Students supporting students on the PhD journey: An evaluation of a mentoring scheme for international doctoral students

Abstract

This qualitative study presents findings from the evaluation of a pilot mentoring scheme developed in Liverpool Business School. The majority of studies on university mentoring schemes have focussed on undergraduate or taught postgraduate students, less attention has been given to doctoral students. The purpose of this scheme was to enhance peer support mechanisms for a group of international doctoral students to enable them to adapt to a new cultural, educational and social environment. Data obtained from two focus groups demonstrated that the scheme was broadly successful and provided benefits to both mentors and mentees. The evaluation raised some general issues concerning cultural integration and the way in which higher education institutions support doctoral students and international doctoral students in particular.

Keywords:

• Mentoring
• international students
• doctoral students
• focus groups
• PhD students

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank our colleagues in LBS for their advice in drafting this paper and the Dean of LBS for funding the scheme. We are particularly grateful to all the students who were involved in the scheme and participated in the evaluation.