MeTra Mentoring Program
Current Information
We are in the process of internationalizing the program. At present, all workshops take place in German, but any individual coaching oppportunities associated with the workshops can usually take place in English, and mentees can be matched with English-speaking mentors upon request.
For 2025-2026 we are also trialing a bilingual program for the Postdoc line. If you are interested in participating in any of the lines but are unsure regarding your German level, please reach out to the head of the program for a consultation. All applications documents for all lines can be completed in either German or English.
The Gender Equality Office also offers a number of English-language workshops through its Maria von Linden Program which may be of interest to you.
Why mentoring in academia? What is it good for?
Despite excellent qualifications and high motivation, women continue to be underrepresented among professors as well as in other leadership positions in academia and research. There are many different reasons for this; the structural barriers making a career in academia difficult for women have not yet been removed. Women have fewer role models of the same gender and are less likely to be part of supportive networks.
For this and other reasons, many institutions of higher education have established mentoring programs to recruit more women scientists and increase their share in leadership positions and professorships. Mentoring can help to create (more) gender-equal structures and to render existing hierarchies and relations of dependency more transparent or overcome them altogether. Participating in a mentorship is intended to support women planning a career in academia in applying their skills more systematically and to make better use of their career opportunities.
How does mentoring in academia work?
Most mentoring programs in academia work with one-to-one mentoring. This principle is based on the formation of individual counseling and discussion tandems between an experienced researcher (mentor) and an early-career researcher (mentee). It involves the transfer of personal experiences from the mentor’s own career, but also recommendations, tips and contacts which can help the mentee in her further career development. The mentoring relationship is framed by a training program comprising multiple seminars or workshops tailored to fit the needs of the mentee’s career level. To encourage an exchange of views among the participants and the creation of a network, there are regular peer networking sessions.
Find out more below:
How is the MeTra Program structured?
This page contains information about the timeframe and contents of the program as well as the individual components: mentoring, training and networking.
Who is the MeTra Program for?
The program addresses women early-career researchers at all career levels planning a career in science. This page contains information on the three distinct lines of the program to which one can apply.
What do I need to apply?
This page contains information about the terms and conditions, current deadlines and other important dates, as well as downloadable application forms and data protection statements.
2004
Start of the MeTra Program
3
Groups per year
ca. 40
Mentees per year
Quality Assurance
The MeTra Program meets the quality standards of Forum Mentoring e.V., the federal association for mentoring in science. Its objective is the achievement of fair and equal opportunities in science and research. Forum Mentoring is represented by more than 100 programs at universities and research institutions across Germany. The network provides a platform for the transfer of knowledge, exchange of views and cooperation, all on the topic of mentoring in science. It serves to connect and support mentoring measures sensitive to issues of gender and diversity at all levels of professional training and qualification, with a special focus on women. The MeTra program leader is an active member of Forum mentoring.
