'Progress to PhD' peer mentoring scheme

The Doctoral College and the Careers, Employability and Student Enterprise team jointly lead a 'Progress to PhD' peer mentoring scheme.

In this scheme, the mentees are undergraduate (UG) and Master's students from underrepresented backgrounds who are interested in pursuing doctoral research. These students are paired with a postgraduate research student (PGR), who acts as a mentor and provides advice about doctoral study.

Our internal research suggests that UG and Master's students want to build connections with our doctoral students. The scheme facilitates this through the sharing of information and guidance to help interested students make more informed decisions to PhD entry.

What do we mean by ‘underrepresented’?

The term ‘underrepresented’ refers to students who share certain characteristics where data shows equality gaps in how they access, succeed within and progress from higher education into further study or graduate employment. At the University, it includes the following groups:

Black, Asian, or other minority ethnic background students
Mature students (those aged 21+ years old when starting their degree)
Students who are care experienced
Students who are estranged from their family (i.e., aged 18 to 24 and have no communicative relationship with either of their parents)
Students with a disclosed disability
Student from an area that has low higher education participation or deprived area of the UK
Students who are the first generation in their immediate family to attend higher education
University of Southampton bursary recipients

How does the mentoring scheme work?

All mentors and mentees will be required to attend a training workshop before their mentoring relationship begins. The training will outline the expectations, professional boundaries, and different mentoring styles that can support you in becoming an effective mentor/mentee.

It is expected that mentors and mentees will meet at least 4 times over the course of their mentoring relationship which will last approximately six months, between November – April.

Benefits for mentors

Mentors gain substantial benefits from participating in this scheme. Engaging in mentorship sharpens key skills (such as leadership, communication and empathy) and contributes to your professional development.

Acting as a mentor also brings many personal benefits, through giving back to the university community and playing an active role in supporting the next generation of postgraduate researchers.

Benefits for mentees

The benefits for mentees with PGR peer mentoring schemes are multi-dimensional. Students have access to personalised support and guidance, which will influence your decisions on whether pursuing a PhD is right for you.

The opportunity to network with PGR students fosters a supportive community, and drawing from your mentor's experiences will give you insights that facilitate your journey towards becoming a successful researchers (should you wish to pursue a PhD).