Key Note: Mentoring and Sponsorship in Higher Education: Re-Thinking Possibilities For Career Support

In this talk, Prof. Dr. Marieke van den Brink delves into contemporary insights surrounding gender (in)equality within research institutions, shedding light on the pivotal role that informal networking and sponsorship play in shaping academic careers. Specifically, the discussion centers around sponsorship practices—an active form of support emanating from influential scientists who champion, safeguard, and actively advocate for the career progression of individuals.

Recognized as the 'missing ingredient' in fostering women's career success, sponsorship manifests in various ways, such as collaborative authorship, facilitating network connections, and securing funding. During the workshop, we will explore the differences between mentoring and sponsorship more in-depth. The focus extends to understanding how we, as women scientists, can cultivate additional support in advancing our careers. Join us as we unravel strategies to harness sponsorship, ultimately contributing to a more supportive and gender-inclusive academic environment.


BIO Marieke van den Brink
Marieke van den Brink is Professor of Gender & Diversity at the Radboud University Nijmegen, the Netherlands. Her main research interest focuses on ways how bundles of interacting organization processes produce intersectional inequalities in organizations. She is especially interested in how various gender practices tied in with academic organizing, such as recruitment and selection, recognizing and rewarding and the construction of scientific excellence. She is a member of the Dutch National Committee for Diversity and Inclusion in Higher Education and was elected as member of the Young Academy of the Royal Netherlands Academy for Arts and Sciences (KNAW). Her work has been published in the Journal of Management Studies, Organization Studies, Organization, Human Relations, Gender, Work & Organization, and Social Science & Medicine.