AdvanceScience Mentoring - Briefly Explained
AdvanceScience is a two-year mentoring program in a classic 1-on-1 format for postdocs, habilitation candidates, and junior research group leaders. In 1-on-1 mentoring, a mentee is paired with an experienced mentor from the areas of academia, business, or society for a hierarchy-free, regular exchange. Mentee and mentor jointly decide on the working methodology in their tandem relationship.
Your Benefits as a Mentee:
- Broadening Your Perspective: Through exchanges with your mentor, you gain new insights and perspectives that foster your personal and professional development.
- Career Orientation: Your mentor supports you in gaining clarity about your career path and in making relevant professional decisions.
- Skill Development: Targeted feedback and guidance help you become aware of and further develop your strengths and potential.
- Expanding and Strenghtening Your Network: The mentoring relationship grants you access to relevant networks and contacts that can be beneficial in your professional career.
- Goal Setting and Motivation: Your mentor encourages you to concretize your goals and inspires you to achieve them successfully.
- Personal Growth: Continuous support and guidance enhance your self-confidence, self-reflection, and personal progress.
- Learning from Experience: Your mentor shares valuable professional experiences and helps you navigate potential challenges.
- Access to Specific Knowledge: Through exchanges with your mentor, you gain access to specific expertise and specialized knowledge.
How Does It Work?
Step 1: During the registration process, which includes an individual introductory meeting with GRADUS, the mentee specifies preferences regarding the mentor and his or her professional background: 1) Academia, 2) Business, or 3) Society.
Step 2: On the basis of this information, GRADUS finds a suitable mentor and facilitates contact between mentor and mentee.
Step 3: After the matching process, the mentee takes the initiative. At the beginning of the mentoring relationship, mentee and mentor jointly define the framework for the mentoring (how to meet, frequency of meetings, topics, etc.). The mentee is the driving force in the mentoring process.
The program lasts for two years and includes a kick-off and individual concluding conversations. A mid-term evaluation takes place after one year.
Dates
| Stage of the Program | Period I Date |
| Call for registrations | February 2026 |
| Registration deadline | March 16, 2026 |
| Individual introductory meetings | March 23 - April 03, 2026 |
| Kick-off event (online) | July 15, 2026, 2 p.m. - 4 p.m. |
| Mid-term evaluation (online) | July 2027 (tbd) |
| Concluding conversations (online) | July 2028 (tbd) |
Participation Requirements and Registration
- The mentee should be prepared to proactively establish and maintain a mentoring relationship.
- Participation in the kick-off event, the mid-term evaluation and the concluding conversation is mandatory.
- The University of Stuttgart aims to significantly increase the proportion of women in all status groups; hence, half of the spots are reserved for women.
- A general willingness to serve as a mentor in the future is expected.
Here you can register as a mentee and become part of our inspiring network. Please fill out the profile form (which you can access via the "Registration" button) and send it to us along with your CV. Your information will help us find a suitable mentor for you.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at: mentoring@gradus.uni-stuttgart.de
Ekaterina Deckers
Coordinator Mentoring Programs
Nina Gillé
Assistant Mentoring Programs