Coaching and mentoring

Lancaster has fully embraced a coaching/mentoring culture with a variety of options and opportunities to include coaching and mentoring into all aspects of University life. Use the below links for more information on coaching and mentoring.

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Cross Institutional Mid-Career Mentoring Scheme

Lancaster University is part of the Cross-Institutional Mid-Career Researcher (MCR) Mentoring Scheme - a collaborative initiative with partner institutions: the Universities of Lancaster, Sheffield Hallam, Manchester, Salford, Leeds Beckett, Huddersfield, Reading, Exeter, and Surrey. The scheme has run for several years and receives excellent feedback from both mentors and mentees.

Applications from mentors and mentees are open now closing on Friday, 4 December 2026.

Register as a Mentor using this form

Register to be a Mentee using this form.

The Cross-institutional Mid-Career Researcher (MCR) mentoring scheme opens up opportunities for mid-career or ‘established’ researchers (see definition below*) to develop and explore new possibilities for their career and professional development. Whereas ECRs already have access to a number of funding, fellowship and development opportunities designed specifically for them, the MCR group are often overlooked and we have designed this scheme specifically to fill this gap.

The scheme matches an experienced ‘senior’ researcher or research leader from one insitution with a mentee from another. The mentoring is light-touch with roughly 3-4 virtual meetings over 4-6 months, starting in February 2027.

For further information there are two upcoming sessions:

The value of these cross institutional partnerships is well documented. Mentees will have the opportunity to access support from beyond their existing networks, achieve a broader perspective on their development and career path, and increase their networking opportunities.

*Definition of MCR for the purposes of this scheme:

‘Mid-career’ or ‘established’ researchers tend to be those who have developed an independent research reputation, have likely been promoted, but still have a long active career ahead. They are no longer early career researchers (ECRs). An ECR is usually defined as someone who is no more than 5-8 years post-PhD (dependent on discipline) or up to 10 years with career breaks or has equivalent experience.

At Lancaster MCRs are likely to be Senior Lecturers, Readers, Senior Research Fellow, Associate Professors. For the purposes of this scheme, MCR does not include colleagues who are mid-career chronologically, having started their career beyond academic research, but still early in their research career.

Mentors are likley to be Professors, Research Leads, Heads of School/Department, Associate Deans.

Further information about the scheme is available on the dedicated MCMS dedicated website or at one of the information sessions above.

Please contact researchculture@lancaster.ac.uk with any questions.