a worthy subject. After fielding two national football championship teams at the University of Florida during the 2006 and 2008 seasons, he led the 2014 Ohio State University Buckeyes to the first-ever <a href="http://www.collegefootballplayoff.com/">College Football Playoff National Championship</a>. </p>
<p>Throughout his 13-year career as a head coach, his teams have won five conference championships and twice (2004 at Utah and 2012 at Ohio State) have registered undefeated seasons. It’s hard to argue with those kinds of triumphs on the field.</p>
<p>But I believe his efforts to create <em>off-the-field</em> success for his players are closely tied to his teams’ on-the-field accomplishments. </p>
<p>Underlying these efforts is what Urban Meyer has dubbed his “Plan to Win,” a competitiveness doctrine based on a set of core values for players that includes behavioral commandments (honesty, respect for women, no drugs, no stealing and no weapons) and a strong emphasis on classroom success.</p>
<h2>Color-coordinating a ‘Plan to Win’</h2>
<p>The key component of the Plan to Win is what he has named his Blue-Red-Gold (BRG) incentive system. Three color-coded stages – Blue, Red, and Gold – represent a ladder of privileges climbed by players as they display mature behavior both on the field and off. </p>
<p>As Meyer explained in a 2012 Columbus Dispatch <a href="http://buckeyextra.dispatch.com/content/stories/2012/03/11/gold-diggers.html">article</a>: </p>
<blockquote>
<p>Blue stands for child, which means ill-equipped, defiant, disinterested. So if you’re in blue, we don’t think very highly of you, and we make that very clear. And every freshman who comes into the program is blue, for example… Guys who are red get nicer gear. If they want to change numbers, if they want to get a visor, if they want to move off campus, the answer for them then is maybe. You get up to gold, you do what you’ve got to do because gold means you’re a grown man. We don’t tell you when to study, things like that. Gold means you deserve to be treated like a man.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>The BRG system is a comprehensive player motivation method that contains a variety of inputs and outcomes. Meyer and his coaches closely monitor player adherence to academic demands and behavioral expectations across all status levels, with meaningful rewards bestowed for appropriate behavior – alongside swift consequences for infractions. </p>
<p>Transitions in status (up or down) are handled by the entire coaching staff, who meet as a group every week to discuss player progress and deliberate possible transitions. When the coaches decide to promote a player, an announcement is made to the entire team in the form of a “graduation ceremony” that recognizes the player’s newfound “status.”</p>
<h2>Transforming performance on – and off – the field</h2>
<p>The BRG incentive-based system mirrors the rites of passage conceptual framework discussed earlier. </p>
<p>Blue can be equated with the status of a young child and, as such, beginning movement out of this status parallels the “separation” component of the rite of passage. </p>
<p>In turn, red is equated with a middle stage, similar to the “betwixt and between” state of adolescence that is marked by a “transformative” stage of development. </p>
<p>Finally, gold status represents the adult stage of development and all of the privileges and responsibilities associated with this marker of full maturity.</p>
<p>Meyer’s BRG system is so successful because the expectations are clear about what it means to grow up in the eyes of the coaching staff, and the behaviors that players must enact in order to achieve that status are well-defined.</p>
<p>When everyone’s on the same page off the field, it makes it easier to work as a cohesive unit – and win – on the field.</p>
<h2>A recipe for success in sports – and all walks of life</h2>
<p>Simultaneously, there is an explicit recognition that coaches serve as powerful male role models for their players. </p>
<p>For example, Meyer regularly hosts Family Night dinners so that players are exposed to the coaches and how they act around their loved ones. </p>
<p>There is a more spiritual component to this work as well, with various community engagement activities centered on “setting the table” for players to understand the importance of living a life in service to things greater than themselves. </p>
<p>Coaches who use ceremonies to mark player transitions mine a tradition that honors and recognizes accomplishment. For generations, various forms of promotions and recognition have been used to inspire athletes, soldiers and students alike.</p>
<p>Simply put, it’s a formula that works, and these rituals and rewards carry great psychological meaning for individuals.</p>
<p>While the details of Meyer’s Plan to Win may be unique, I believe the overall aims and basic structure are shared by many of the most successful coaches. </p>
<p>Case studies of other highly successful men’s coaches bears this out. For example, Pete Carroll’s success at both the college and professional football levels has been <a href="http://www.multi-science.co.uk/sports-science&coaching.htm">discussed</a> as being based on factors related to self-knowledge, self-confidence and optimism. </p>
<p>The same can be said of coaches in high-performance women’s sports. Take, for example, legendary University of Tennessee women’s basketball coach Pat Summitt, whose coaching style was <a href="http://journals.humankinetics.com/TSP">reported</a> to have involved high degrees of instructional behavior and praise offered to her players within a high-intensity environment.</p>
<p>In a <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Urbans-Way-Urban-Florida-Gators/dp/B005B1JPVI">2008 book</a>, Meyer stated his desire to remain in contact with his players long after graduation, noting that if they “become the best husbands and fathers they can be, then we have won at the game of life.” </p>
