HOW CAN
YOU HELP?

While women abound among students of international relations, security, defence, development and human security, their numbers get increasingly lower in senior and decision-making positions across governments, international,  and civil society organizations as well as the private sector.

“I have a mentee and a mentor. The long-term, development-driven, relation-oriented nature of these mentoring programmes are key to my career.“

Dr. Corinna Hörst, President of WIIS Brussels

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WIIS Brussels’ mentoring programme is a professional development scheme aimed at women active in the field of international relations, security and defence. It offers female professionals the opportunity to develop their skills, seek advice and discuss the challenges
and opportunities they encounter and grow in their line of work with support from a seasoned professional.

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OBJECTIVES

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• Support women’s professional development in the field of international security and defence

• Build women’s skills and expertise to progress in their career

• Learn how to manage challenges in their work environment from senior professionals;

• Build and extend participants’ networks.

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BENEFITS

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Our mentees

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• develop a sharper focus of what they need to grow in their field

• Receive critical feedback in key areas of interest, such as specific subject knowledge or skills such as communications, time management, or networking

• Learn from their mentor’s experience

Our mentors

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• Acquire new skills

• Improve their management style

• Share their expertise and pass on knowledge to the next generation

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“I feel more assertive in my professional worth, empowered as a young professional, I’m entertaining many new possibilities“ Sarah-Claude

“The programme has changed me, my mentality, my conceptions and expectations of the working world. It has made me tougher and more resilient.”  

Nina

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MENTORING PROGRAMME

OUR VISION

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WIIS Brussels' mentoring programme is a professional development scheme targeting women active in the field of international relations, security and defence. It offers female professionals the opportunity to enhance their skills, seek advice and discuss the challenges and opportunities they encounter in their professional life and grow in their line of work with support from seasoned professionals. The group of WIIS Brussels mentors consists of officials from the EU institutions, and experts representing the private and the intergovernmental sector. The mentoring meetings serve as a vibrant platform for the knowledge and experience exchange.

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“I have been a mentee and a mentor. The long-term, development-driven, relation-oriented nature of these mentoring programmes are key to my career.“

Dr. Corinna Hörst, President of WIIS Brussels

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EDITIONS

1st Edition:           2016 – 2017

2nd Edition:         2017 – 2018

3rd Edition:          2018 – 2019

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OBJECTIVES

​

• ​Support women's professional development in the field of international security and defence;

• Enhance women's skills and expertise to progress in their career;

• Learn how to manage challenges in the work environment from senior professionals;

• Build and extend participants' networks.

​

​

BENEFITS

​

For our mentees

• ​Develop a sharper focus of what they need to grow in their field;

• Receive critical feedback in key areas of interest, such as specific subject knowledge or skills (e.g. communications, time management, or networking);

• Learn from their mentor’s experience.

​

 For our mentors

• ​Acquire new skills;

• Improve their management style;

• Share their expertise and pass on knowledge to the next generation.

​

​

“The programme has changed me, my mentality, my conceptions and expectations of the working world. It has made me tougher and more resilient.”  

Nina

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