Deadline: November 30, 2022
Applications are open for the Association of Asian Social Sciences Research Councils (AASSREC) Mentoring Initiative (AMI) 2022. The AASSREC Mentoring Initiative (AMI), is a pilot mentoring programme designed to support early- and mid-career social science researchers in the Asia-Pacific region, especially for the benefit of researchers working in the most under-resourced, least advantaged parts of the region.
It provides informal mentoring support and research career development guidance to social science researchers who are, because of their career stage and the resource constraints of the institutions in which they work, most in need of such support and least likely to have access to it otherwise.
Topics
The topics for discussion shall be agreed between each mentor and mentee pair, but following is an indicative list of the kinds of topics that it is envisaged that mentors and mentees could potentially discuss:
- Expectations and goals of the mentorship – what the mentee hopes to learn and what the mentor hopes to offer;
- Mentee career trajectory, goals, and obstacles or constraints;
- Scholarly publication strategies – writing book proposals; targeting journals across different jurisdictions and fields;
- Peer review – being a peer reviewer; receiving and responding to peer reviews;
- Identifying and applying for research funding opportunities;
- Promotion applications and planning for career progression;
- Work-life fit and navigating workplace challenges;
- Research supervision best practices;
- Reconciling teaching and research commitments;
- Recognising and addressing burnout;
- Research networking and collaboration strategies, local and international.
Eligibility
- Open to early- and mid-career social science researchers in the Asia-Pacific region.
The AASSREC Secretariat will select at least 3 and up to 5 each of mentors and mentees and proposed mentor-mentee pairs for nomination to, and approval by, the AASSREC Executive Council according to the following criteria:
Criteria for Mentees
- Currently pursuing a career as a social science researcher in the Asia-Pacific region;
- Commitment to the principles and objectives of the AMI programme;
- Willingness to meet the expectations of mentees set out in the AMI guidelines;
- Interpersonal and communication skills;
- Compatibility of career goals with the record of mentor applicants;
- Existing access to career support (i.e., those with least access will be prioritised); and
- Institutional/manager support for the mentee’s participation, if applicable (not essential).
Criteria for Mentors
- Currently pursuing a career as a social science researcher in the Asia-Pacific region;
- Commitment to the principles and objectives of the AMI program;
- Willingness to meet the expectations of mentors set out in the AMI guidelines;
- Experience in formal or informal mentoring of researchers (desirable but not essential);
- Professional experience, interpersonal and communication skills; and
- Compatibility of skills and experience with the career goals of mentee applicants.
Application
Prospective mentors and mentees should complete the relevant application form and submit to the AASSREC Secretariat via email at fellowship@socialsciences.org.au.
For more information, visit AASSREC Mentoring Initiative.
