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Hochschule Niederrhein: Mentoring

A suite of mentoring initiatives at Hochschule Niederrhein supporting women in STEM with industry and academic mentors, practical trial-study options, workshops and networking to ease academic and career transitions.

Who is it for?

Women in STEM — students and researchers

Overview

Hochschule Niederrhein offers a range of mentoring initiatives aimed at strengthening the participation and career prospects of women in MINT/STEM fields. The offers combine one-to-one mentoring tandems with practical insights from companies, workshops, networking and peer support to help with study choices, career entry and academic advancement.

What the programmes support

Career entry and career planning: exploring strengths, developing professional profiles and preparing for job applications.
Insight into working life: realistic perspectives from company mentors and regional employers.
Academic career development: targeted support for doctoral candidates and post‑docs on publishing, funding and career pathways.
Soft skills and self‑positioning: workshops on communication, presenting yourself and leadership as a woman in technical teams.
Networking and peer contacts: regional networks that connect students, staff and local businesses.

Who can take part

The offers primarily target women studying or working in STEM disciplines, from first‑year students through doctoral candidates and post‑docs; some formats also engage company mentors from the regional economy and the academic community.

Selected programme formats

NRW‑Technikum – a trial study format that lets participants test a degree programme and related apprenticeship possibilities in STEM over a short period to clarify study and career choices.
MINT Forum – a university network that connects women across study programmes, offers contact persons among experienced female students, and organises workshops and mentoring to ease the start of studies.
Competentia Mentoring – a short tandem mentoring with regional small and medium‑sized enterprises to support female students entering professional life.
Your compass for starting your career – a mentoring format linking students with member companies of regional entrepreneurship networks to support career orientation and transition.
ElevateHER / ProfConnect – mentoring and networking for doctoral researchers and post‑docs that combines individual tandems with workshops and professional impulses; mentors from any gender may participate to support early‑career researchers.

Participation and benefits

Participation in the university's mentoring offers is free of charge. Mentees gain practical orientation, tailored feedback on career plans, increased visibility in networks and opportunities to develop both technical and transferable competences; mentors contribute experience, open contacts and support mentees' professional development.