Career Acceleration Programmes

1. Ascent Mentoring Programme

The Ascent Mentoring Programme is a one-on-one mentoring programme that pairs current Saïd Business School students and Oxford alumnae at the early stages of their career, with experienced and successful leaders in business from the body of Oxford University alumni.

The Programme commences annually in the first quarter of each year. Applications for the 2016 programme have now closed. 

Feedback from previous participants in the Programme includes:

"She is such a perfect fit for the challenges I am going through right now ... She is going to be a great person to bounce partnering opportunities and our sales force development challenges off."

“This is why Oxford is and will be in my heart. It is not just a university, it is a family, an idea, supporting for life. I asked for a mentor in a specific industry to move forward and I got the most perfect one!”

Applications for the 2016 programme have now closed. If you are interested in participating in next year's programme please join the OWL Community mailing list by clicking on the 'Join this Network' button.  

Who are Ascent Mentoring Programme Mentees?

The Ascent Mentoring Programme Mentees are women who are either currently enrolled at the Saïd Business School or are graduates of any programme at Oxford University - the programme is open to women in any industry.

The Programmes’ Mentees are at a variety of stages in their career development, with a weighting towards those who are at an early stage or are moving towards the mid-stage of their careers. 

Who are Ascent Mentoring Programme Mentors?

The Ascent Mentoring Programme Mentors are accomplished Saïd Business School students/alumni and Oxford University alumni from around the globe. Previous Mentors have come from a wide array of sectors and professions including consulting, finance, marketing, healthcare, education, entrepreneurship and public policy. While Mentors may be located outside the UK or remotely, each has made a commitment to volunteer their time to assist Mentees by sharing expertise and guidance. 

An Invitation to Mentor

We invite male and female alumni of the University of Oxford to join as Mentors of the Ascent Mentoring Programme. As you have successfully navigated through your career decisions, your insight and advice will provide valuable guidance and inspiration to female students and/or alumnae as they build their careers.

As a Mentor, you will have the opportunity to inspire a current Oxford student and/or alumna as they face some of the most significant decisions of their lives. You will:

• Serve as a role model, and an independent sounding board;
• Provide insights on career goals and choices;
• Share general advice on career and life planning;
• Help to prepare Mentees for their roles as successful women and strong leaders.

We hope that, in turn, as a Mentor, you will experience personal satisfaction in seeing your Mentee(s) progress through their careers, and will also benefit from extending your networks.

Principles of Mentoring

Effective mentoring requires many qualities and a set of agreed principles between the individuals in a mentoring pair. These include:

• Defining the scope of the relationship;
• Balancing professionalism and friendship;
• Being committed to the process of mentoring;
• Offering quality time and attention;
• Empathising, encouraging and motivating;
• Providing constructive feedback;
• Having good communication skills;
• Proactively asking for help and advice of each other;
• Creating a safe and continuous learning environment for Mentors and Mentees.

Mentoring is a reciprocal, two-way relationship. Both Mentors and Mentees need to contribute to achieve a productive and rewarding mentoring experience.

Mentees who are accepted into the programme understand that Mentors are busy professionals volunteering their time and experience. They understand that the Mentor’s role is to inspire and guide, and not to help with operational matters such as organising a work visa or providing employment.

Commitment Expectations

The Ascent Mentoring Programme allows flexibility for Mentors and Mentees to create a mentorship relationship that fits their particular needs. This is a one-year Mentorship Programme due to commence at the end of February 2016 and finish 31 January 2017. While the Ascent Mentoring Programme represents a one-year commitment between the mentor and mentee, we encourage mentorship pairs continue their relationship for as long as both parties feel is beneficial. Mentoring relationships could be explicitly career focused, or could centre upon broader life goals and issues depending on the needs of the Mentee (eg: guidance on shifting industry or balancing family and career expectations). The frequency of communications varies depending on the agreement between the mentor and mentee. Mentoring pairs are requested to define their relationship and its parameters in consultation, including time and support commitments. Interactions will largely be over the telephone and via web platforms and tools, and in-person meetings based on convenience and preference. It is anticipated that the time requirement will not be onerous, however, in order for the Programme to be beneficial to both parties, it is essential that there is an open dialogue between the Mentor and Mentee on a regular basis.

Other Information

Upon the receipt of applications, Mentor details are stored in the Mentor bank. Certain information from the Mentors will be shared the Mentees. Mentees then have one week to submit their top 5 preferences. The organisrs will then match Mentors with Mentees according to the preferences, and facilitate the initial introduction. 

Virtual Mentoring
As we can not always match you with a mentor/mentee in your area, mentoring may take place on a virtual platform.

Matching
We cannot guarantee to Mentees that there will be an appropriate Mentor available for them in a given year however we do our best to match according to preference. 
In addition, the Oxford Women’s Leadership Community (OWLC) organises regular online global conversations with inspiring women leaders, profiles alumnae on the OWLC website, and promotes linkages between local chapters. All participants in the Ascent Mentoring Programme are welcome and encouraged to access the OWLC’s resources.

Programme Timeline

• 19 January 2016 – Ascent Mentoring Programme opens for mentee/mentor applications
• 11 February 2016 – Deadline for mentor/mentee applications
• 18 February 2016 - Deadline for mentees to submit top 5 preferences
• 7 March 2016 – Mentor/mentee pairings announced
• 7 March 2016 - Official open date of Ascent Mentoring Programme
• April 2016 – Check-in on the progress of mentoring relationships
• 31 January 2017 – Official closure of the 2016 Ascent Mentoring Programme

2. Gender Diverse Boards initiative

Coming soon