Olumide Popoola

Olumide Popoola, Queen Mary Academy

Mentoring Advance HE TRP applicants has been an immensely rewarding aspect of my practice. I have mentored quite a few postgraduate researcher (PGR) educators working towards AFHEA recognition, drawing on my role as lead coordinator of PGR educator training at Queen Mary. My approach to mentoring is grounded in the values of belonging, dignity and justice. In particular, I encourage PGR educators to value their liminal identities, I acknowledge the extra effort they are making to have this conversation with me. 

In reflecting on their awards, my mentees have described our dialogues as “both constructive and encouraging,” as giving them space to both justify and develop their practice. And they appreciate the opportunity they have to articulate their teaching philosophy and practice in a focused, reflective way. This feedback has helped me understand how this professional conversation in a mentoring space is not only developing the next generation of HE educators but is enabling these mentees to flourish now.

Reviewing applications alongside mentoring has deepened my understanding of this work. It turns out the recurring challenge is not insufficient experience but articulating thinking, decision-making and motivation clearly and confidently. In its simplest expression, my impact as a mentor/reviewer is in helping educators find and express their professional educator voice and, through this, in contributing to the development of a culture of social justice.