<p>By tapping into the deep historical traditions of “rites of passage,” coaches can help get the most out of their players, both on and off the field. And along the way, a lot of boys can be turned into fine, upstanding men.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/46916/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Stephen M. Gavazzi works for The Ohio State University</span></em></p>For coaches like Ohio State’s Urban Meyer, it’s not just about X’s and O’s.Stephen M Gavazzi, Professor, Human Development and Family Science & Dean/Director, Ohio State Mansfield Campus, The Ohio State UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/468992015-09-04T04:44:11Z2015-09-04T04:44:11ZMentoring the next generation of scientists in Africa<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/93663/original/image-20150902-14045-k2wr7a.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Role models and mentors can help one learn throughout one's career. </span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">SHUTTERSTOCK</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Mentoring the next generation of scientists in Africa should start from primary school, continue at university and extend into the workplace.</p>
<p>We must encourage the majority of female African students to choose a career in science so that they contribute to the economic and social development of the continent.</p>
<p>Considering that Africa is still a developing continent, there is ample opportunity for careers in science that can contribute to science advancement as well as the continent’s socio-economic development.</p>
<p>Mentoring and <a href="http://www.stemrolemodels.org/">role</a> modelling should not be seen as two independent roles even though there are different forms of mentorship. Certainly, the type of mentorship and support one needs differs depending on the stage of one’s career. </p>
<h2>Encourage careers in science</h2>
<p>At school, subject choices matter. It is important to ensure that young girls are informed and encouraged to take up science and mathematics, subjects which open the world to careers in science. </p>
<p>One must consider careers in space science, astronomy, health sciences as well as skills in dealing with big data. A number of organisations, including the South African <a href="http://www.sawise.org.za/">Women</a> in Science and Engineering, support and encourage the women to participate in science and engineering.</p>
<p>The Organisation for <a href="http://www.assaf.co.za/about-the-south-african-owsd-national-chapter/">Women</a> in Science for the Developing World also promotes the participation of girls and women in science and technology in Africa. </p>
<p>As a parent I advise my teenage daughter and her friends to avoid choosing subjects, like maths literacy, just because they can get higher marks in them. We have arguments about what subjects help towards a successful future in science. One of the questions is usually around which career offers the best pay.</p>
<figure class="align-right ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/93657/original/image-20150902-14056-15gq2bq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/93657/original/image-20150902-14056-15gq2bq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/93657/original/image-20150902-14056-15gq2bq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/93657/original/image-20150902-14056-15gq2bq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/93657/original/image-20150902-14056-15gq2bq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/93657/original/image-20150902-14056-15gq2bq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/93657/original/image-20150902-14056-15gq2bq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Teach them young - the message of science should be sustained from primary school to tertiary studies.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">SHUTTERSTOCK</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>From the first degree to postgraduate level, mentoring plays a significant role in ensuring that women graduates stay on a chosen career path.</p>
<p>For example, the Women in Science and Engineering mentorship programme - a global campaign - targets young women at undergraduate degree level and prepares them for careers in science. One of the programme’s aims is providing leadership and role models to young women who want to pursue a career in science and engineering.</p>
<p>There are a number of programmes which offer well structured mentorship programmes for postgraduate students, postdoctoral fellows and emerging researchers and a number of universities have different forms of mentorship programmes, which include skills training. </p>
<h2>Building networks</h2>
<p>Emerging researchers should join a research group that they feel they can contribute to and benefit from. Most research programmes involve working in multidisciplinary teams, which requires one to learn communication, networking and inter-cultural skills.</p>
<p>Networks can play a significant role. Through social platforms one can remain in contact with some of the top scientists and researchers across the world. Sometimes these networks can even become useful when applying for grants. Here again it is important to look out for academic exchange programmes or fellowships which can enable one to work with excellent teams at many institutions. </p>
<figure class="align-left ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/93666/original/image-20150902-14087-oztaa0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/93666/original/image-20150902-14087-oztaa0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/93666/original/image-20150902-14087-oztaa0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/93666/original/image-20150902-14087-oztaa0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/93666/original/image-20150902-14087-oztaa0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/93666/original/image-20150902-14087-oztaa0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/93666/original/image-20150902-14087-oztaa0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Remain networked for a fulfilling career.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">SHUTTERSTOCK</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Creating enabling environments</h2>
