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B-MEntor is a cross-institutional mentoring scheme for Black, Asian, Mixed and minority ethnic staff in Academic and Professional Services roles.
Contents
1. What is the B-MEntor Programme?
2. Partner Institutions
3. Am I eligible to be a mentee?
3.1 B-MEntor Academic
3.2 B-MEntor Professional
4. Am I eligible to be a mentor?
4.1 B-MEntor Academic
4.2 B-MEntor Professional
5. What does the scheme involve?
6. What are the benefits for staff mentors and mentees?
7. Why is there a scheme just for Black, Asian, Mixed and minority ethnic staff?
8. FAQs
9. What have previous participants said about B-MEntor?
10. Mandatory Training
10.1 B-MEntor Academic
10.2 B-MEntor Professional
11. Registration
12. Contact Us
What is the B-MEntor Programme?
B-MEntor Academic and Professional Services are two well-established mentoring programmes that offer a unique platform for Black, Asian and minority ethnic Academic, Research and Professional Services staff to strengthen their skills and improve their networking capability through cultivating cross-institutional relationships.
Partner Institutions
The following universities are partners in this mentoring scheme:
- University College London
- Queen Mary University of London
- King’s College London
- University of the Arts London
- London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
- School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS)
Am I eligible to be a mentee?
B-MEntor Academic
Mentees should self-identify being from a Black, Asian, Mixed and minority ethnic background, as this is where the evidence of under-representation exists at UCL and in the wider HE Sector. You will be from Post-Doctoral to Lecturer level.
B-MEntor Professional
Mentees should self-identify as being from a Black, Asian, Mixed and minority ethnic background as this is where the evidence of under-representation exists at UCL and in the wider HE Sector. You will be a member of Professional Services/Technical staff in grades 5 -7 (at UCL), e.g. your job title may include Assistant, Administrator, Officer, Adviser, Co-ordinator (recognising that grading systems vary between institutions).
Am I eligible to be a mentor?
B-MEntor Academic
Mentors can be from any ethnic background and must be at Senior Lecturer, Associate Professor/Reader or Professorial level.
B-MEntor Professional
Mentors will be from any ethnic background and be Professional Services/Technical staff in grades 7-10 (at UCL), e.g. your job title may include: Manager, Director, Head of, Senior Advisor/Officer, (recognising that grading systems vary between institutions).
Each partner institution has a B-MEntor contact who will be able to advise further on eligibility and on the other development opportunities available at their institution.
What does the scheme involve?
Mentoring is based on exchanging experiences, ideas and feedback between the two parties. It helps to promote understanding of formal and informal structures, enhances opportunities for staff to develop and build skills/knowledge, and enables continuing professional development and personal growth.
The mentoring period will be approximately one year, and a training and support package is offered for all parties. The selection and matching of mentors and mentees will take place from late January to mid-February each year.
The programme will also include:
- Compulsory induction training session
- At least six one-to-one mentoring sessions
- End of year celebration social event in June
What are the benefits for staff mentors and mentees?
Mentors can:
- Gain fulfilment from facilitating personal development and encouraging others
- Network with like-minded colleagues
- Assist others along a path on which you have already been successful
- Advance equality, diversity and inclusion in higher education
- Enhance skills such as coaching and constructive criticism.
Mentees can:
- Obtain career advice and direction
- Receive help with identifying and clarifying issues, problems and obstacles
- Source new ideas and practices
- Gain the opportunity for networking across a broader spectrum than provided by the day-to-day environment.
Why is there a scheme just for Black, Asian, Mixed and minority ethnic staff?
Black, Asian, Mixed and minority ethnic staff are significantly under-represented at senior levels in all our institutions and this scheme will help address these inequalities by:
- Ensuring staff from Black, Asian, Mixed and minority ethnic backgrounds are supported to reach their potential
- Helping to advance the careers of Black, Asian, Mixed and minority ethnic staff sharing information outside the usual networks and encouraging applications for promotion to senior positions
- Reducing feelings of isolation for staff who do not work in ethnically-diverse areas
To qualify for the scheme, you must self-identify as being from a Black, Asian, Mixed and minority ethnic background. This includes visible minorities and excludes those who identify as 'white other'.
FAQs
Common questions asked by mentees and mentors have been answered here
What have previous participants said about B-MEntor?
“My mentor gave me very good advice and has been very supportive… I have gained insight into how to think about being strategic for promotions, to think about being strategic with service roles for career progression and also to think broadly about my research scope.”
Mentee (Academic)
“I found it rewarding to share my own experiences, to help connect with my mentee. B-MEntor has helped my own development and career progression to a more senior role, as I’ve been able to refer to my mentoring experience on this scheme when applying for jobs.”
Mentor (PS)
Mandatory Training
Mentees and Mentors must attend one of the mandatory online training sessions before they can be matched.
Training sessions for Academic and Professional Mentees and Mentors will take place in December 2026 and January 2027. The dates and times will be listed here when applications are open.
B-MEntor Academic
Academic Mentee Training:
Academic Mentor Training:
B-MEntor Professional
Professional Services Mentee Training:
Professional Services Mentor Training:
Registration
Applications for taking part in B-MEntor 2025-26 have now closed.
If you would like to join our waiting list for B-MEntor 2026-27, please email us and we will send you a notification when we next open for applications (this is likely to be in November 2026).
Drop-In Sessions
Drop-in sessions for staff were held in November 2025. Here are the slides from the session (choice of two formats) which give an overview of the B-MEntor programme:
Contact Us
If you have any other questions about the programme, the UCL B-MEntor team can be contacted at: b-mentor@ucl.ac.uk
Here are the contact details for the other B-MEntor partner institutions:
- Queen Mary University of London: hr-equality@qmul.ac.uk
- King’s College London: diversity@kcl.ac.uk
- University of the Arts London: EDI@arts.ac.uk
- London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine: staffdevelopment@lshtm.ac.uk
- School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS): staffdevelopment@soas.ac.uk