Mentoring …Value Adding to the University

Abstract

Facilitating a student mentor program across a number of campuses, faculties and cultures presents challenges for the organisation and management of such a program. With the current climate of reduced Government funding to higher education, combined with increasing competition for student numbers, mentoring is a cost efficient strategy to add value to the University‟s teaching and learning environment. Providing students with a quality program for students that has cost effective and efficient systems of operation has been the aim of the student mentor program at Central Queensland University. In order to efficiently manage the program a number of successful strategies have been employed. These strategies include: * Use of flexible learning technologies * Mentors‟ role as small group facilitators * Faculty support through staff and student mentor groups * Student ownership through student clubs * Networking and ownership of the program across the University. This paper reports on the development of these strategies and discusses the outcomes for the University.