Project application degree programme initiative: MTEC Mentoring Programme

The Innovedum project had the following objectives:
Grow and establish two different Mentoring Programmes at MTEC (MSc & MAS) with the support of Innovedum that is popular with students (mentees), alumni and industry partners (mentors). Enable ETH MTEC students to identify and realize their full potential. Excute a variety of on- and offline formats within the framework of the MTEC Mentoring Programmes; Strengthening the relation between the department and relevant stakeholders such as alumni, industry partners and ETH department, initiatives and associations; Creating knowledge and sharing experience to help starting other mentoring initiatives at ETH. These goals were achieved with the support of Innovedum.
The MTEC Mentoring Programme became a central pillar of MTEC’s life-long learning strategy. It pairs students (mentees) with industry experts and alumni (mentors) from various fields. It is led by students and an MTEC Mentoring Coordinator and it the prove of concept for student entrepreneurship. It promotes personal and professional development as well as career and network building. By involving alumni, it helps to strengthen their ties to their alma mater, ETH Zurich, and to establish contacts with them. The demand is high: 2/3 of the first-year students apply, 50% are accepted. It was supported by various ETH platforms, departments and organisations (LET, Career Center, OBIS) and became known throughout ETH. By sharing insights and knowledge we supported our colleagues to build-up an ETH wide Mentoring Programme “ETH Circle”. Following a successful pilot in the MSc programme, a further tailor-made mentoring programme was established for the MAS MTEC Programme.

The Mentoring Programme is an addition to teaching at MTEC. In various interactive workshops with the Career Center and industry partners, topics such as conflict management, career misconceptions, future skills, leadership and motivation were taught. The exchange with the mentors from industry helped mentees to make contacts and gain insides into industry, get career guidance and hence make make more conscious career decisions. At events the mentees learned how to network and talked to industry representatives at eye level. By leading the mentoring relationship «driver seat», they learnt to take responsibility and ownership.

The project goals were achieved. Mentees profit through the change of perspective and learned from others. They expand their network (qualitative & quantitative). The exchange of experiences with their mentor helps with the career planning after the degree, change in jobs (MAS), change of industry (MAS), work-life balance, family planning (MAS) and networking. In both MTEC Programmes (MSc and MAS) the Mentoring Programme added real value for the students beyond the usual lectures. In both programmes it is very important what the mentees make of it: they have to commit themselves in order to benefit from it.
To ensure the sustainability of the Mentoring Programme it needs institutional integration (involvement/ status updates for director of studies) as well as a constant push of motivation for new ideas, framework and processes improvement. Networking events help to involve alumni, mentors, mentees and members of the faculty. To promote the programme it should be presented on different occasions: welcome day, graduation ceremony, on-boarding events, board meeting, meetings with partners from industry, requests from ETH colleagues and departments.
An unexpected benefit was the impact on the alumni relationship. Through the Mentoring Programme we were able to involve many alumni and win them for further collaboration, inputs, guest lectures etc..
An advise worth sharing: For student-driven programmes like the Mentoring Programmes, there needs to be a constant coordinator from the department/ organizational unit who can step in and/or intervene, pass on knowledge, and serve as a contact person for internal and external contacts.