Mentorship Program
Welcome to the new PDP Mentoring Program!
As part of the Professional Development Program at the Research School in Stem Cell Biology, this dedicated Mentoring Program provides personalized guidance and support to help participants explore career options and make informed decisions. Its flexible framework is tailored to each mentee’s individual needs.
The purpose of the Mentoring Program is to provide mentees with the opportunity to discuss their ambitions and challenges with independent mentors from outside our organization.
The mentoring model includes two key participants: the mentor and the mentee. The relationship is founded on mutual and voluntary engagement. The mentor’s role as an external, impartial resource is essential, as they are uniquely positioned to help mentees realize their full potential – offering perspectives that go beyond those of a supervisor.
Within this program, the mentor is regarded as a professional role model and motivator, a conversation partner, a connector, and a source of insight. Rather than acting as advisers, mentors serve primarily as facilitators - supporting reflection and growth through dialogue.
Opportunities for Mentees
- Clarify career goals, academic direction, and personal development plans.
- Establish a professional network and a supportive community.
- Enhance communication, self-leadership, and interpersonal skills.
- Learn from the experiences, challenges, and achievements of a mentor.
Opportunities for Mentors
- Share professional experiences and serve as a role model.
- Strengthen leadership, communication, and mentoring capabilities.
- Expand professional networks and gain exposure to new perspectives.
- Contribute to the development of future leaders in science.
The Mentoring Process
About Mentoring
Mentoring is a time-limited, goal-oriented process built on openness, trust, and mutual commitment. Within this program, mentors and mentees are encouraged to meet at least four times over the course of 12 months. The mentoring relationship is a collaborative effort that requires honesty, respect, and active engagement from both parties.
Strict confidentiality is essential and must be maintained throughout the mentoring relationship. By signing the Mentoring Program Agreement (Appendix 1), both mentor and mentee commit to maintaining this confidentiality.
Mentoring is:
- A structured, time-bound process focused on setting direction and achieving goals.
- A trusted and open learning environment that supports skill development.
- A space for sharing experiences through meaningful dialogue.
- An opportunity to explore professional challenges and consider strategies for addressing them.
Mentoring is not:
- Therapy – It is not intended to address or resolve personal issues.
- Teaching – It is not a one-way transfer of knowledge.
- A forum for venting – It is not a space to express frustrations about supervisors or colleagues.
- It is not intended as a pathway to employment through the mentoring relationship.
Support from the Research School
Representatives from the Research School in Stem Cell Biology play a key role in supporting the Mentoring Program. They coordinate the mentor–mentee matching process, monitor the progress of mentoring partnerships, and contribute to the overall evaluation of the program.
Mentor–mentee matching is coordinated based on the mentee’s ambitions and career trajectory. While we hope these matches lead to successful and rewarding partnerships, we recognize that challenges may occasionally arise, such as communication difficulties or changes in availability.
If any issues occur within the mentoring partnership, we encourage mentees to first address them directly with their mentor. Open and respectful dialogue often helps resolve concerns and misunderstandings. However, if the problem persists and the partnership is not working effectively, please reach out to Christine Karlsson and Jenny Hansson.
Contacts:
Christine Karlsson, PhD
Email: christine [dot] karlsson [at] med [dot] lu [dot] se (christine[dot]karlsson[at]med[dot]lu[dot]se)
Jenny Hansson, PhD
Email: jenny [dot] hansson [at] med [dot] lu [dot] se (jenny[dot]hansson[at]med[dot]lu[dot]se)
Interested in becoming a mentor?
We are currently seeking potential mentors from the Lund-Malmö-Copenhagen area who are open to sharing their experiences, perspectives, and encouragement with participating doctoral students as they explore future career paths.
- All students are highly driven, curious, and committed to exploring diverse careers.
- The time commitment is flexible and can be designed to fit your schedule – typically involving at least 4 meetings with your mentee over the course of a year.
Reach out to our program organizers, Christine Karlsson and Jenny Pyl Hansson. If we find a suitable match, we will contact you after the summer to discuss the next steps.
