Mentoring programs and networking for students

The foundations for future career paths are laid at university. Groups that are discriminated against on the basis of gender, sexual orientation, social or ethnic origin, religion or other characteristics sometimes face major challenges in this regard. Networking opportunities and mentoring programmes encourage the exchange of experiences and a sense of self-efficacy and can therefore have a positive impact on academic success and offer the opportunity to build a professional network. Gaining insights into different professional fields and different career paths from mentors may also help with the decision to pursue an academic career.