Call for applicants now open until Jan 20, 2017 !
Friday, February 3, 2017
bewise.be/events/2017/2/3/bewise-mentoring-event-save-the-date-and-submit-your-application
Take part in this unique mentoring programme covering scientific and soft skills throughout all Belgian research institutions, Regions and language communities.
Download all the information here.
In Belgium, the presence of women in scientific careers and in the access to decision-making positions in higher education and research is a getting close to 25%, still far behind their male counterparts. While young men develop with time their contacts through informal networking giving them a leading edge in orienting their careers favourably, young women often face their career choices alone. Young women often have difficulties in meeting or in identifying professors or experienced scientists that are capable of guiding them and giving them strategic advice.
In order to support women scientists who are in the important phases of completing their thesis or of beginning their post-doctoral research, the Belgian Women in Science (BeWiSe) association has developed a mentoring (tutoring) program. The objective of the programme is to enable the mentees to meet an experienced scientist (male or female) who can guide them in their career choices. The mentee can thus benefit from the mentor’s experience in the scientific community and in research. The mentor also benefits from the programme: by transmitting acquired knowledge in a personalised, s/he is stimulated to reflecting about their career, attitudes and conceptions.
Thanks to the success of the programme initialized in April 2010 which benefited to 14 pairs of mentors and mentees and was pursued in later years, the programme wishes to welcome new applicants for 2017.
BeWiSe aims to develop further this mentoring program as a promotional aid in helping women scientists in the beginning of their careers. Two specific features should be mentioned. Its scope extends to all scientific institutions, regions and language communities in Belgium. Pairing of mentor and mentee is made outside of the mentee’s field of research, so as to broaden the thinking horizon and avoid unhelpful competition.
BeWise, the Association of Belgian Women in Science, has as its main objectives to support the position of women in science, both in public and private sectors & to improve communication among women in the Belgian and European scientific community.