Asia Pacific Women in Leadership (APWiL) Mentoring Program
UBC application deadline extended to June 26 (mentors only)
Application deadline: June 5, 2024 | 4 pm
The APWiL Mentoring Program provides international and intercultural opportunities for the empowerment, professional growth and development of aspiring women leaders within the member institutions of the Association of Pacific Rim Universities (APRU).
UBC joins sixty leading research universities from the Asia Pacific region, including more than 200,000 academic staff and two million students.
Timeline
June 5: UBC application deadline- Deadline extended to June 26 for mentors
- July 10
June 15: Nominations sent to APRU - September 24: Program orientation
- Week of September 30: Announcement of mentorship pairs
WHAT’S INCLUDED:
- One-on-one mentor-mentee sessions
- Virtual orientation kick-off and graduation ceremony
- Virtual workshops and seminars offering resource sharing, professional training and international exchange
- Informal networking opportunities
- Resource library
- Optional in-person summit
Benefits
- Join a cohort of like-minded professionals striving to drive gender balance in leadership positions at their universities.
- Build a strong and supportive network from across the leading research universities of the Pacific Rim.
- Develop a supportive one-on-one mentoring relationship with a mentor/mentee.
- Mentors give back to the community in a meaningful way through supporting women in early career stages and developing their leadership skills.
- Mentors help empower the next generation of women leaders at their institution and across the region.
- Mentees advance their professional growth and leadership skills.
- Mentees expand their leadership acumen skills through training and learning from successful professionals.
Apply as a mentor
Mentors, are you an experienced leader looking to empower the next generation of women leaders?
- Join a network of like-minded professionals striving to drive gender balance in leadership positions at their universities!
- Advance leadership, coaching and mentoring skills of aspiring women leaders, build a strong and supportive network from across the leading research universities of the Asia Pacific, and give back to the community in a meaningful way.
- UBCO and UBCV academic or administrative senior leaders (at least 10 years’ experience)
- Mentors of any gender are welcome to participate
- Able to commit to a year-long program (September 2024-October 2025)
Include in your application:
- Professional bio (250 words) with your full name, title, institution name and email
- Statement of interest (500 words):
- Why would you like to participate in the program?
- What do you aim to contribute to the program? Include any relevant mentoring and leadership experiences, as well as areas of expertise (administrative and academic) relevant to a mentee as it pertains to professional development
Okanagan Faculty: Send your application to raina.reddecliff@ubc.ca by June 26, 2024, at 4 pm PDT (in the subject of your email, note that you are applying as a mentor).
Apply as a mentee
A year-long program will match you with a mentor to help you:
- Advance professional growth and leadership skills
- Develop a self-reflective understanding and acceptance of your personal leadership style and strengths, plus gain confidence in your unique abilities as a leader
- Expand leadership acumen skills through training and learning from highly successful professionals outside their direct sphere of activity
- Build a strong and supportive network from universities across the Asia Pacific
- Gain insights and guidance to better tackle issues or challenges in the workplace
Program eligibility
- UBCO and UBCV faculty member (academic appointment with at least five years and a maximum of seven years’ experience)
- Identify as a woman (cisgender, transgender, gender expansive and intersex people who identify as women) or an individual of different gender identification who supports and is committed to the program mission
- Able to commit to a year-long program (September 2024-October 2025)
Include in your application:
- Professional bio (250 words) with your full name, title, institution name and email
- Statement of interest (500 words):
- Why would you like to participate in the program?
- What do you hope to learn from your mentor?
- What are one or two goals you would like to accomplish during your participation in the program?
- Which topics would you like to discuss with your mentor?
Okanagan Faculty: Send your application to raina.reddecliff@ubc.ca by June 5, 2024, at 4 pm PDT (in the subject of your email, note that you are applying as a mentee).
Testimonials
Learn more about the experiences of UBC faculty who have previously participated in the APWiL program.
Dr. Samia Khan, Faculty Associate, Institute of Resources, Environment, and Sustainability (IRES), UBC Faculty of Science and Department of Curriculum and Pedagogy, UBC Faculty of Education:
“The APWiL program has been a wonderful way for me to mentor a mid-career faculty member at another university around the world. Being a member of APRU also allowed me to participate in many virtual events on women in higher education leadership.
My mentee and I shared an interest in research and academic leadership that crosses geographic boundaries with her work in Oceania and Asia and my research in the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) member countries and Africa. We learned from one another and talked regularly about how to sustain international research teams. Later, my mentee joined one my international research team meetings.
Through her leadership and effort, I got an opportunity to travel to Australia on a subsequent study leave and be hosted by her national association to share my work on international collaboration and leadership experience with more than 20 universities in and beyond the Pacific Rim. It was a tremendous highlight and our mentor-mentee relationship continues: We will both be meeting again at the APWiL in-person Summit, years after our cohort began.”
Carla T. Hilario, Assistant Professor, UBC Okanagan School of Nursing, Faculty of Health and Social Development
“The APWiL program has given me a valuable opportunity to grow my academic network across the Pacific Rim, build leadership and research capacity, and, most importantly, learn from my mentor. Strategies such as mentorship agreements gave me guidance and structure to my experience. I was recently selected to attend the inaugural APWiL Summit at Waipapa Taumata Rau University of Auckland, and am thrilled to be meeting other representatives in person, including my mentor.”