Source: Martin Braun
As part of our ‘Women in IT’ series, we have already talked about the challenges faced by women in IT and shared some success stories. In the third article, we presented the FEMTEC Career Building Programs. Today, in the fourth part, we would like to introduce the TANDEM mentoring programs at RWTH Aachen University – important tools for equal opportunities career development that support women in shaping their careers in science and research while promoting gender equality in the academic environment.
What Is the TANDEM Mentoring Program?
Source: IGaD
The TANDEM mentoring programs are a structured mentoring offer that supports women at RWTH Aachen University on their path into science and academic careers. The word ‘TANDEM’ stands for the principle of mutual support: a mentor accompanies a mentee over a fixed period of time. This is a reciprocal relationship that goes beyond professional advice and also includes personal experience and professional networks.
The mentoring programs include TANDEMstud for female students, TANDEMdok for female doctoral students, TANDEMplus for female postdocs and TANDEMbridge (paused in 2025) for the transition from studies to doctoral studies or the professional world. These programs offer not only mentoring, but also training and networking events to help mentees build a successful career in academia.
Why Is TANDEM Important?
A central aim of the TANDEM programs is to combat the so-called ‘leaky pipeline’ – a phenomenon in which the proportion of women in higher academic and professional positions continues to decline. Although women are graduating in higher numbers today, their share in subsequent career steps is continuously declining. Particularly in academia, there is a lack of female role models to guide women to take the next step in their careers.
This is where the TANDEM mentoring programs come in: Targeted support for women at all stages of their academic careers overcomes obstacles such as a lack of networks, insufficient support and the absence of role models. Mentors who have already successfully mastered their own career paths pass on their experience and help to develop individualized career paths.
Mentoring – More Than Just Professional Support
Mentoring in the TANDEM programs goes far beyond purely professional advice. The mentors are not only contact persons in relation to academic topics, but also take on an important advisory role and familiarize their mentees with the informal rules of professional life, structural requirements and networks. This personal support at eye level not only strengthens the mentees’ self-efficacy, but also ensures that they can define their own goals more clearly and realize them successfully.
The Success of TANDEM
The TANDEM programs have proven to be extremely successful. It is not only about giving women access to highly qualified career positions, but also about creating long-term networks that last beyond the duration of the program. Mentees gain access to valuable contacts that can be crucial to their careers and receive comprehensive feedback that promotes their professional and personal development.
The TANDEM programs are based on the quality standards of the Federal Association for Mentoring in Science ‘Forum Mentoring e.V.’ and are regularly evaluated to ensure that they meet the needs of the participants and deliver sustainable positive results. This quality assurance is a central component of success, as it is the only way to ensure that mentees receive the best possible support.
Application Deadlines and Programs
The application deadlines for the various TANDEM programs are in the autumn of each year. For the year 2025, interested parties can apply for TANDEMstud and TANDEMplus from the end of October to the end of November 2024, while applications for TANDEMdok are possible from 18 November to 13 December 2024.
The TANDEM mentoring programs are a valuable tool at RWTH Aachen University that helps to support women in their academic and professional development. It offers not only mentoring, but also a comprehensive range of training and networking opportunities to help participants achieve their career goals and successfully shape their professional future.
Responsible for the content of this article is Malak Mostafa.
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