The Department of English and Comparative Literary Studies’ academic mentoring scheme is overseen by the Deputy Head (Academic Development) and the Academic Development and Mentoring Group. All new academic staff (excluding sessional academic staff) have a mentor assigned to them when they join the Department. All FA5 and FA6 staff (research assistants, research fellows, and teaching fellows) retain a mentor whilst they are on an FA5 or FA6 contract. All other academic staff are given the choice to either continue being mentored or cease being mentored when they complete their probation. Any academic staff not currently mentored may request a mentor from the Deputy Head (Academic Development)

Sound mentoring of academic colleagues is vital. Good quality teaching and research, and efficient and effective administration, depend on colleagues receiving the full support of the Department, allowing them to develop their strengths and manage their duties to the best of their ability.

For all mentors/mentees in the Department, the following guidance applies:

1. Assigning of Mentors for R-Focused Academic Staff Research assistants and research fellows will normally be assigned a cohort mentor by the Deputy Head (Academic Development) who is independent of the research projects that the researchers will be working on. Central to the role of this mentor is ensuring that broader career development is secured, and that the demands of a research project are appropriately integrated into the broader career ambitions of the research staff. This will include, for example, discussion of publications strategies and teaching opportunities to facilitate employment after the project is complete.

2. Assigning of Mentors for T&R and T-Focused Academic Staff For all T&R and T-Focused academic staff, the Deputy Head (Academic Development) identifies individual potential academic mentors and makes the suggestion to the mentee. If the mentee agrees, the Deputy Head (Academic Development) then approaches the potential academic mentor.

3. Mentor Eligibility All academic staff of grade FA7 or greater, who have completed their probation, are eligible to be mentors. Excluded from this are the Deputy Head (Academic Development) and the Head of Department, due to conflicts of interest with their roles in overseeing academic staff development within the Department.

4. Initial Meeting Mentors and mentees should meet soon after appointment to start establishing a professional relationship of trust that will allow them to be open and honest with each other. They should agree the objectives of the mentoring relationship and agree its boundaries (set out in the Mentors Handbook). Mentors should assure mentees that anything they wish kept confidential will be.

5. Meetings The number of meetings mentors and mentees should have cannot be specified as mentees’ needs vary according to career stage and individual needs. However, guidance is as follows:

• Mentees on probation and all FA5 and FA6 staff should meet with their mentor at least twice per year, plus follow-up discussions about specific teaching/research/admin work. Ideally this should be at the start of the academic year to identify plans and how to achieve them and in or around the start of Term 3 to review how the year to date has been and review plans for the remainder of the year.
• Other mentees should meet with their mentor as required to be effective and to maintain the relationship.

8. Mentors are Not Line Managers It is not the responsibility of the mentor to keep the mentee ‘on track’ to achieving probation targets, or to remonstrate with mentees who appear not to be on track. However, if a mentee is not progressing towards their targets, mentors and mentees should have honest conversations about this.

9. Changing Mentors Mentors need to be changed when one leaves the University or otherwise becomes unavailable, e.g. when engaged in Study Leave. Mentees may also request a change of mentor if they believe an alternative mentor would better suit their professional development. In any of those circumstances the Deputy Head (Academic Development) will go about the process of identifying a new mentor in the same way as when a mentor is first appointed.