Reflection: MentUOS

Let's start at the beginning: when the Equal Opportunity Office at Osnabrück University began setting up a mentoring program specifically for female students as well as inter- and non-binary students in September 2015, the idea of support that began during the study phase was new: it was considered an exception to the rule of starting support from the doctoral phase. MentUOS thus promised to open up completely new opportunities for academic, professional and career development - and to promote potential.

The result was a program with versatile and multidimensional objectives that was intended to specifically expand students' professional and career prospects, accompany them in the transition from studies to work and support them in their personal and professional goals. The program not only aimed to initiate reflection processes through its framing, but also to make their own skills visible and strengthen them, build networks and create space for exchanging experiences.

But a mentoring program that excludes male students? That's not fair! Project manager Greta Schaffer-Weiß has been confronted with this claim more than once. What is the background to this target group definition? If you take a closer look at the equality of opportunity that has supposedly already been achieved for many, the answer is obvious. Girls are more likely to complete their A-levels. Women are less likely to drop out of university. Half of all doctoral students are women. Despite this, they are paid less and are less likely to hold management positions - professorships are significantly less likely to be held by women. Structural discrimination mechanisms based on gender still exist in Germany - to the disadvantage of women, but also of inter-, non-binary and agender people. The time of starting a career and the transition from studying to working is already challenging. For female students, inter-, non-binary and agender students, however, these challenges are intertwined with structural disadvantage mechanisms and create a specific and more disadvantageous position. MentUOS has confronted this position. And not only by supporting their own career planning and raising awareness of gender (in)equality, but also by providing targeted support to an otherwise disadvantaged group of people.

The objective of MentUOS was multifaceted in its conception - and therefore challenging in its implementation. How can the practical realization of transitional support, reflection on one's career and professional goals and simultaneous network building look like? And all this under the aspect of reflecting on gender-related social structures? We implemented these goals in individual components, which we linked together through an overarching framework.

Mentoring - Component 1

First of all, the students expected what was already in the name: a mentor, a person with professional experience from academia, business or administration, with a network and an individual career path. The mentor of choice supported their mentee in their professional and personal development; they were a companion, a door opener and enabled the mentee with similar professional aspirations to share their own experiences and strategies for action. As an advisory and exchange relationship, the mentoring relationship was the heart of the program. The mentors accompanied and advised the mentees for at least eight months. The manner and frequency of the meetings were designed and organized independently by the mentor and mentee in mutual consultation.

Workshop series - Component 2

So MentUOS as pure advice? Not at all. In terms of content, each mentoring session was accompanied by a series of workshops that focused in particular on the mentees' career and life planning. How do I successfully master a job interview? How do I not only look at my weaknesses, but focus more on my strengths? How can I learn more about gender and diversity? The series of workshops offered participants a colorful mix of empowerment offers that provided practical orientation, support and important theoretical knowledge and made it easier to start a career.

Supporting events - Component 3

The Equal Opportunity Office of Osnabrück University was responsible for the overall organization, organizationally and in terms of time: The new round of participants started the mentoring year and the matching phase with their mentors of choice with a preparatory meeting and networked in small groups to form teams. In these teams, the mentees planned their own networking evenings and were thus able to set their own priorities in terms of content. The program for the participants was rounded off by the kick-off, interim evaluation and closing events, including a ceremonial handover of the season and the awarding of participation certificates.

The events and meetings of the various components thus shaped the MentUOS year in a chronological sequence - for the mentees, but also for the mentors - and thus organically linked together to form a learning experience that not only promoted the development of networked, action-oriented knowledge, but also explicitly implemented it.

With this success, the Equal Opportunitiy Office also contributed to one of the university's central tasks: providing support for graduation, which is often overlooked alongside the teaching of course content. For many students, graduation is associated with many uncertainties. What happens next? What career direction do I want to take within my discipline? What do I need to start my career? Support and advice are needed to resolve these uncertainties.

However, there is often not enough time for career guidance and practical insights in everyday student life. Many students reported high pressure and high expectations at the end of their studies due to the many demands and expectations. The MentUOS participants also often lacked an awareness of their strengths, although the group of participants was always interested, committed, ambitious and, above all, well-trained, despite their very different expectations and goals. MentUOS provided the time needed to explore the right career path: the former participants are happy to talk about the program today and emphasize this aspect in particular: without MentUOS, they would probably not have had the opportunity to deal with their professional future and their own wishes in such a detailed and targeted manner. This gave them the opportunity to take part in a program that the mentors say they would have wished for.

This is how the mentees describe the mentoring program

It was helpful for me to talk to someone who could be my future boss, simply to better understand what is expected and thought. I was also able to get to know completely new ways of thinking.

I am glad that there is a program that supports me as part of a disadvantaged gender.

I thought it was great to see what career paths in other disciplines can look like and I got a certain career motivation from being surrounded by so many aspiring women. I was also able to pick up a few tricks from the others and consider career moves that I hadn't considered before.