Abstract

In today’s rapidly evolving research and innovation landscape, effective mentorship plays a crucial role in nurturing and empowering the next generation of research managers, and helping them navigate the complexities of research funding, governance, and compliance across national and international contexts. Mentoring early career RMAs is also pivotal for the development of more efficient, sustainable, and adaptable research support services. The inaugural EARMA Mentorship Programme is designed to support early career stage RMAs through focused guidance and one-to-one targeted interaction with more senior and experienced RMAs who act as Mentors. This roundtable session invites research management professionals from around the world and at various career levels to explore mechanisms and strategies for creating impactful mentoring relationships, sharing practical approaches and exchanging best practices of such mentorship programmes, and identifying challenges and solutions when building effective and sustainable mentorship programmes for RMAs such as EARMA Mentorship Programme.
The session will focus on the following key question: How can research managers mentor early career RMA professionals to ensure sustained leadership and innovation in research administration? The roundtable discussion will also consider:
• What skills and competencies should such mentorship programmes emphasize?
• How can these mentorship programmes be structured to foster personal and professional growth for both mentees and mentors?
• What role do research performing organisations as well as professional networks and organisations such as EARMA and INORMS play in supporting mentorship?
• How do we ensure sustainability, inclusivity and diversity in mentorship initiatives?
Presenters will provide a brief introduction to the topic, followed by an open and interactive dialogue with the participants of the proposed discussion table. Participants will be encouraged to share their experiences, insights, and challenges, creating a rich exchange of ideas and best practices. The discussion will provide practical takeaways and a platform for sharing innovative approaches and best practices, ensuring that the participants—whether early career or experienced RMA professionals —leave the session with concrete guidance and tools on how to implement more effective and sustainable mentorship practices for RMAs.