GRC Peer Mentoring Grant
Funding for junior researchers
Table of contents
What are GRC Peer Mentoring Grants?
The Graduate Campus Peer Mentoring Grants provide junior researchers with the means for funding activities of peer mentoring groups. Peer mentoring is a specific form of career development for non-professorial academics that takes place within a group of aspiring and advances researcher (i.e. peers). The aim of peer mentoring groups is to foster the scientific careers of the group members. The members of the self-initiated groups discuss the prerequisites for an academic career and, together, take appropriate steps to obtaining the necessary qualifications and required skills (e.g. methodical and / or transferable skills). The focal point thereby is the mutual support and the establishment of a network among colleagues. Peers share their knowledge and experiences with each other within the group. The groups should therefore include members of different career stages, i.e. doctoral students as well as postdoctoral researchers. For the most part, peer mentoring groups have a medium to long-term horizon. Thus, a renewal of the group over time is therefore a necessary requirement in order to sustain a high standard of quality. Ideally, former mentees become mentors over time and pass on their knowledge and experience to new group members. A group generally has 12 to 20 members. Each group is supported by an Advisory Board (see below). The Advisory Board supports the group by drawing on their own experiences of pursuing an academic career track. The Board can thus, for example, be consulted regarding the planning of group activities or provide input to career-related questions. The peer mentoring groups are responsible for inviting the professors to be members of the Advisory Board. |
What kind of activities can be funded?
Appropriate measures and a suitable program are formulated for the implementation of the groups' clearly defined goals, taking the composition of the group into account. The program can, for example, include the following activities:
The groups are encouraged – taking the requirements of internal cohesion and a limiting of the maximum number of participants into consideration – to share the added value of the group with as many PhD candidates and postdoctoral researchers as possible, for example through a public event (workshop, panel discussion, etc.). |
What can funds be applied for?
The funding request should take into account the scope and the specific format of the activity. The maximum amount of funding for peer mentoring groups is CHF 7'500. In addition, there is a maximum of CHF 375 per group member. |
What cannot be funded?
* Should speaker fees be absolutely necessary, the fees must be justified in detail in the application. ** Exceptional cases are conference papers or other similar publications arising from activities funded by GRC. An application for financial support for such cases has to be submitted separately after a successful accomplishment of the initial activity. |
Application requirements
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Assessment criteria
For first-time applications:
For follow-up applications:
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Financing and reporting
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How can I apply?
Applications have to be submitted via the online application system: GRC Tool For information regarding the application process and the application tool please see:
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Award process
The Awards Committee of the Graduate Campus decides which proposals are approved. The decision will be communicated circa 8 weeks after the submission deadline.
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