<p>Looking back, my supervisor and mentor as I recall, never had to complete mentorship tracking and performance forms as we have to now but he gave me various tasks and opportunities to develop as a scientist.</p>
<p>These included invitations to co-author articles, handling administrative duties as corresponding author, preparing conference presentations, applying for grants, organising workshops and conferences, and opportunities for national and international travel. </p>
<p>Of course, I did not know that all of this would count but it helped me gain confidence early in my career. I still draw on these experiences in dealing with my students, colleagues and those that I mentor. Institutions must provide networking opportunities for researchers. </p>
<p>As a research director at a South African university, I spend about 60% of my time mentoring. Creating enabling research environments both at organisational policy level and leadership level is critical in order to achieve one’s goals. </p>
<p>Typical policies that contribute to how supervisors or mentors behave towards those their mentor or supervise include how performance in research groups is measured. </p>
<p>The methods used by bureaucrats running institutions has been labelled “bean counting” which has reduced the autonomy of academics. Academic Amanda <a href="http://www.amandagoodall.com/GoodallFeat_1%20March%202012.pdf">Goodall</a>, for instance, argues that allowing universities to be run by “bean counters and bureaucrats” is detrimental to academics’ originality and productivity. Hence it is essential to ensure that organisational policies are enabling.</p>
<p>Issues around authorship in research groups can become quite sensitive if not negotiated well in advance. My advice to students, postdoctoral fellows and junior researchers is that they must agree in advance on what their contribution will be and the order of the authorship. </p>
<p>In big groups the project leader has to manage this as part of the mentorship process. This way group members will not see themselves as “pawns” being used to advance one’s career, devaluing each member’s contribution.</p>
<h2>Balancing a career and family needs</h2>
<p>When I was a full-time academic (before joining management) I loved the flexibility my role as a mathematician gave me. I worked long hours but made up for those long hours during university breaks. I planned conference trips around school holidays so that there was less stress on work colleagues and my family.</p>
<p>My family helped in taking care of my children when they were young. My husband has always been supportive. Of course, I have struggled emotionally and sometimes had to make difficult choices. </p>
<p>But I have been exposed to a vast network of colleagues globally who continue keeping my research candle burning. I still find great fulfilment contributing to knowledge in my subject area and supporting younger faculty members to achieve their goals. </p>
<p>The issue of balancing a career and family needs came under the microscope at an East African Research and Innovation Management Association 2015 <a href="http://events.mak.ac.ug/events/earima-2015-conference-uganda">conference</a> in Uganda. Delegates agreed that organisations must have flexible gender sensitive policies, including promotion criteria that takes into account gender issues without compromising on quality. </p>
<blockquote>
<p>This article is part of a series on Women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Innovation in Africa by the South African National <a href="http://owsdsa.co.za/">Chapter</a> of the Organisation for Women in Science for the Developing World.</p>
</blockquote><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/46899/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Sibusiso Moyo does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Africa is a developing continent but there’s ample opportunity for careers in science that can contribute to science advancement as well as uplifting the socio-economic status of the continent.Sibusiso Moyo, Director: Research and Postgraduate Support, Durban University of TechnologyLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/332432014-10-21T05:19:17Z2014-10-21T05:19:17ZIt takes more than singing to strike a chord in music education<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/62343/original/dr58cvpy-1413866767.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Learning a musical instrument begins with the act of making music with our bodies. </span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">AAP/Yonhap</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Yesterday, Federal Education Minister Christopher Pyne and Arts Minister George Brandis <a href="http://www.attorneygeneral.gov.au/Mediareleases/Pages/2014/FourthQuarter/20October2014-LaunchOfTheNationalMusicTeachersMentorshipPilotProgramme.aspx">announced</a> A$594,000 in funding for a new national music teachers mentorship program. The details have sent music educators and music education advocates into a flurry. And rightly so. </p>
<p>Not only is this recognition that there is a problem with the delivery of music education in the Australia school system, but funding that offers an effective and sustainable solution is a watershed moment in music education in this country.</p>
<p>Conductor Richard Gill developed the program in close consultation with the Australian Government and the Australian Youth Orchestra. In the press release, both ministers thanked Gill for “<a href="http://www.attorneygeneral.gov.au/Mediareleases/Pages/2014/FourthQuarter/20October2014-LaunchOfTheNationalMusicTeachersMentorshipPilotProgramme.aspx">his drive in bringing this programme to fruition</a>”.</p>
