Common Path-Student Mentoring 3600-IN-MS-KSZIP2-OW
Student Mentoring is a course that combines participants’ personal development with meaningful support for the academic community. The course consists of two main components: a workshop-based training component and a practical mentoring component.
During the workshop component (14 contact hours in total), participants will be prepared to take on the role of mentors. The programme begins with an introductory organisational meeting (2 contact hours, on-site), presenting the aims and principles of the mentoring programme as well as the rules of participation. The workshops include communication skills training (8 contact hours, on-site), focused on empathetic relationship-building, assertive communication, and strengthening self-confidence. Participants will also explore how to use their personal strengths in working with mentees in order to support the mentoring relationship and consciously shape their own professional development path. In addition, participants will become familiar with the various forms of support available to students at the University of Warsaw (2 contact hours, on-site or online), particularly within their own faculty. The course will also address common challenges faced by first-year students and deepen participants’ understanding of the mentor’s role (2 contact hours, on-site) and different forms of mentoring support, both within and beyond the university setting.
In the practical component (16 hours), mentors will work regularly, both offline and online, with one or two first-year students. Mentors will act as guides for less experienced students. The primary aim of the mentoring relationship is to facilitate students’ transition into university life and support them during the important yet often challenging period of beginning their studies. Tasks will include helping mentees understand the structure and functioning of the university, assisting with basic administrative matters such as course registration and using the USOS system, and answering questions related to starting university and organising academic life. When issues arise that go beyond the mentors’ competencies, an important responsibility will be directing mentees to the appropriate student support services. Another key element of the programme is encouraging mentees to become involved in university life, for example through student organisations or cultural and social initiatives. In the case of students coming from outside Warsaw, mentors will also support mentees in becoming familiar with the city.
Participation in the course enables students to develop interpersonal and organisational competencies, as well as skills related to responsible peer support. Mentors will also strengthen their problem-solving abilities, learn how to care for both their own wellbeing and that of others, and develop strategies for dealing with a variety of situations. The course promotes engagement and responsibility toward the academic community, provides opportunities to monitor the mentoring relationship in cooperation with a faculty coordinator, and supports participants in building self-confidence and reflecting on their academic and professional priorities.
Networking meetings and additional workshops aimed at further developing participants’ knowledge, skills, and practical experience will also be organised for both mentors and mentees.
The course is delivered as part of the project “Integrated Programme for the Development of Education – ZIP 2.0”, co-financed by the European Social Fund under the European Funds for Social Development Programme 2021–2027 (FERS) (agreement no. FERS.01.05-IP.08-0365/23-00).
Course coordinators
Type of course
Mode
Prerequisites (description)
Learning outcomes
After completing the course, the student:
Knowledge
understands the mechanisms shaping self-esteem and self-worth,
knows the basic techniques of assertive and empathetic communication,
understands their own communication style, including its strengths and its impact on interpersonal relationships,
knows the organisational structure of their faculty and the forms of support available to students within the unit,
is familiar with the university-wide student support system at the University of Warsaw,
understands the basic principles of mentoring programmes, including the roles of mentor and mentee.
Skills
is able to build and maintain a mentoring relationship,
can select appropriate communication tools to facilitate effective interaction,
can provide basic information regarding the course of studies, course registration, and other activities carried out through the USOS system, as well as student support services and organisational matters, especially for first-year students,
can respond constructively and appropriately to difficulties reported by mentees, within the scope of their competencies and with respect for the wellbeing of both parties.
Social competences
is prepared to actively support mentees using their own knowledge and skills, with the support of University of Warsaw units,
is able to maintain personal boundaries and wellbeing within the mentoring relationship,
is capable of reflecting on their own development as well as academic and professional priorities,
demonstrates responsibility for the academic community and its development,
is prepared to participate in mentoring programmes.
Assessment criteria
To complete the course, students are required to:
a. attend 100% of mentor workshops (excused absences must be made up by attending sessions with another group or in another form specified by the instructor);
b. actively participate in the workshops and complete both the pre-test and post-test;
c. actively engage in the mentoring relationship with the mentee;
d. submit a mentor portfolio to the mentoring programme coordinator.
The final grade is based on the total number of points obtained from both the workshop component and the practical mentoring component.
The workshop component is assessed based on:
the post-test result (maximum 20 points),
participation and engagement during workshops (maximum 20 points).
The practical component is assessed based on the mentor portfolio (maximum 60 points), which includes at least:
I. a regularly updated record of activities carried out within the mentoring relationship (“Mentor’s Journal”);
II. an in-depth description of at least three situations/topics in which support was provided to the mentee, including the mentee’s context and needs, the mentor’s actions, outcomes and reflections, and referrals to relevant faculty or University of Warsaw support units where applicable (“Analysis of Mentor Tasks”);
III. a description of the greatest challenges faced in the mentor role in the context of the mentoring relationship, including the nature of the difficulty, the mentor’s response, and conclusions drawn from the experience (“Challenges in the Mentor Role”);
IV. a self-evaluation reflecting on achievements, areas for improvement, lessons learned about helping and effective communication, and ways of applying the acquired skills and experience in further academic and professional development (“Self-evaluation of the Mentoring Relationship”).
Grading scale:
96–100 points – 5
91–95 points – 4+
81–90 points – 4
71–80 points – 3+
60–70 points – 3
Practical placement
N/A
Bibliography
Literature and course materials selected by the instructor.