Student Mentoring – Common Path 4219-MSWK(KS)-ZIP
Student mentoring is a course that combines participants’ personal development with tangible support from the academic community. The course consists of two main parts: a workshop component and a practical mentoring component.
Participants in the workshop component, which totals 14 instructional hours, will be prepared to serve as mentors.
The workshops will begin with an in-person informational and organizational meeting lasting 2 hours. During the meeting, the rules of participation as well as the goals and objectives of the mentoring activities will be presented.
The workshops will also include an in-person training session focused on developing communication skills, lasting 8 hours. During the training, we will address issues related to building empathetic relationships, assertive dialogue, and boosting self-confidence. We will also discuss how to leverage your strengths when working with a mentee to support the development of this relationship and consciously shape their career path. We will familiarize workshop participants with the various forms of support provided to students by the University of Warsaw and the academic unit where they study—2 hours online meeting, 07-16 October 2026 (registration by a separate form). We will present typical challenges that first-year students may face and deepen participants’ understanding of the role of a mentor and forms of mentoring support—both on campus and off-campus—for 2 hours in-person.
In the practical component, comprising approximately 18 teaching hours, mentors will regularly collaborate—both online and in-person—with two first-year students. Mentors will support newly admitted students and assist them during the challenging period of adaptation to university life. Support for mentees will include:
• familiarizing them with the university’s structure and operations,
• assistance with basic administrative matters, such as course registration and using the USOS system,
• answering questions about starting college and organizing academic life.
If the issue a mentee brings up goes beyond the mentors’ scope of expertise, the mentee will be referred to the appropriate student support unit. Another key aspect will be encouraging mentees to get involved in campus life, for example, by participating in student council’s activities, cultural initiatives, or community projects. Mentors can also help mentees from outside Warsaw get to know the city.
Participation in the sessions will allow for the development of interpersonal and organizational skills, as well as the ability to responsibly support others. Mentors will learn to effectively solve problems, build relationships based on empathy, care for their own well-being and that of others, and cope with difficult situations.
The sessions foster a sense of commitment and responsibility toward the academic community, enable monitoring of the mentoring relationship in collaboration with a faculty advisor, and help build self-confidence and reflect on one’s own academic and professional priorities.
Networking events and additional workshops designed to develop knowledge, skills, and practical experience will also be organized for mentors and mentees.
Course coordinators
Type of course
Mode
Prerequisites (description)
Learning outcomes
Upon successful completion of the course, the student will know:
- the mechanisms underlying the development of self-esteem and self-assessment,
- basic techniques of assertive and empathetic communication,
- one’s own communication style, including one’s strengths, and how this influences the development of interpersonal relationships,
- the organizational structure of the academic unit where they study and the forms of support provided to students within that unit,
- the university-wide support system for students at the University of Warsaw,
- basic principles of mentoring programs, including the specific nature of the mentor and mentee roles.
Upon successful completion of the course, the student will be able to:
- build and nurture a mentoring relationship,
- select appropriate communication tools to facilitate communication,
- provide basic information regarding the course of study, course registration, and other activities performed by students via USOS, support provided by the department and the university to students—particularly first-year students—and other organizational matters,
- respond to difficulties reported by the mentee in a constructive manner, commensurate with their own competencies, and with respect for the well-being of both parties.
Upon completing the course, the student is ready to:
- actively support the mentee by utilizing one’s own knowledge and skills, with the support of the University of Warsaw’s departments,
- maintaining one’s own boundaries and well-being in the relationship of supporting the mentee,
- reflect on one’s own development, academic, and professional priorities,
- building and developing a sense of responsibility toward the academic community,
- participate in mentoring programs.
Assessment criteria
The requirements for passing the course are:
a) 100% attendance at the workshops for mentors,
b) active participation in the workshops and completion of the pre- and post-tests during the workshops,
c) active engagement in the relationship with the mentee,
d) submission of a mentor’s journal in the form of a portfolio to the mentoring program supervisor.
The course grade depends on the total points earned from the workshop component and the practical component—collaboration with the mentee.
The maximum number of points for the workshop component is 40, consisting of:
• post-test score—up to 20 points,
• evaluation of participation during the workshops—a maximum of 20 points.
The maximum number of points for the practical component is 60 points for the mentor’s journal in the form of a portfolio, which must include at least:
• a regularly updated list of activities undertaken as part of the collaboration with the mentee—in the form of interim reports,
• a detailed description of at least three situations or topics in which support was provided to the mentee, e.g., the mentee’s context and needs, the mentor’s approach, the outcomes and reflections on the actions taken, and any referrals of the mentee to the appropriate offices within the department and/or University of Warsaw units, if applicable,
• a description of the greatest challenges in the mentor’s role in the relationship with the mentee: what the difficulty was, how the mentor responded, conclusions,
• the mentor’s self-evaluation: what they are satisfied with, what they could have done differently, what they learned about the role of support and effective communication, and how they can apply the acquired skills and experiences in their future academic and professional path.
scoring:
100-96 5
95-91 4+
90-81 4
80-71 3+
70-60 3
Bibliography
Recommended reading to deepen the knowledge and skills acquired during the workshops and the practical component of student mentoring:
Eric Parsloe, Melville Leedham (2018) Coaching and Mentoring: Strategies, Tactics, Techniques. Warsaw: PWN
Tony Stolzfus (2012) The Art of Asking Questions in Coaching. How to Master a Coach’s Most Important Skill? Wrocław: Aetos Media
Michael Bungay Stanier (2017) The Coaching Habit. Talk Less, Ask More, and Become a Better Leader. Łódź: Galaktyka
Rosenberg, M. B. (2022). Nonviolent Communication. Warsaw: Czarna Owca
Stewart, J. (ed.) (2021). Bridges Instead of Walls. A Handbook of Interpersonal Communication. Warsaw: PWN
McKay M., Davis M., Fanning P., (2021). The Art of Effective Communication. Sopot: GWP Gdańsk Psychological Publishing House
Lorenz V., Berendt J. (2024). The Alphabet of Empathy. Live in Harmony with Yourself and Others. Gliwice: Sensus