PhD Peer Mentoring at ZBT

A new cohort starts the PhD Peer Mentoring Programme every year. The programme begins with a compact accelerator consisting of three meetings at four-week intervals.

The focus is on finding a topic, selecting a supervisor, structuring the dissertation, setting a schedule and completing the administrative steps for enrolment. Participants contribute their own ideas. The aim is to develop a doctoral project that is sound in terms of both content and organisation.

After the accelerator, all participants remain in the programme. Approximately every three to four months, all current cohorts meet with the mentoring team.

These meetings serve to exchange information about progress and to clarify current questions and open challenges. The joint framework makes it easier to learn from each other and share experiences.

The programme is supported by a small team: Prof. Dr. Harry Hoster, Dr. Marco Grundler, Dr. Theresa Schredelseker and Dr. Maria Dávila.

The mentoring is deliberately designed as a peer format. The group supports each other. The mentors moderate the meetings, provide guidance and are available for questions as needed.