Are you a mid-career researcher (MCR) who would benefit from having a mentor from outside of your normal network?  

Are you an experienced research leader who could support an MCR at another institution as part of a reciprocal arrangement?

We are pleased to announce the Mid-Career Researcher Mentoring scheme is now open for 2025-26. 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. Mentees will be matched with an experienced senior researcher or research leader from either Lancaster University, Manchester Metropolitan University, the University of Manchester, the University of Salford, Leeds Beckett University or the University of Huddersfield. 

The mentoring is light-touch with roughly 3-4 virtual meetings over 4-6 months, starting in February 2026. Mentors and mentees will have access to optional development sessions where they can develop and share their mentoring practice and meet others taking part in the scheme.

The value of these cross institutional partnerships and relationships is well documented and gives Sheffield Hallam colleagues an opportunity to access support from outside of their normal sphere, giving a broader perspective and increasing networking opportunities.   

Colleagues will be able to access mentee places from other institutions as part of a reciprocal arrangement, the number of mentee places available to each institution is dependent on the number of mentors who applied from that University.  

Mentees 

If you are a mid-career ‘established’ researcher, please apply to be a Mentee using this form. Deadline for applications: Friday 23 January 2026.

At Sheffield Hallam MCRs are likely to be e.g. Senior Lecturers, Senior Research Fellows, Readers, Associate Professors or Principal Research Fellows.

Mentors 

If you are an experienced ‘senior’ researcher/research leader who feels comfortable mentoring mid-career researchers, please register as a Mentor using this form.

At Sheffield Hallam, Mentors are likely to be e.g. Professors, RIKE Leads, Heads or Deputy Heads of School/Institute, Associate Deans or Deans (and in some cases Associate Professors or Principal Research Fellows). Deadline for applications: Friday 23 January 2026

*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 Sheffield Hallam MCRs are likely to be e.g. Senior Lecturers, Senior Research Fellows, Readers, Associate Professors, Associate Heads or Principal Research Fellows. 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.

Testimonials

“Very helpful! It gave me confidence to get a perspective on my work and my research plans from someone outside of my university.” (Mentee, Sheffield Hallam)

“It is always more productive having a cross-institutional pairing, the pair of mentor-mentee can still have an honest series of meetings and conversations whilst also experiencing different processes and policies in different HE institutions. That is useful and beneficial for both the mentee and the mentor, too.” (Mentor, Sheffield Hallam)

Should you have any questions please email rida@shu.ac.uk.