<p>As a music educator I would like to thank Richard Gill. His tireless commitment to improving music education in this country inspires all of us to keep “fighting the good fight” to improve the value and quality music education in Australia.</p>
<p>Yet as further details emerge of the programme, slight concerns begin to arise.</p>
<p>Not necessarily concerns with the mentoring program itself, but with the misunderstanding of music education that is emerging. On 774 ABC Melbourne, Gill was <a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-10-20/singing-the-key-to-teaching-children-music/5826622">paraphrased</a> as saying, “singing, rather than learning a musical instrument, [is] the best way to introduce children to music”.</p>
<p>Yet under the photo, the caption reads: “singing is the best way to teach children music”. </p>
<p>Now we could easily look at this difference as paraphrasing but it could also point to a pedagogical choice to favour music education solely through singing rather than through learning musical instruments as well. </p>
<p>Gill qualified his statement as the best way to introduce a child to music, not the only way to teach music.</p>
<p>Until further details of the program become available, we can only speculate. </p>
<p>Music and language development are extremely closely related in terms of brain development. <a href="http://www.pnas.org/content/107/10/4758.short">Neuroscientific research</a> has shown that at birth we use music processing networks to understand language. </p>
<p>We hear language as music and song at birth, and use the same networks to then develop our understanding of <a href="http://www.nature.com/neuro/journal/v6/n7/abs/nn1082.html">language</a>. </p>
<p>So singing and song are innate to our development as human beings, and as such learning music through song is building on those innate neurological connections.</p>
<p>Yet only using singing to learn music neglects the enormous neurological benefits of music education through also <a href="http://ed.ted.com/lessons/how-playing-an-instrument-benefits-your-brain-anita-collins">learning a musical instrument</a>. </p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/R0JKCYZ8hng?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">How playing an instrument benefits your brain.</span></figcaption>
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<p>When this aspect of music education is mentioned most of us think of learning the violin, clarinet or trumpet. But learning a musical instrument begins with the act of making music with our bodies. Keeping a beat on a drum, playing with an egg shaker or playing a melody on a five note xylophone – these are all acts of making music using an instrument. </p>
<p><a href="http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1196/annals.1360.015/full">Research</a> has shown that learning a musical instrument involves the motor, visual and auditory cortices all at the same time and can enhance <a href="http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1469-8986.00172.x/full">reading skills</a>, <a href="http://www.jstor.org/discover/10.1525/mp.2003.20.3.307?uid=44732&uid=3737536&uid=20112&uid=2&uid=3&uid=67&uid=62&uid=5909656&sid=21104864104007">memory systems</a>, <a href="http://pss.sagepub.com/content/22/11/1425.short">executive function</a> and general <a href="http://www.jstor.org/discover/10.1525/mp.2011.29.2.215?uid=44732&uid=3737536&uid=20112&uid=2&uid=3&uid=67&uid=62&uid=5909656&sid=21104864104007">cognitive function</a>. </p>
<p>Recent <a href="http://www.soc.northwestern.edu/brainvolts/documents/PNAS-2014-Woodruff%20Carr-1406219111.pdf">research</a> has found the ability for a child to keep a steady beat is an indication that, neurologically, they are ready to begin reading.</p>
<p>Many music educators would agree that to be a well-rounded and proficient musician we need to be able to sing well. As my first band conductor would say: “if you can’t sing it you can’t play it”. </p>
<p>Starting with singing is also an appropriate and cost-effective first step in addressing the challenge of raising the general music education capacity of generalist teachers around Australia. </p>
<p>Singing is absolutely the right place to start, but we are yet to see if the ground-breaking mentoring program announced this week includes music education through the use of instruments. </p>
<p>Music education is not an either/or – learning through singing <em>or</em> on an instrument. It is both at the right time, at the appropriate age and in a sequential, constructive and enjoyable way. </p>
<p>Children will innately love music as an artform but if we want children to gain the deep appreciation as well as the neurological benefits of music education, singing is only the beginning.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/33243/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Anita Collins is affiliated with the ACT Music Educators Network, Music Australia Education Advisory Group and Music Trust Research Group.</span></em></p>Yesterday, Federal Education Minister Christopher Pyne and Arts Minister George Brandis announced A$594,000 in funding for a new national music teachers mentorship program. The details have sent music…Anita Collins, Assistant Professor in Music and Arts Education, University of CanberraLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/148622013-06-14T04:24:22Z2013-06-14T04:24:22ZSurvive or thrive? Overqualified a matter of management<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/25395/original/8w89r39j-1371017777.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=10%2C5%2C979%2C657&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Human resource managers will often shy away from hiring overqualified employees, but research shows that they can be an asset.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Overqualified workers are often seen as the pariah of human resources but these employees can be a constructive or a destructive influence on your business, depending on the way they are managed.</p>
