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Mentors will support our students’ transition into the University and life in Edinburgh by supporting their engagement with academic and non-academic life. 

Our vision for this programme is to see students thrive in their studies and develop a sense of belonging and community at the University. As the postgraduate courses are only one year long, we would also like to see students thinking about life after university with the support of their mentors.

Education Beyond Borders is a programme supporting At-risk Academics and delivering a Postgraduate Scholarship Programme for displaced students who wish to pursue a taught postgraduate degree at the University of Edinburgh. As an extension of Edinburgh’s University of Sanctuary status, Education Beyond Borders aims to address the education gap experienced by those who have been displaced.

This programme aims to develop best practice in supporting displaced students in the higher education sector. The Education Beyond Borders Staff Mentoring Programme is a key part of delivering this best practice through support for our students.

The Education Beyond Borders Mentoring Scheme aims to deliver wrap-around support to students from displaced backgrounds, including refugees, asylum seekers, those in the UK under humanitarian protection and those here through a resettlement scheme.

Students will be paired with a University staff member to act as their mentor, matching staff and students who we believe to be a good fit. 

Staff mentors will be there to support, empower and stand in solidarity with displaced students. They will be an ally for individual students, promote enhanced support for displaced students across the University and stand with the vision of Education Beyond Borders.

As a staff mentor, you will: 

• Check in with the student regularly to make sure they are ok
• Support them in addressing any challenges they are experiencing, sometimes by linking them to specific services at the University
• Celebrate successes and highlight the positives in the student’s journey
• Actively listen to the student to understand their life circumstances and who they are as a person
• Take a person-centred and wellbeing-focused approach to supporting them, remembering that every student has individual needs and backgrounds
• Be an ally for the student at the University

Training, resources and support will be provided to mentors.

If this sounds like something you would be interested in, sign up below to find out more information about the Education Beyond Borders Student Mentoring Scheme:

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