Evolution of a Cross-year Mentoring Scheme

In a university department where less than seven percent of the students
and staff are women, a sense of isolation can have a detrimental effect on
the progression and retention of those female students. To address issues of
isolation, progression, and retention the University of Lincoln's Department of
Computing and Informatics (DCI)1 began a cross-year mentoring scheme in
2005 and has tracked the progress and the changes that this scheme has
brought about over the past two years. Key issues addressed include better
support for women students to ensure they successfully complete their
studies and progress to successful careers in Computing; raising awareness
of the predominantly male staff in the department regarding the impacts on
female student retention; raising awareness university-wide about the
support provided to female students and transferring the knowledge gained
across the university to other departments. The cross-year mentoring
scheme for DCI women students has resulted in a dramatic increase in
female student retention. A 2004 census of students showed that only 25%
of female students progressed into their 3rd academic year. However, in
2006 100% of female students advanced into their 3rd year class. The
mentoring scheme initially focused on students from the year above
mentoring students in the year below, and now continues by promoting postgraduate
students as mentors.

Citation:
Boldyreff, C., Massey, E.M. (2009) ‘Evolution of a Cross-Year Mentoring Scheme’ International Journal of Gender, Science and Technology 1 (1) 137-144..