EQUALITY GUIdE - KU Leuven

Chapter 5 ! Mentoring 255
Similarly, the criteria for mentors were also narrower than at UHasselt; only female
professors could be a mentor. On the other hand, no minimum experience was requested
(versus a minimum of fifteen years at UHasselt).
Selection
The mentees who participated in the SOFIA-meetings (see 1.2.2 Sofia: Women in
academic institutions) and the mentees who followed a training, organized by JIVE in
November 2006 (see 4.2.2.1) were invited by e-mail. There was a total of eight candidates.
Four mentees responded positively and sent their CV’s and motivations to the
project coordinator.
The mentors were recruited via e-mail as well, beginning with the professors who already
showed interest by participating in the Jive training.
Matching
First, the mentors were selected. The mentees were given the names of the four mentors.
In a confidential e-mail, the mentees could write down which mentor they would
prefer (multiple possibilities). The coordinator used these lists to propose a match,
based on the condition of cross-departmental duos.
Training
Three mentors and two mentees took the Jive course on mentoring (see 4.2.2.1), making
additional training redundant. The mentor who did not follow the course received
the ‘Jive Mentoring Training Manual’. The mentees got half a day of training at UHasselt.
3.7.5.4. Implementation and continued support
After the training, the mentees followed the pattern:
! first meeting between mentor and mentee and confirmation of the match;
! defining action plan and signing contract during the first meeting;
! meetings at the initiative of the mentee;
! monthly meetings.
The mentees notified the external coordinator at UHasselt when they had meetings.
From the follow-up, it appeared one of the mentees did not take the initiative for meeting
her mentor, even after recurrent e-mails from te coordinator. In the end, this mentee
withdrew from the project due to a lack of time.
3.7.5.5. Measurement and review
The mentors and mentees completed the questionnaire that was also used for the evaluation
of the UHasselt programme.