CSC Mentoring Programme
The CSC’s Mentoring Programme connects Commonwealth Scholars and Alumni to support knowledge and skills development and a practical understanding of how these can be implemented post-scholarship to achieve development impact.
The CSC Mentoring Programme pairs new Commonwealth Scholars with a Commonwealth Alumnus working in a related or relevant field to their studies to provide individual advice and guidance during their scholarship.
Since 2019, over 650 Commonwealth Scholars and Alumni have participated in the programme. Mentees and Mentors can choose to be paired by their home country, region, or any Commonwealth country.
“The CSC Mentoring Programme has to a large extent left a hunger for excellence. On a personal level, the programme has met my expectations of fostering personal growth, self-confidence, and the development of crucial life skills. My Mentor provided guidance on goal-setting, decision-making, and work-life balance, which has positively impacted my personal well-being and overall satisfaction.”
2021 Mentee from Nigeria
Why take part?
Commonwealth Master’s and doctoral Scholars can apply to become a Mentee.
As a Mentee, you will have the opportunity to develop an understanding of how to implement the skills and knowledge gained during your Commonwealth Scholarship to achieve development impact in your home country and field of study, drawing on your Mentor’s experiences and expertise. Mentees can also seek support in adjusting to living and studying in the UK and guidance on building important employability skills for post-Scholarship success.
“I’m finding the CSC Mentoring Programme very essential for my academic and personal development. Apart from discussing academic matters, my Mentor and I often discuss career and professional development matters, set goals, and constantly evaluate them.”
2022 Mentee from Kenya
Commonwealth Alumni who have significant professional experience post-Scholarship can volunteer to become a Mentor.
As a Mentor, you will have the opportunity to share your expertise to support a new Scholar in developing appropriate skills and knowledge to achieve development impact post-Scholarship and provide advice on how these skills can applied in their home country or home country region.Through the programme, you will develop mentoring and professional skills, such as leadership, communication, and knowledge-sharing.
“This is an excellent opportunity for both the Mentor and Mentee to exchange, connect, and even collaborate on areas of mutual interest. The programme is a great learning experience, at least personally for me. I feel overwhelmed in sharing my thoughts, ideas, knowledge, and experience with my Mentee. It gives me immense happiness that my share of both positive and not so positive experiences can actually help my Mentee in their academic and personal journey and also in utilising the CSC opportunity to the best they can.”
2022 Mentor from India
How does the programme work?
Applications open in September 2023 and pairings will be announced in late October 2023. The programme runs for one year from December 2023 to December 2024.
Successful applicants are matched in a one-to-one mentoring pairing based on their application responses.
The programme consists of 5 stages, which help guide pairs through important milestones to achieve their goals for the programme. Mentees and Mentors will have access to resources including programme handbooks and a range of skills development resources. All participants will have the opportunity to attend virtual information sessions at the start of the programme and virtual meet-up sessions to connect with fellow Mentees and Mentors and share best practice.
“The CSC Mentoring Programme is an excellent platform for engaging, exchanging ideas, and influencing potential leaders, researchers, and career-minded individuals towards achieving further milestones and achievements along their academic journey. It also helps to foster and develop various competencies and skills of participants.”
2021 Mentor from Guyana
How can I apply?
All eligible Commonwealth Scholars and Alumni will receive full information about the programme and how to apply in September 2023. You can find out more about the by reading Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs).
If you have any questions about the programme, contact the CSC Alumni Team at alumni@cscuk.org.uk
Previous mentoring participants
You can read about the experiences of previous programme participants in the testimonials below.
Building a lasting relationship
Adurosakin Oluwapelumi Eniola is a 2021 Commonwealth Scholar from Nigeria. She was paired with a Commonwealth Alumnus from her home country. Read about how she formed a solid Mentor-Mentee relationship during her Master’s studies to support her academic and professional development.
Learning from the experiences of a home country Mentor
Rajneesh Kumar is a 2020 Scholar from India. He was paired with a Commonwealth Alumnus from his home country. Read about how he utilised the experiences of being paired with a Mentor from the same country to understand the development impact potential of his study.
Delivering focused and strategic advice for the future
Commonwealth Alumnus Constance Nyamikola has been a CSC Mentor since 2021. Read about how she has shared her expertise to support Mentees from India and Ghana to work towards their development impact goals.
Advantages of a cross-country pairing
Matia Alinaitwe is a 2020 Scholar from Uganda. He was paired with Commonwealth Alumnus Tricia McLean Rowe from Jamaica. Read about how they used the mentoring opportunity to share knowledge on GIS systems and learn about each other’s culture.
Celebrating the longer-term impact of the programme
Meenakshi Shukla is a 2016 Scholar from India. She was paired with a Commonwealth Scholar from Ghana. Read about how she continues to work with her Mentee through research collaboration.
Setting realistic goals as a doctoral Mentee
Mwanja Mwale is a 2020 Commonwealth Scholar from Zambia. She was paired with a Commonwealth Alumnus from South Africa. Read about how working with her Mentor helped Mwanja to stay engaged throughout her PhD programme and test out project and research ideas.