Program Overview

Introduction to the Young Professors Programme (YPP)

The Young Professors Programme is designed to support and accompany junior professors and leaders of young research groups in their individual career and personal development, as well as in their professional daily life.

Programme Offers

The programme offers a range of services to help participants successfully navigate the challenges of their career step. These include:

• An initial meeting for personal acquaintance with the coordinator, during which the programme's offers are presented and qualification wishes are discussed.
• One-to-one mentoring with experienced personalities from the University of Münster.
• Specific further training offers and all relevant further training offers at a glance, as well as the opportunity for personal advice.
• Networking opportunities with other junior professors and young research group leaders, as well as other experts.
• Uncomplicated, individual advice and support in finding the right institutions and contact persons at the University of Münster.

Events

The events can be attended independently of each other, free of charge, and can be chosen freely. Participants can register at any time in the further training portal and receive a written confirmation of participation after the event. If advice is needed or individual solutions are to be found, participants can contact the coordinator at any time. Additional specific events can also be organized if needed.

The offered further training events include:

• Theme-specific events for programme participants, e.g., on intermediate evaluation.
• Events on arriving at the University of Münster (for all first-time and newly appointed professors).
• Events on leadership topics and other relevant topics for junior professors and young research group leaders, such as compatibility, diversity, and science communication.

Specific networking events for programme participants are offered as needed, e.g., as lunch with expert input and exchange. Further networking events can be attended within the framework of the Onboarding-of-Professors event series. For former and current participants of the YPP mentoring, a networking event takes place annually.

Mentoring

What to Expect from YPP Mentoring

• Individual one-to-one mentoring with a flexible starting point.
• Duration: 1 year.
• Mentoring conversations approximately every 4-6 weeks.
• Professional accompaniment of the mentoring process (materials, individual advice from the coordinator if desired).
• Additional offers: solution-oriented peer mentoring, workshops for mentors (exchange and deepening of mentoring competencies).
• Annual YPP mentoring meet & eat for current and former mentees and mentors.

Becoming a Mentee

To become a mentee, participants can contact the coordinator at any time to arrange an information meeting. After the meeting, they decide on their participation. The coordinator takes over the matching of mentee and mentor (from different departments of the University of Münster). After a meeting and feedback from the mentoring partners on whether the collaboration can succeed, they determine the starting point for their one-to-one mentoring together.

Becoming a Mentor

The benefits of being a mentor include:

• Passing on experience to young professors.
• Being asked to be a mentor only if the profile matches the themes and goals of a mentee.
• Focusing on one-to-one mentoring (no framework program).
• Planning mentoring targeted (1 year, individual starting point).
• Being able to use offers for reflection and expansion of mentoring competencies (materials, advice, networking, workshops).

Further Important Contact Points

• Advisory office for employees and managers in cases of conflict, addiction issues, and health-related stress.
• Dual Career Service.
• International Office Welcome Center.
• SAFIR research funding advisory service.
• Service office family.
• Center for University Teaching.