Through studies and not only in key moments when it is necessary to make decisions, orientation and counselling are of crucial importance. Referring to those people with greater experience and training is very useful to face challenges and overcome them successfully.
For this reason, in CEU Universities the figure of the mentor and the tutor are very present through different services and programs. Moreover, mentoring actions are an essential cornerstone of CEU educational model strongly related to the teaching activity and the customization of education.
The term “mentor” appears for the first time in Homer’s Odyssey. This character helped Ulysses in his absence to fight the war against Troy. He was also entrusted the education of Telemachus, son of the hero.
Therefore the concept of mentor refers to an advisor, the one who provides counselling with caution and wisdom.
Mentoring sessions are essential for students’ motivation and development
Instructing, informing and guiding in academic, administrative and personal aspects. These are the main duties of mentors who make their experience available to the mentee. With this work, the mentee achieves:
- The improvement and speed up of its personal and professional development.
- The sharing and acquisition of practical knowledge and skills.
- The acquisition of resources to better approach the change management process.
- The encouragement of personal abilities.
- The reception of professional advice based on sound experience that is also committed to talent.
CEU Universities make available to its new students, a service of mentoring students such as at the CEU UCH, to help their life at University as easy as possible. They are provided with a highly valuable tool with which students from advanced years receive the new ones both of the first year and international students.
In this line, Universidad CEU San Pablo started last February the program GPS Mentoring, an orientation program for last year students. The purpose is to receive counselling from alumni to take the leap from University to the professional world.
What is the difference between the mentor and the tutor?
Although both figures can have aspects in common, there are not the same. The tutor focuses on counselling regarding academic and personal issues. In turn, the mentor is focused on the development of professional and researchers skills although the mentoring action can include mentoring approaches and tools.
An example is the program of Universidad CEU Abat Oliba “From tutoring to mentoring”. In this context, third and fourth year degree students have the assistance of a mentor in addition to their tutor. The purpose is to encourage growth opportunities of students, giving priority to the development of talent and professional vocation. This way the coach limits to issues regarding personal and academic counselling while the mentor complements these aspects with the development of professional and research skills.
