Mentor to a doctoral student
All doctoral students at Karolinska Institutet (KI) shall have a mentor (not to be confounded with a supervisor). Doctoral students shall choose a mentor no later than one year after admission.
Purpose
The purpose of the mentor-mentee relationship is to give doctoral students access to a person who can act as a bridge to the world outside their immediate research environment and as an independent discussion partner and external support during their doctoral studies.
What is expected from a mentor and a mentee?
Doctoral students (mentees) and mentors should initially discuss what they expect from each other.
A mentor is expected to provide doctoral students with independent advice, e.g., on how to build a professional network, and to promote their development as independent researchers, but may also contribute with other types of advice and inspiration. The mentor is not expected to contribute on a scientific level – this is the responsibility of the supervisors and scientific collaborators. The mentor needs to be able to free up time for regular meetings (e.g. the opportunity to meet at least 1-2 times per year) and be able to understand the mental challenges as well as the opportunities of being a doctoral student and having parallel professional and private commitments. The mentor should be professional and respect the doctoral student's goals, be a good listener, and be interested in contributing to the doctoral student's development with their expertise and experience.
The doctoral student is expected to clarify their wishes regarding topics to discuss and the frequency of meetings. The doctoral student is expected to book time for each meeting, come well prepared to the meetings and talk about their own professional ambitions and thoughts without getting too personal, as well as take responsibility for their own decisions. It is important to have an open attitude, take initiative, set goals and be committed.
In addition to regular meetings with the doctoral student throughout the doctoral program, the mentor is also welcome to attend the mid-term seminar and, together with the supervisors, participate in the mid-term committee meeting afterwards. The mentor is of course also welcome to attend the public thesis defense.
Who can be a mentor?
A mentor can come from a university (KI or another), from the Region, industry, or other sectors of society. The mentor must be independent of both the supervisor and the doctoral student. A mentor is appointed on the recommendation of the doctoral student within one year of admission to doctoral education at KI. If desired, a doctoral student may have more than one mentor.
A mentor should be familiar with what doctoral education entails, and it is therefore beneficial if the mentor has completed a doctoral degree. It is also advantageous if he/she is relatively senior and has an active network of their own.
How do you choose your mentor?
When choosing a mentor, think about what you would like to do in the future. For example, you can choose one or more people whom you see as role models or someone who works with similar issues that you would like to work with in the future.
You need to be active and take initiatives to find a mentor. Start by thinking about people you already know or are familiar with, e.g. from your previous education, your professional circle or circle of friends, through what you have heard or read about, etc. You will also meet many people during your first year as a doctoral student, e.g., teachers on doctoral courses (both from KI and outside KI), people at internal and external conferences, people you read about in journals or meet in professional or private contexts. As additional support in finding a mentor within or outside academia the Doctoral Student Association (DSA) has taken the initiative to create a virtual meeting place for doctoral students and potential mentors.
You are welcome to send the link to this page to the person you would like to ask to be your mentor. If you and your mentor wish, you can agree on your commitments in writing (e.g. by email).
What are the benefits for being a mentor for a doctoral student at KI?
Being a mentor to a doctoral student is a commission of trust that can be enriching. Anyone who wishes to do so can include mentorship for a doctoral student at KI in their CV. You are also welcome to become part of the KI Alumni & Friends community as a mentor.