Mentorship as a strategy to improve research ability of students and young researchers in Africa: an exploratory study and initial findings on the CORE Africa Research Mentorship Scheme

Abstract

Mentorship provides an opportunity to support skill development, improve research ability, promote interest in research and offer career advice. The need for research mentorship in Africa is well-recognised. However, there is scarce literature on the development of such programmes and their potential impacts on students and young researchers in Africa (SYRIA). This study documents the development of the CORE Africa Research Mentorship Scheme (CARMS), and reports the outcomes and challenges experienced over a two-year period, from 2018 to 2020.41 mentors and mentees from Cameroon, Uganda and Nigeria participated in the programme. Mentors were based in Africa and the UK, while mentees were all based in Africa. Mentees gained knowledge and skills in various research areas including proposal writing, research methods, data analysis, report writing and research publication. Nine mentees gained their first research publication through the CARMS and three successfully completed their first grant proposal. Three mentees were supported by their mentor to develop PhD research proposals and five others gained skills that helped them secure paid research jobs. Eleven mentees have ‘graduated’ from the programme, seven of which are currently enrolled as trainee mentors. Mentees appreciated the opportunity to improve on their research skills and felt that the programme gave them a ‘safe’ environment to freely express their concerns.Main challenges encountered were: difficulty finding suitable mentors, communication barriers, poorly defined mentorship goals, dealing with mentee’s lack of knowledge/experience of ‘basic’ research concepts and funding limitations. This programme had several positive impacts on the knowledge and skills of mentees and demonstrates the importance of mentorship in research capacity strengthening. Sustaining such programmes requires investments in training and development, to ensure that mentees are continuously and adequately supported.

Ten simple rules for establishing a mentorship programme

“…The CORE Africa Research Mentorship Scheme (CARMS) programme is flexible and mentors use a “what works best” approach to support mentee development. Activities range from verbal advice during one-to-one meetings or phone calls, to online and in person lectures and presentations, as well as help with documents, and supplementary learning materials being provided to mentees [ 3 ].…”

“…The mentee recruitment and selection processes require careful consideration to attract and select appropriate and committed mentees [ 3 , 6 , 16 ]. These considerations influence the mentors’ chances of affecting change, the mentees’ retention rates, and the ultimate success of the mentorship programme.…”

“…A programme could also design and implement a marketing strategy (e.g., see [ 29 , 30 ] for more information). Screening methods can include online application forms (see the OE4BW form: https://oe4bw.org/application-form-mentors ), formal “job” application processes, interviews, and references to assess the suitability of prospective mentors (e.g., [ 3 , 29 ]).…”

“…Based on research over the past 20 years, the understanding of mentoring has evolved and it is now seen as a complex, collaborative, interactive process that may include more than 2 people [ 7 ]. Mentoring can be an effective approach for the development of knowledge and skills (e.g., [ 3 ]) and is formally used in a wide variety of fields, including, for example, science, technology, medicine, engineering, mathematics, education, business, and academia [ 2 , 6 – 14 ]. Mentor–mentee relationships play significant roles in the growth and development of both mentors and mentees, and the impacts of effective mentorship have been well documented (e.g., see [ 6 , 8 ]), including psychosocial [ 15 , 16 ], academic [ 2 , 3 , 7 , 8 ], and career [ 7 , 13 , 17 , 18 ] across diverse fields [ 7 ].…”

“…Mentoring can be an effective approach for the development of knowledge and skills (e.g., [ 3 ]) and is formally used in a wide variety of fields, including, for example, science, technology, medicine, engineering, mathematics, education, business, and academia [ 2 , 6 – 14 ]. Mentor–mentee relationships play significant roles in the growth and development of both mentors and mentees, and the impacts of effective mentorship have been well documented (e.g., see [ 6 , 8 ]), including psychosocial [ 15 , 16 ], academic [ 2 , 3 , 7 , 8 ], and career [ 7 , 13 , 17 , 18 ] across diverse fields [ 7 ]. Furthermore, mentoring provides numerous benefits for both individuals and organisations [ 10 ], and mentorship programmes are increasingly being implemented by organisations, academic institutes, businesses, and governments [ 1 ].…”