Intercultural Career Mentoring Program

This program aims to connect our alumni with current students, with a focus on global career readiness.

Intercultural Career Mentoring Program

Program Structure

Expressions of Interest to mentor in the 2026 program are now open.

The Faculty of Engineering and IT is delighted to announce the launch of the 2026 Intercultural Career Mentoring Program!

Now in its fourth year, this program aims to connect our alumni with current students, with a focus on global career readiness. We are seeking mentors from a range of Engineering & IT disciplines and cultural backgrounds, who are interested in learning more about cross cultural communication and giving back to students from diverse backgrounds.

The program consists of two parts.

Intercultural Training for Mentors

This training is provided to mentors free-of-charge as part of the program. It will help to inform your mentoring, will also provide you with valuable training that will benefit you in your career more broadly.

The session will be delivered by Project Global Citizen and will integrate University of Melbourne and AHRI (Australian Human Resources Institute) mentoring guidelines with Cultural Intelligence. During the session participants will create their own personal cultural profile to highlight how their own cultural background influences many common behaviours. From here they will create templates for dealing respectfully with people whose cultural background differs from their own. The session will involve activities designed to clearly demonstrate the differences that are usually unconsciously disregarded or assumed to be non-existent.

Outcomes for participants of this session are:

To be able to identify their own personal cultural orientation.
To be able to anticipate when differences may call for a modification in behaviour, or not. (Rather than mandating change for change's sake)
To create strategies that can be applied to working effectively in multicultural teams.
To upskill awareness of intercultural interactions, developing their leadership skills in this area.

Students will also complete Cultural Intelligence training prior to the commencement of the mentoring component of the program.

Mentoring

Following the completion of the students' Cultural Intelligence training session, mentors will be allocated to groups comprising three mentors and approximately ten students. Mentors will get to meet their mentees at a mentor and mentee workshop event. This event is an opportunity for introductions, getting to know your group, and to join an online group together to communicate over the following weeks.

During the mentoring period, we invite you to get to know your fellow mentors and your mentee group, and to guide your mentees with advice around your intercultural experiences in the workplace, insights into entering the industry and sharing knowledge of your field to better equip them to successfully enter the workforce after graduation.

The formal program will conclude with a networking event in September, providing the opportunity for a final check in between mentors and mentees, as well as an opportunity to network across other mentoring groups. This will provide mentors with a broader opportunity to connect with both our students as well as other mentors. Of course, we encourage the development of ongoing connections beyond the program too!

Dates and Details

The following training and events for this program will take place in person on the University of Melbourne campus. We ask that you make yourself available for the three in-person events plus the mentoring period to make the most of this program.

Tuesday 4 August 2026

5:30 - 7.45pm (Melbourne time)

Intercultural Training for Mentors

Formal training on intercultural concepts to help Mentors build conscious awareness of these topics prior to commencing their mentoring for this program.

Location: Manhari Room, Level 7, Melbourne Connect Building, Parkville Campus (700 Swanston St)

Tuesday 11 August 2026

5:30 - 7.45pm (Melbourne time)

Mentor-Mentee Introductions

Please arrive from 5:30 for registration and dinner.

An opportunity to meet your mentees and fellow mentors for the first time.

Location: The Studio, Ground Floor, Melbourne Connect Building, Parkville Campus (700 Swanston Street)

Nine week period 12 August - 12 October

By mutual agreement within mentoring group

Mentoring period

Mentor-Mentee groups will meet during this period. This is intended to largely happen online, though individual groups are welcome to choose whatever method and frequency best suits the group.

Mentors and mentees will interact online using a mutually-agreed platform to continue the mentoring experience.

Tuesday 13 October 2026

5:30 - 7:45pm (Melbourne Time)

Celebration and Networking Evening

A final in-person catch up with your group, plus an opportunity to network with other mentors, students and University staff.

Location: The Studio, Ground Floor, Melbourne Connect Building, Parkville Campus (700 Swanston Street)

How to Participate

Applications are now open!

To apply to participate as a mentor, please fill out the Expression of Interest form.

Expression of Interest for Mentors 2026

We are looking for people with an engineering or IT background, who are keen to engage with current students, interested or experienced in working across cultures and available in Melbourne on the stated dates. Whether you are a recent graduate or someone with 30 years' experience, if you’re keen to share your experiences with our students and meet like-minded professionals, we welcome your application to join this program as a mentor.

For further information please email engit-studentenrich@unimelb.edu.au