A comparative study of formal coaching and mentoring programmes in higher education

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to evaluate two coaching and mentoring programmes focused on the increasingly important aim of enhancing the chances of professional-level employment for undergraduate students at two UK universities. It offers recommendations for enhancing coaching and mentoring success within higher education (HE). Design/methodology/approach: Two similar programmes are compared; the first study is a coaching programme delivered in two phases involving over 1,500 students within the Business School. The second study is a mentoring programme involving over 250 students over a 10-year period within the Business School at a different institution. Findings: The two programmes were compared against the key success criteria from the literature, endorsed by coaching and mentoring experts. The results highlight the importance of integrating with other initiatives, senior management commitment, budget, an application process, clear matching process, trained coaches and mentors, induction for both parties, supportive material, ongoing supervision, and robust evaluation and record keeping. Research limitations/research implications: The research focuses on two similar institutions, with comparable student demographics. It would have been useful to dig deeper into the effect of the diverse characteristics of coach/mentor and coachee/mentee on the effectiveness of their relationships, as well as test the assumptions and recommendations beyond these two institutions, to validate the reach and application of these best practice recommendations further afield.