<p>In my research, I have found that while overqualified people may often engage in counterproductive work behaviours, they can also make valuable contributions to organisations because they have under-realised qualifications. And with <a href="http://www.voced.edu.au/content/ngv54272">45% of Australians</a> identifying as overqualified for their current jobs, employers may not be realising the full potential of this untapped human resource.</p>
<p>It’s a problem that extends beyond Australian borders, with other countries experiencing comparable and even higher overqualification rates. These range from <a href="http://hbr.org/2010/12/the-myth-of-the-overqualified-worker/ar/1">23% in the USA</a> and <a href="http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_STAT-11-180_en.htm">30% in the European Union</a> to <a href="http://www.voced.edu.au/content/ngv54272">84% in China</a>.</p>
<h2>We like your CV but…</h2>
<p>Human resource managers are frequently <a href="https://www.novapublishers.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=6802">reluctant to hire overqualified</a> applicants, a move that can seem counterintuitive: more credentials might allow the employee to work better and quicker because they have more human capital than is required to complete their tasks. However, managers often fear these employees will quit as soon as they find a more suitable job or that they will worsen workplace morale by voicing their workplace dissatisfaction. </p>
<p>And some of <a href="http://psycnet.apa.org/journals/ocp/16/3/279">my research</a> seems to support them. My colleagues and I surveyed 215 students who worked full-time in a variety of industries, such as healthcare, retail, fast food and management, with occupations including sales associate, legal assistant and veterinary technician. We found that people who felt they were overqualified were more likely to engage in counterproductive work behaviour, compared with those who did not report high levels of overqualification.</p>
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<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/25402/original/4fd6xstt-1371018243.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/25402/original/4fd6xstt-1371018243.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=658&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/25402/original/4fd6xstt-1371018243.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=658&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/25402/original/4fd6xstt-1371018243.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=658&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/25402/original/4fd6xstt-1371018243.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=827&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/25402/original/4fd6xstt-1371018243.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=827&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/25402/original/4fd6xstt-1371018243.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=827&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<p>This behaviour included taking excessive coffee breaks, daydreaming instead of working, coming in late to work without permission, putting in little effort, and dragging out work in order to get overtime. </p>
<p>Reasons for such behaviour included burn-out from unchallenging work, as well as the perception that they did not fit their jobs or that the employer did not uphold an often implied psychological contract to provide work that suited their qualifications.</p>
<p>However, it turned out that the most important reason why overqualified employees put in little effort, came in late and took excessive coffee breaks was because they had grown cynical about their jobs. This was reflected in survey respondent attitudes that questioned the necessity of working hard on a job that did not challenge them and which wasted their skills, talents and qualifications. Why bother with such a job? These cynical attitudes were the strongest explanations for the positive link between overqualification and counterproductive work behaviours.</p>
<h2>Gaining traction on their distraction</h2>
<p>Does this mean that organisations should shy away from hiring overqualified people? On the contrary. In a paper presented at the <a href="http://www.siop.org/conferences/13con/Program/SatAM.pdf">2013 International conference of Society of Industrial-Organisational Psychology</a>, I demonstrate that overqualified workers can be a source of creative work behaviours if organisations use strategies to motivate these potentially excellent workers.</p>
<p>As part of this management strategy research, I surveyed 113 staff and their 19 supervisors in an American organisation that offers after-school activities to high-school students.</p>
<p>I found that overqualified employees were motivated to use their potential and increase creative work behaviour if employers offered them mentoring opportunities and the ability to negotiate flexibility and developmental deals, allowing employees to feel appreciated and supported.</p>
<p> </p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/14862/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Alex Luksyte works for University of Western Australia Business school. She receives funding from Society of Human Resource Management. She is affiliated with University of Western Australia Business school.</span></em></p>Overqualified workers are often seen as the pariah of human resources but these employees can be a constructive or a destructive influence on your business, depending on the way they are managed. In my…Aleksandra Luksyte, Assistant Professor, The University of Western Australia Business School, The University of Western AustraliaLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.