BAFA CPAF Mentoring Scheme 2024/25

The mentoring scheme offers research career development support on a one-to-one basis, primarily to ECRs (with a PhD gained in the last 5 years) and current PhD students. It is being led by CPAF, with help from BAFA/CDAF in promoting the scheme, identifying and encouraging ECRs to apply. No professional service fees are paid, so BAFA is not contractually responsible for the quality or performance of the role. Rather, the aim is to attract mentors who are willing to help ECRs for other reasons, i.e. recognition (contributes to REF environment for their own department) and/or co- authorship.

BAFA may award an annual prize for best mentor (rather like journals do for best reviewers). For PhD students, participation in the scheme would require their supervisor/Head of Department awareness/agreement, to avoid any conflict. Indeed, most post-doc academic staff in REF-able departments will have an internal mentor/coach, so again we should avoid any conflict. The scheme could also be used to recognise informal mentoring arrangements already in place. Transparency is key in operation of the scheme.

For full details and the application form please visit the BAFA Mentoring page.