International Mentoring Forum at the University of Chemistry and Technology in Prague Connected European Science with Practice 

Prague, February 12, 2026 – UCT Prague hosted an international mentoring forum as part of the European project CROSS (Career Management Services for European Talents), bringing together experts to share experiences and collaboratively develop effective and inclusive mentoring programs to support the career development of early-career researchers. The three-day event featured lectures, workshops and offered practical know-how focused on the wide range of obstacles involved in building mentoring structures, as well as discussions centered on the overall goals of mentoring, such as strengthening diversity in science. One of the key outcomes of the event was the establishment of the foundations for an international mentoring structure aimed at strengthening support for researchers in the early stages of their careers and enhancing international collaboration across Europe. 

The program included workshops focused on developing transferable skills, roundtable discussions addressing support for both mentors and mentees, and thematic workshops dedicated to mentoring young scientists—their needs, the design of mentoring programs, the training of mentees and mentors, and strategies for building mentoring activities from the ground up. A workshop titled “How to Start with Mentoring” was led by the Counseling and Career Centre of UCT Prague, which shared its experience and provided participants with practical know-how gained from developing its own mentoring programs. During the conference, the foundations for international mentoring were established and will be further developed within the CROSS project, with implementation planned between November 2026 and November 2027. Special attention was given to inclusive mentoring and the promotion of diversity in science, which are long-term priorities of UCT Prague through its Counseling and Career Centre. 

There was a total of 42 participants from 20 institutions and 7 countries that attended the event. Such success confirms the growing importance of international collaboration. Partners from Belgium, Finland, Spain, and Cyprus not only shared their best practices but also actively discussed opportunities for further cooperation. 

The event was organized by the Counseling and Career Centre of UCT Prague, which is a recipient of the National Career Guidance Award. 

The CROSS project (Career Management Services for European Talents), coordinated by UCT Prague, focuses on developing tools to support researchers in the early stages of their careers—during their transition from academic study to research laboratories or into careers in industry, public administration, or entrepreneurship. Mentoring, understood as the sharing of experience between established professionals and emerging talents, has proven to be one of the most effective tools for supporting this development.