Mentoring Program for Early-Career Faculty: Experiences at a Chilean Research University

• In Event: Mentoring for Career Support

Abstract

Critical to the prosperity of any educational institution are its faculty members (Bland et al., 2009). Higher Education institutions increasingly use mentoring programs for faculty development (Kiel, 2019). The benefits of mentorship are diverse, including increased academic productivity, faster academic promotion, and greater satisfaction and commitment (e.g., Bredella et al., 2021; Cranmer et al., 2018). This study aims to understand participants' perceptions of a mentorship program for early-career academics at a research university in Chile. Through a qualitative methodology, 25 in-depth interviews were conducted with faculty who participated in a mentoring program. The findings indicated mentoring was perceived as a positive and helpful space for the academic career and its insertion into the institution's culture.

Authors

• Daniela Véliz Calderón, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile

• Liliana Pedraja, Universidad de Tarapaca

• Johana Andrea Fuentes, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile

• Sofía Ignacia Atria, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile