RMA Mentoring Scheme

Aims

The RMA Mentoring Scheme aims:

To support musicologists (especially early-career), music practitioners, independent researchers and PhD students with a background in music interested in developing their profile towards an academic career (see eligibility criteria below)

To support career development for researchers from diverse backgrounds and with a wide range of research interests in Music
NOTE: Ethnomusicologists can find specialist mentoring through the BFE (https://bfe.org.uk/).

Duration:

One year in the first instance, with a flexible start time throughout the academic year.
It is welcomed for mentor-mentee pairings to develop beyond this time frame.

Standard number of meetings:

Three one-hour meetings (mentor can offer more time at their discretion).
Mentee to request meeting within a reasonable time frame and supply detailed agenda with goals and questions ahead of each meeting.
Meetings to be held virtually.

Eligibility criteria: mentees

PhD student = must have passed confirmation/upgrade and must be in the final year or writing up phase of their studies. Must also submit the below form signed by their supervisor to state that they consent for their student to receive mentoring.
- N.B. The mentor roles does NOT include thesis supervision nor can mentors be held responsible for the outcome of any examinations, interviews, or suchlike, that the mentee may have undertaken with advice from the mentor.

Early Career Researcher = will normally have received their final academic degree no more than five years before the beginning of their mentoring (the RMA recognizes career interruptions) AND/OR not hold a permanent (current or prior) position in Music (including research) as part of the contract at a UK Higher Education institution

Mentee must NOT work at the same institution as mentor (e.g. as hourly paid lecturer)
Mentees should be, or become, RMA members at the discounted rate

Eligibility criteria: mentors

Will normally have more than 5 years’ experience in UK academia (the RMA recognizes career interruptions)
Will be a current or emerita/emeritus holder of a permanent position in Music, of 0.5 FTE or more, at a UK HE Music institution
Will have a record of high-quality published research in a music-related field, and/or practice-based research activity in musical performance or composition
Mentors should ideally have experience of interviewing panels and funding applications
Mentors must NOT work in same institution as mentee
Mentors can have research interests in the same area as mentee

Avoiding conflict of interest

Mentor should be transparent about mentoring relationship with the mentee in any future peer reviewing, interview panel work etc.
Mentoring constitutes a confidential and safe space

Excluded types of activity:

Detailed editing and/or proofreading (as opposed to commenting on CVs, grant applications, or publication plans)
Sponsorship (the direct promotion of the mentee through sharing of networks or opportunities, personal investment in the mentee’s career, or financial support)
Any responsibility on the part of the mentor for any part of the mentee’s career decisions
(References can be offered by the mentor, but should not be an expectation within the standard agreement)