CHS Holds A Two-Day Mentor-Mentee Training For Senior Members
KNUST College of Health Sciences has held a two-day training for officially paired mentors and mentees to equip them with the knowledge for effectiveness in mentorship and growth in their careers. The mentorship training came off on the 16th and 17th of May, 2023 at College Board Room and online.
Professor Christian Agyare, the Provost of the College of Health Sciences in his welcome address appreciated the presence of participants and noted that the mentorship programme has become officially enshrined into KNUST’s activities and all colleges are encouraged to organize such training. Mentors and mentee pairing occurs during the appointment of faculty members at the University Appointment and Promotions Committee (UPAC).
The KNUST mentorship programme is guided by a policy that discusses the university’s approach to monitoring. It seeks to provide mentors and mentees with a framework and practical guidance to support the process.
During the training, it was highlighted that mentoring in an academic environment is needed for reasons such as putting to order complex and varying career paths and opportunities, building on existing knowledge and experiences which could serve as a foundation for career development, and also because positions of academic leaderships require experience and guidance of those who have been there before.
Benefits of Mentorship, the difference between mentorship and coaching, types of mentoring, the GROW model, directions in mentoring relationships, characteristics of successful mentoring, trust in mentoring relationships, barriers to successful mentoring, and communication, among others were notable topics discussed during the two-day training.
The College of Health Sciences currently has fifty-five (55) mentors and eighty-five (85) mentees. The College of Health Sciences quests to provide a conducive environment for professional entrepreneurial training in health sciences, collaborative research, community, and industrial support, and encouragement of business innovations. Mentorship is one of the strategies to go for viability, the impact of research outcomes, developing staff capacity, and retaining experienced staff.
