Education

Lecturer: Humble yourselves for mentorship

Dr Mrs Mercy Derkyi, a Senior Lecturer at the University of Energy and Natural Resources (UENR) has advised mentees to humble themselves to be mentored to acquire knowledge to impart to others.

Dr Mrs Derkyi who is the Dean of the School of Natural Resources gave the advice when she spoke at a Climate Impact Research Capacity Leadership Enhancement (CIRCLE) Institutional Strengthening Programme (ISP) Mentor-Mentee Pairing workshop in Sunyani.

Funded by the Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU) of the United Kingdom (UK), the workshop was attended by 13 experienced Mentors and 43 early career administrators (Mentees) from the Academic Office, Audit, Human Resource (HR) and Finance Departments of the University.

On the theme “Capacity, Mentoring and Career Development Programme”, the one-day event aimed at developing professional skills to nurture mentees through professional development. 

It was also “a mentoring and purpose roadmap for indispensable tool for professional development which comes with passion, observation and getting focused”. 

She emphasised that through mentorship, mentors would share their experiences, administrative and management knowledge and networks with their mentees. 

According to her, that would create and build a supportive working relationship to allow for both senior and junior staff to progress within their respective fields for the institution to have a stronger leadership.

As part of a practical demonstration of their skills, Dr Mrs Derkyi who is the Researcher Development Framework (RDF) Coordinator of the CIRCLE Project urged the mentees to state their visions on paper to guide them through career development.

Mr Alfred Ohenenana Appiah, Senior Assistant Registrar at the HR Department explained how best mentors could share their broad expertise and experience in terms of career development by identifying career aspirations of mentees to provide alternatives in addressing issues.

Mr Appiah explained the role of mentees as developing an interpersonal relationship with their mentors, identifying their own development goals, becoming innovators and be driven by their purpose. 

Later in a discussion, Mrs Abigail Amoh, a mentee shared her experience, saying through the programme, she was able to develop purpose roadmap in both her career and social life and expressed the hope in the course of time, she would be able to share her expertise and experience with other mentees.   

Earlier in an interview, Dr Mrs Derkyi said “The CIRCLE is an initiative of the Department for International Development (DFID) of the UK to develop the skills and research output of early career African researcher in climate change and its local impacts on development” and it also supports its partnering institutions through the Institutional Strengthening Programme (ISP).

The ISP objective is to help create a more enabling environment for returning fellows within their home institutions and thereby enhance the long impact of the programme and support available for early career researchers across the CIRCLE network, she added. 

GNA

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