GÉANT Mentoring Programme (GEM)
Empowering our community by building meaningful connections, fostering growth, and encouraging the exchange of knowledge and expertise
GEM began as an initiative to support and develop female talent within our community. However, it quickly became clear that to create a truly inclusive and impactful programme, it should be open to everyone. Now, GEM welcomes all individuals—regardless of gender—whether you're seeking to be a mentor, mentee, or a peer to discuss the most pressing topics in our field. The programme facilitates the exchange of valuable knowledge within our community, helping us support each other’s career development and better understand the diverse and complex domain we work in.
How does the mentoring programme work?
Individuals keen to mentor or receive mentoring (or both), can register on our dedicated mentoring platform.
After outlining their mentoring goals and availability, individuals identify potential partners via the mentoring platform, based on their preferences.
Once paired, the mentee and mentor collaborate to set goals and communication parameters, scheduling calls accordingly.
"Venturing into this initiative I anticipated a rewarding experience - and it has been nothing short of that. I was selected to mentor two women, and our interactions have been extraordinary. Each meeting enriches me professionally and personally, and the joy of witnessing my mentees flourish and gain self-assurance mirrors my own growth. I look forward to navigating this path together and seeing where this experience will take us."
Rosanna Norman - Communications Manager, GÉANT | Mentor
"I've really enjoyed teaching network engineering as part of the mentoring programme – and my mentee has too! I've learned how the profession looks for someone starting their networking career, and my mentee has taken leaps and bounds in their path to a career in network engineering. We both look forward to our meetings and I can’t wait for the next one."
Dónal Cunningham - Technical Architect, HEAnet | Mentor
"Joining the GEM Programme as a mentee has been an inspiring and supportive experience. I've had the chance to connect with mentors who have offered valuable insights to support my professional and personal growth. The GEM platform schedules mentoring meetings, provides suggested session outlines, and records feedback to track my progress. The programme is fantastic and I look forward to each mentoring session."
Lisa Melrose - Learning Coordinator, GÉANT | Mentee
"Finding information online is a regular part of life, but you can't replace the human touch and personal approach. Having someone you trust, who understands you and can support your growth, is invaluable. What's even better is that it's a mutually beneficial relationship! I am very happy I joined the mentorship programme."
Eva Nestorovska - Researcher, PSNC (Project Task Leader) | Mentee
"As a mentee in the GÉANT mentoring programme, I am having a highly positive experience, since the programme allows me to have contact with people with extensive experience. Beyond technical skills, it is the deep knowledge on strategic and organisational matters that mentors transmit, which makes this programme exceptionally fruitful. Valuable feedback and support from my mentor have been crucial to developing my skills and expanding my professional connections."
Francisca Martín-Vergara - University of Málaga | Mentee
"It was excellent to meet with my mentee and to talk about their career and challenges in daily work routines. We also booked a new session to have time to plan some future goals and share experiences."
Daniela Brauner - Research Engagement Manager, GÉANT | Mentor
Mentoring topics
Find out about some of the most popular mentoring topics on the GEM platform, and remember – you can propose your own as soon as you are registered!
- Project management
- Product and service development
- Software development
- Event planning
- Network
- Cloud services
- Trust & Identity
- DevOps
- Writing a news item
- Storytelling
- Research engagement
- Communication and influence
- Problem-solving and decision making
- Teamwork
- Planning and organising
- Leadership development
- Negotiating and handling conflicts
- Creativity
- Ownership
- Emotional intelligence
- Time management
- Self-awareness
TIME COMMITMENT
We suggest 3-6 hours for mentoring sessions, and some time for preparing for each meeting.
ACCESS TO MATERIALS
Participants have access to a range of materials on mentoring, including suggested topics for discussion.
FEEDBACK
Participants may be asked to provide feedback on their experience to the Learning & Development team.