Empowering women in science: mentoring as the key to success!

Empowering women in science: mentoring as the key to success!

On May 15, 2025, the third Visionary Salon took place at the BTU Cottbus-Senftenberg, at which the cultural and political scientist Deborah Ruggieri appeared as a speaker. During her interactive lecture, she highlighted the hierarchical structures of science and the cultural influences that are also present in academic contexts. Ruggieri, with over 15 years of experience in science, politics and business, placed gender as a catalyst for knowledge at the center of her remarks.

The talk was part of a program specifically aimed at connecting women in science and increasing their visibility. The FEM*Vision mentoring program was also presented on this occasion, which offers women a platform to get to know each other, network with one another and exchange visions. Ruggieri emphasized the importance of such initiatives in order to reduce structural disadvantages.

The role of mentoring in science

Mentoring has played a central role in gender-equitable human resources development in science. Originally coming from Greek mythology, the concept has become established in various areas of society. The Forum Mentoring e.V. networks over 100 mentoring programs from universities and institutions in Germany and promotes knowledge transfer and exchange within science.

A typical mentoring program consists of three main pillars: a tandem between mentee and mentor, qualification offers for mentees and networking among the mentees. Over the last 30 years, the focus has shifted from a deficit approach to promoting individual skills. The programs aim to address the structural barriers for women in the science system, including accessibility to networks and balancing work and family obligations.

Measuring success and challenges

However, measuring the success of mentoring programs is challenging. Immediate success is often associated with a higher proportion of women in science, while it is difficult to demonstrate long-term effects at the organizational level. Evaluation studies show that often only the satisfaction of the participants is surveyed, while deeper, long-term effects are rarely examined.

The challenges women face in the science system include not only access to networks, but also factors such as visibility, self-confidence and career planning. Ruggieri's message at the Visionärinnen*Salon and the principles of ForumMentoring e.V. illustrate how important it is to recognize and rectify structural disadvantages. These measures are critical to a fairer and more balanced academic landscape.

There was great interest in the Visionaries*Salon, and female members of the BTU in all status groups were particularly invited to take part. Due to limited space, prior registration was required, which underlined the relevance of the topic and encouraged participants' engagement.