Visit mentorship platform: https://mentorship.aasciences.africa

Through the AAS mentorship scheme, mentees are prepared to become courageous, collaborative, open-minded, and resilient leaders in their pursuit of exceptional science career paths.
The AAS Mentorship Scheme is designed to enable African early career researchers to learn how to articulate their career and life goals, pursue them, and reflect upon their growth and impact. It enables mentors to remain motivated by their contribution to the development of a new generation of science leaders in Africa.  

Our Mentors are experienced professionals from industry, academia, think tanks, innovators, policy makers etc. with the ability and commitment to guide another person’s career growth.

A CALL FOR MENTORS
We are seeking mentors who: -

1. Have a passion for empowering rising research leaders in Africa
2. Value mutual learning environments
3. Are willing to share key skills and competencies that can enable another professional transition to higher positions in their career
4. Are committed to listening to another professional and guiding them to address critical gaps in their career growth
5. Are available and flexible to communicate with another professional via online channels

Prospective mentors can register on  AAS Online Mentoring Platform    and Complete their profiles. 

Our Mentees are early to mid-career scientists who have completed their PhDs and are working in Africa-based higher education or research institutions. They seek support and guidance of a mentor in a range of career and personal development needs including scientific expertise; career pathways advice; policy engagement; leadership development; interdisciplinary collaboration; communication; entrepreneurship & innovation; publishing; fundraising & grant management; networking; well-being at the workplace; visibility; research management; science outreach; student supervision; and managing administrative duties.

Email mentorship@aasciences.africa.

Role of mentorship in science: Watch Video

Key benefits of mentorship:

• An expanded network of peers and role models in African science and development
• Gaining new skills and competences e.g. on leadership, active listening, role modelling etc.
• Learning first-hand of the challenges encountered by early- and mid-career researchers in Africa
• Re-energizing the mentors’ career and gives one a personal satisfaction of contributing to scientific citizenship
• Recognition and respect amongst peers
• Widening one’s perspectives on career development pathways
• Strengthening one’s interpersonal and communication skills
• Boosting one’s confidence to explore the diversity in science careers

Ten steps to joining The AAS mentorship scheme:

1. Identify your mentoring strengths/needs
2. Enrol as mentor/mentee
3. Read/watch required training resources
4. Await matching with mentee/mentor
5. Attend your first mentor-mentee meeting
6. Discuss mentoring goals & sign Mentoring Agreement
7. Engage & nurture the mentoring relationship
8. Review and provide feedback on the relationship
9. Attend annual mentorship retreat
10. Transition to mentor other scientists

Partner with us:

• Nominate mentors from your pool of experienced scientists/professionals
• Co-host mentorship activities in an African institution/country
• Support face-to-face meetings of mentors and mentees
• Collaborate in tracking impact of career mentorship schemes in Africa