Are you a doctoral researcher who identifies as part of an underrepresented or discriminated group and would like to learn how to navigate academia? Starting January 2026, EELISA will launch its first Call for Mentees, a pilot experience aimed at doctoral researchers across the Alliance. Designed to reduce the barriers that limit career progression for underrepresented groups, this programme aims to support doctoral candidates who experience discrimination or underrepresentation in academia, whether related to gender, ethnicity, nationality, disability, sexual orientation, socioeconomic background or health status.
Combining personalised mentorship with targeted training, this programme aims to embody EELISA’s vision by creating an open, safe and equitable European Academic Space. By joining this programme, participants will become a part of a supportive community that recognizes the difficulty of navigating academia with intersecting identities.
Through the programme, mentees will receive personalized support from experienced mentors, develop leadership and communication skills, expand their professional networks across Europe, and contribute to EELISA’s commitment to building a more inclusive academic environment.
Programme Structure
1. Monthly one-to-one meeting
Each mentee will be assigned a mentor who will meet with them to discuss personal goals, career development, and potential challenges throughout their academic journey. At the core of the programme lies a relationship of trust, exchange, and mutual learning. Each mentee will be paired with a mentor who
– Holds a PhD and is well-established in academia;
– Comes from a different field or institution to encourage fresh perspectives and avoid conflicts of interest;
– Belongs to a different field or institution, ensuring mentees gain new insights while preventing conflicts of interest
– Supports mentees through inclusive mentoring and emotional guidance
– Shares EELISA’s commitment to safe, equitable academic environments.
Mentors will act not as supervisors, but as academic coaches and allies, helping mentees navigate discrimination, self-doubt, isolation, and broader career challenges while offering insight into networking, opportunities, and personal development.
2. Online training sessions
Participants will join four interactive online trainings designed to provide practical tools, knowledge, and a sense of community:
– Understanding Barriers to Academia as a Minority: An introductory session offering context on structural inequalities and strategies to prevent or address discrimination.
– Public Speaking, Speaking Confidently: A workshop focused on developing strong communication skills, with attention to challenges often faced by minority researchers.
– Career after a PhD, Applying to Postdocs in STEM: An insider-led session on navigating postdoctoral applications and preparing for the next steps in an academic career.
– Roundtable, Testimonies from Minority Researchers: A sharing space featuring firsthand stories from minority researchers, fostering inspiration, openness, and peer learning.
3. Final event
An in-person gathering that will take place on one of the ten EELISA member institutions during summer of 2026, bringing participants to reflect, connect and celebrate their progress.
The EELISA Memtroship Board Comittee will oversee the programme, ensuring high-quality support for all participants..
Who Can Apply?
The call is open to doctoral candidates currently enrolled at any EELISA institution who identify as part of an underrepresented or discriminated group. This includes, but is not limited to:
– Women and non-binary researchers
– LGBTIQ+ individuals
– Ethnic, racial, or linguistic minorities
– Researchers with disabilities or chronic health conditions
– Individuals from disadvantaged socioeconomic backgrounds
– Those who have experienced discrimination based on nationality, religion, or other personal characteristics
If you are a motivated doctoral researcher seeking to develop your skills, confidence, and academic profile, and are open to engaging in cross-institutional and interdisciplinary mentoring relationships, we encourage you to apply. Applications from all disciplines are welcome.
Selection Process
For this pilot year, 20 mentee positions will be available across the EELISA network.
If applications exceed this number, selection will be based on:
– Motivation
– Diversity background
– Discipline
– Balanced representation across institutions (2–3 mentees per institution)
– Year of study
Mentor–mentee matching will be overseen by the EELISA Board Committee according to the principles of interdisciplinarity, shared working language, and compatibility of expectations.
How to Apply
Interested PhD candidates should submit their applications before January 9th by filling the form below:
After completing the form, potential applicants must send an email to mentorship@eelisa.eu including:
– A statement of motivation (max. 500 words) outlining academic interests and reasons for applying;
– Your CV.
Applications will be reviewed by the EELISA Board Committee. Selected mentees will be contacted directly with details about the matching process and next steps.