The research training phase is a lengthy process that can involve many challenges and crises. The Graduate School aims to provide the best possible support to early-career researchers in the field of educational science (PhD students and postdocs) as they navigate these challenges.

Mentoring during the academic training phase can help researchers gain new perspectives, develop strategic approaches, pursue career goals and build important networks. Thus, unlike doctoral supervision, the focus of mentoring is not on providing support with the content or research methodology of the doctoral thesis, but rather on the emotional aspect, building networks and pursuing career goals.

In one-to-one mentoring, young researchers from the Graduate School are supported by a mentor on their career path, thereby receiving individualised support for their personal and professional development.
Duration: usually 12 months
Time commitment: by individual agreement; usually 2–4 meetings or more
Mentoring agreement: provides the framework for one-to-one mentoring and sets out the objectives, frequency and nature of the meetings, as well as the confidentiality of the mentoring relationship
Templates: Document templates for general information, the mentoring agreement, meeting minutes and the final report can be found in the Graduate School’s download section

Mentoring by postdocs at the Graduate School

Postdocs from the Graduate School are available to PhD students as mentors. As a mentee, you can benefit from the mentors’ experiences of the PhD phase and their career paths. They also offer you emotional support on your journey towards a PhD. [LINK to postdocs/mentors]

Registration: Informally by email to

Mentoring by external mentors in the field of special education (in collaboration with Nikolauspflege)

In , the Graduate School offers a specialised mentoring programme for doctoral candidates interested in special educational needs.

Registration: Send the completed form – available in the Graduate School’s download section – by email to . The Graduate School will forward this form to Nikolauspflege, where they will search for suitable mentors

Please note: Depending on availability and demand, the matching process may take some time. If you have any questions or require assistance, you can contact the Graduate School at any time.

Tip: If members of the Graduate School wish to recruit an external mentor, they are welcome to take the initiative themselves at any time. The Graduate School is happy to assist with the search by providing information materials.

The graPH Graduate Academy offers cross-faculty mentoring specifically for early-career researchers who have completed their doctorates (postdocs, junior lecturers with and without tenure-track positions). The mentoring programme guides and supports participants in their professional and personal development and also provides opportunities for exchange with other mentees. Information on when the programme starts and how to apply can be found on the website.

Mentoring for young female researchers*

The Equality Office offers a mentoring programme for female doctoral candidates* and female researchers* in the post-doc phase at the Heidelberg University of Education. This programme, run by the Equality Office, is designed to complement the existing mentoring programme of the Graduate School. It is aimed specifically at women; naturally, trans* people are also welcome to take part in the programme (Note: You do not need to be a member of the Graduate School, but you are, of course, welcome to become one or may already be one). Information on how to apply can be found on the website.

MuT – Mentoring and Training

The MuT Mentoring and Training programme provides support and development alongside professional commitments for highly qualified early-career female* researchers in Baden-Württemberg. It aims to provide targeted support to women* aspiring to a professorship, helping them to apply their skills and make the most of their career opportunities. Through the programme, participants* are given the opportunity to build supportive relationships with female* and male* academics, overcome structural barriers and gain university-specific knowledge and experience.

The programme is open to private lecturers*, junior professors*, candidates for a habilitation*, postdoctoral researchers* and doctoral candidates* at universities in Baden-Württemberg.

Contact and further information:

We offer two options.

Option 1:

The Graduate School, in cooperation with echt. coaching® Heidelberg, provides a free coaching service for its members.

The partnership agreement with echt. coaching® Heidelberg provides for members of the Graduate School at Heidelberg University of Education to be coached during their PhD by individuals who are undergoing training at echt. coaching. The programme runs for one year at a time and is designed to help early-career researchers make even better use of their social, personal and professional skills.

Through its partnership with the external partner echt.coaching, the Graduate School offers the opportunity for mental support, complementing doctoral supervision. In one-to-one sessions with an independent coach, for example, goals and motivations can be explored or mental blocks overcome. The aim is for young researchers to learn to adopt new perspectives, build on their strengths and accept their weaknesses.

Members of the Graduate School can register for this programme at the Graduate School.

Option 2:

Heidelberg Competence Training – The for developing mental strength is a psycho-educational programme that equips people with theoretically sound and practical strategies and skills to activate their personal performance potential in a targeted and conscious manner at the right time, thereby successfully achieving their individually set goals.

• The training concept aims to support people in their pursuit of goals and the fulfilment of their needs by building and strengthening mental self-regulation skills (in HKT, this is referred to, in short and simply, as ‘developing mental strength’).
  
  
• The mental strategies and skills acquired in the HKT are designed to empower people to successfully navigate challenging situations, such as a PhD project.
  
  
• The aim is to support people in successfully moving from their current ‘as-is’ state to a desired ‘target’ or ‘should-be’ state by strengthening their belief in their own efficacy. From a psychological perspective, the aim is to successfully manage so-called ‘incongruence situations’

The HKT was developed by Prof. Dr Wolfgang Knörzer, Wolfgang Amler, Robert Rupp and their project group at the Heidelberg University of Education and is applied in educational contexts (all types of schools, higher education, teacher training, adult education), in health promotion and in sport. In each of these areas, the HKT has been evaluated as part of effectiveness studies.

Website:

Key literature:
Knörzer, W./Amler, W./Rupp, R. (2011). Developing Mental Strength – The Heidelberg Competence Training in School Practice. Weinheim: Beltz Verlag

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