GW4 AMR Alliance Mentorship Scheme officially kicks off with cross-institutional workshop
The GW4 Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) Alliance officially launched its new cross-institutional mentorship programme, kicking off the innovative scheme at a launch event held at the M-Shed in Bristol earlier this month (March).
Bringing together mentors and mentees from across the GW4 institutions of Bath, Bristol, Cardiff and Exeter, this new initiative aims to support early and mid-career researchers working in cross-disciplinary, AMR-related fields.
The programme will foster collaboration and development by connecting mentees with expert mentors from a diverse range of disciplines in AMR-related areas and leveraging the collective research and leadership expertise of the GW4 AMR Alliance, to facilitate knowledge exchange among researchers at different career stages.
The scheme pairs mentees with mentors from outside their home institutions, providing confidential, independent guidance beyond traditional line management structures and hierarchies.
During the launch workshop, mentees were invited to join mentors for an in-depth exploration into the role of mentoring within career development, with an interactive workshop, facilitated by professional coach and mentor, Alexis Hutson, designed to support participants in maximising developmental mentoring opportunities.
Alongside an exploration into the differences between coaching and mentoring, participants had the opportunity to discuss three central pillars which underpin mentoring: active listening, shared learning and the importance of dedicated thinking time. Mentors and mentees also shared their drivers for participating in the scheme, with many mentors articulating a common drive to support others or to help early and mid-career researchers to gain access to opportunities for shared learning that may not have been available during the mentors’ own careers.
Alexis, said: “I really enjoyed working with this group. They were so engaged and interested in the subject and clearly genuinely want to maximise the potential of mentoring not only in this scheme, but in their wider working environment.”
The GW4 AMR Alliance mentorship scheme was spearheaded by Professor Neil Gow, Professor of Microbiology at the University of Exeter, former Chair of the GW4 AMR Alliance Steering Group and Chair of the GW4 AMR Alliance’s Mentorship Working Group.
Professor Gow, said: “The GW4 AMR Alliance is united by a shared passion for tackling AMR, and we believe everyone should have access to a mentor at every stage of their career. Our goal is to create a space where mentors and mentees can support each other in their ambitions and in dealing with the everyday challenges of academic life. Beyond individual career benefits, this initiative strengthens connections across our institutions, helping us learn from each other and work more effectively as a collective community.”
The scheme forms part of the GW4 AMR Alliance, which brings together just under 300 experts from across the four institutions and builds on the GW4 universities’ strong and diverse portfolio of AMR research, with a particular focus on tackling antimicrobial resistance through an interdisciplinary approach.
Dr Gözde Burger, Senior Research and AMR Alliance Coordinator at the GW4 Alliance, said: “AMR is a complex global challenge that requires interdisciplinary collaboration. By creating a cross-institutional scheme, we are fostering new connections, knowledge exchange and career development opportunities beyond institutional boundaries. GW4’s overarching aim for the scheme is to ensure that the next generation of AMR researchers are well-supported, with mentees gaining tailored career guidance, opportunities to expand their professional networks and new perspectives from outside their own institutions.”
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To find out more about the GW4 AMR Alliance Mentorship Scheme, becoming a member of the GW4 AMR Alliance, or upcoming events, please contact amr@gw4.ac.uk.
AMR is a complex global challenge that requires interdisciplinary collaboration. By creating a cross-institutional scheme, we are fostering new connections, knowledge exchange and career development opportunities beyond institutional boundaries.
GW4’s overarching aim for the scheme is to ensure that the next generation of AMR researchers are well-supported, with mentees gaining tailored career guidance, opportunities to expand their professional networks and new perspectives from outside their own institutions.”
