Vindya Wijeratne

Vindya Wijeratne, School of Electronic Engineering and Computer Science

I take great pride in my role as a mentor and reviewer with QM Academy. Even after many years of involvement, I consistently gain valuable insights from each mentoring or reviewing session I attend—an experience I find unmatched by any other activity at QMUL.

My daily work primarily revolves around our team/school, making my engagement with the Teaching Recognition Project (TRP) an exceptional opportunity to learn about and reflect on the diverse and impressive projects my colleagues outside our school/faculty are undertaking. It is remarkable how many of these initiatives can be adapted across various disciplines.

Mentoring is profoundly rewarding, both in the long term as I witness the progressive journeys of our academic and professional services colleagues, and in the short term when I observe colleagues attending mentoring sessions realising that the process is not as daunting as they initially thought, and that the UKSPF criteria are indeed achievable, compared to what they had envisaged when walking through the door that morning. As all mentors and reviewers have navigated this process themselves, we can easily empathize with what the applicants are experiencing.

Whether it's a mentor refresher training or an accelerator session for applicants, each event is very well organised, featuring a variety of activities that engage participants and yield solid outcomes. I also genuinely appreciate how accommodating QM Academy is in adapting to our busy schedules.

I eagerly anticipate continuing to support many more colleagues on their professional development journeys and remaining an active member of this wonderful community!