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Mentoring support for development
The Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń is launching the third edition of the 'UNI-Me' mentoring programme, which supports students in consciously building their development path.
Academic mentoring is increasingly becoming an integral part of the modern support system at universities, including the Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, where the third edition of the 'UNI-Me' mentoring programme, implemented by the Copernican Integration Centre in cooperation with the Mentiway platform, is already underway.
The programme is aimed at students and responds to their real needs, supporting them in consciously building their development paths and strengthening their soft skills, which is possible thanks to individual work with an experienced mentor.
Support in pairs
The mentoring programme at the Nicolaus Copernicus University is based on a one-to-one relationship in which mentors, experienced administrative and academic staff, support mentees (students participating in the programme) in developing their skills, planning their further educational and professional path, and better finding their place within the university structures , says Idalia Tuleja from the Copernican Integration Centre. – The programme also provides support in planning an educational path with an international component.
How does the mentoring process work?
One of the key elements of the programme is the process of conscious selection of mentoring pairs, carried out using the Mentiway platform. The technology supports organisers in organising applications, analysing participants' needs and creating tailored mentoring relationships, taking into account the goals, experiences and areas of development of both parties.
After the recruitment stage is complete, participants take part in an organisational meeting and introductory training session to prepare them for their roles as mentees and mentors. Next, the pairing process begins and the actual mentoring processes get underway.
Tradition and technology
The current edition of the programme is being implemented as a mentoring cycle lasting several months and will continue until June 2026, when a formal wrap-up ceremony and presentation of certificates to participants will take place.
The mentoring programme at the Nicolaus Copernicus University shows that universities can effectively combine traditional academic values with modern tools that support development, says Małgorzata Błaszczak, director of the Copernican Integration Centre. “Mentoring becomes a space for dialogue, exchange of experiences and building relationships between different groups of the academic community. The cooperation between the Copernicus Integration Centre and the Mentiway platform is an example of how technology can support development processes, not by replacing relationships, but by helping to better design, organise and scale them."
The third edition of the programme will involve 22 mentees and 15 mentors, resulting in 22 mentoring pairs.
