Mentorship

When a mentoring relationship is successful, it has a huge potential of both personal and professional development. The modern mentorship has its roots in the USA, where it has frequently been used both in the business world and during academic studies.

At Hanken mentorship is organised in the form of a Mentorship programme and Flash Mentoring sessions. You can read more on both below.

The Mentorship programme

Mentoring means that experienced people are acting as a mentor and a sounding board for those who still have less experience of working life. By participating in the mentoring program, you get a chance to grow your network and get new, interesting contacts.

What are the benefits?

• Your mentor gives you advice, inspiration and career guidance while sharing his or her knowledge and experience
• You improve your abilities to plan your studies and future career
• Your transition to working life will become easier, thanks to your increased knowledge of working life
• You get valuable new contacts to the professional world – your network grows!
• You develop your personal skills in interaction with your mentor
• You get more confidence and better self-knowledge
• You increase your attractiveness on the labour market
• You can benefit from your mentor’s guidance when applying for jobs after graduation etc.

Those who apply should

• Be ambitious and want to develop both professionally and socially
• Be motivated and active - the mentee and the mentor drive the project forward together!
• Be prepared to analyze career goals and career development together with the mentor
• Be ready to receive feedback that gives cause for reflection and action
• Be serious in their goals, and commit to the program throughout the next academic year
• Have around 180 credits when the Autumn semester starts IF you are in the integrated Bachelor's and Master's programme at Hanken
• Not have participated in the Mentorship Programme earlier

Alumni can also apply to the programme (within five years from graduating).

Please note that there is also an mentorship programme in Swedish for students that speak Swedish.

Structure of the programme

The mentor and the mentee meet once a month (approximately seven meetings during the year) for 1-2 hours each time. Each pair decides on a schedule and meeting routine that suits them. 

The program runs for one calendar year and during the program, information and support for mentors and mentees will be provided at three common events.

The programme starts in the beginning of the year with a kick-off where all the pairs meet for the first time and receive information about the mentoring program, continues with a common meeting during the spring and ends with a final meeting in the Autumn. 

Would the relationship between mentor and mentee for some reason not function, you can of course drop out of the program.

The Mentorship Programme 2025

Career Services offers mentorship programmes in Swedish and English both in Helsinki and Vaasa. The application for the programme 2025 will be open 19.9.2024-31.10.2024. Apply here!

Want to read about how one of the mentor and mentee pairs liked the programme a few years back? Read this article. Opens in new window

Are you interested in becoming a mentor? Read more here.

Flash Mentoring

Flash Mentoring is a one-time meeting or discussion that enables you to learn and seek guidance from a more experienced person who can pass on relevant knowledge and experience. The purpose of Flash Mentoring is to provide a valuable learning opportunity for students while requiring a limited commitment of time and resources.

At Hanken the Flash Mentorings have mainly been organised in a group format so that each mentors will sit down for 20 minutes per a student group and then he/she will rotate to the next group. It is a free and relaxed discussion based mostly on the questions of the students.

Below you can hear more from students and mentors who attended one of our Flash Mentorings: