What is the ISOS Peer Mentoring Programme about?

More experienced PhD students who have been trained for their role are mentors for first year PhD students.  As a peer mentor you support your mentee for between 6 and 12 months. During this time, mentor and mentee meet at least three times to discuss all kinds of topics concerning the doctorate. Issues that can be addressed in these personal meetings are

  • understanding the academic system
  • your / their understanding of the role of PhDs: What is expected of me and how can I anticipate this?
  • …any other issues that may arise


Mentor and mentee are equals and join in a partnership. Therefore, a mentor is not

  • a professional counsellor or therapist
  • a social worker


What can you expect?
You will have direct contact to somebody at your own academic level outside your working environment.  You enter a mentoring team and develop a network that may develop beyond the mentoring programme.
Especially for foreign PhD students or those new to Kiel, the Peer Mentoring Programme may be particularly supportive in the initial phase of your doctorate.

Who can participate?
All ISOS PhDs can participate in the ISOS Peer Mentoring programme. First year PhDs can apply to become mentees.  Second-, third- or fourth-year PhD students can become mentors.

As a Mentee…
… you are an ISOS PhD student
… you have answered for yourself the following questions before applying for a mentor
    - Why would I like to have a peer mentor?
    - In which areas do I need support?
… you accept the rules of the programme.

As a Peer Mentor…
… you have taken part in a training session (2 times half a day) that prepares you for your role.
… you accept a mentee and agree on a first meeting to get to know each other.
… you accept the rules of the programme.

As a Mentoring Team…
… you meet in person at least three times.
… you work together to define goals, timetable and activities
….you inform the ISOS about at the start and termination of your mentoring relationship


How does ISOS Peer Mentoring work?

Initially, ISOS Peer Mentors and Mentees meet in the Peer Mentoring Group on “Marine Talk” (MarTa), the online ISOS communication platform. Every ISOS PhD has been given  an account at MarTa when being accepted for the ISOS programme. You login to Marine Talk and activate your account.

On MarTa you apply to join the group “ISOS Peer Mentoring”. As a member of the group you can see the profiles of all available mentors.  If you want to become a mentee, choose one of the mentors and get in touch with this person via E-Mail.

Link to the Mentors on Marine Talk    Link to Marine Talk Main Page


If the mentor accepts, you agree on a date for a first meeting. The first meeting aims to find out if there is a basis for a working partnership. In this meeting, you get to know each other and set discussion topics for your mentoring partnership.

If after this meeting you both agree to form a mentoring team, you inform the ISOS coordinator and your mentoring partnership begins officially when you receive a letter of recognition.

The mentoring partnership lasts between 6 and 12 months depending on the mentee’s demand and the mentor’s availability. During this time, mentor and mentee meet at least three times face- to-face to discuss all kinds of topics concerning the doctorate.


Rules of the ISOS Peer Mentoring Programme

Confidentiality
The mentoring partnership is based on trust. Confidentiality applies to all aspects of the mentor- mentee relationship. All parties, including ISOS staff, commit to confidentiality. The peer mentoring teams function outside their members’ working environments and advisors, supervisors or third parties are not involved.

Reliance
Reliance is the basis of the mentoring team. If misunderstandings or differences occur within the team, the mentoring partners agree to bring them up first of all with their mentoring partner concerned.
If one or both of the partners feel a lack of trust, she or he is free to end their partnership at any time and will inform the ISOS coordinator.


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