Summary
Mentoring program at the Vienna University of Technology (TU Wien) for female students at school aged 16 or over, and for female first-semester students
Target groups
Prospective Students / University Students /
Implementing organization
Vienna University of Technology - Gender Competence Department /Contact
Bettina Enzenhofer, bettina.enzenhofer@tuwien.ac.at
Implemented/introduced
Implemented at the Vienna University of Technology since 2009
Relation to gender equality targets
Extract from the Plan for the Advancement of Women at TU Wien:
Paragraph IV: Career planning, training and further education
Section 35: Mentoring and coaching
(1) TU Wien shall support programmes for Human Resources development. In co-operation with the department competent for personnel development, the TU Wien shall also draw up measures for the development of female staff, in particular women’s mentoring and coaching programmes and career-planning seminars, as well as gender training for all TU Wien staff members.
Extract from the Equal Opportunities Plan at TU Wien:
- Measures
2.2. Measures Pertaining to the Dimensions
2.2.1 Dimension: Gender
TU Wien commits itself to the career advancement of women and to creating positive and career-advancing conditions for women. Accordingly, TU Wien views it as a joint task of all members of the university to achieve the objective that all women and men at TU Wien have opportunities for development commensurate with their qualifications and that any existing hurdles for women shall be removed or counterbalanced.
The objective(s) of the tool
Online mentoring is intended amongst other things to increase the percentage of female students at TU Wien. By expanding the proportion of women in technical research and professions the potential of these fields is also advanced, as are quality, and equality of opportunity.
Developing and promoting social skills and knowledge transfer for the female online mentors, is an additional benefit of the program.
Description of the tool
Any female pupil interested in studying at TU Wien, and any female student in the first year of her studies can participate (i.e. become a mentee through online mentoring). After initial contact she connects with a personal email mentor. Online mentoring is a 1:1 relationship between the mentee and the mentor. Correspondence by email forms the basis of the mentoring relationship.
The mentors are female students in the upper semester groups who are particularly committed to supporting future students and first-semester students. Online mentoring is an effective source of information based on actual everyday student life. Mentors support, advise, answer questions, and respond to challenges that arise at TU Wien. The mentors are female students from all eight faculties at TU Wien.
How the tool works, practical experience
Approximately 60 mentees per year
Special Thanks
TU Wien; “WIT-Women in Technology 2008-2012” and “genderfair” projects