ELEAD 2nd edition: ELIXIR’s LEadership And Diversity mentoring programme

Empowering women in STEM leadership

Women are underrepresented in leadership roles in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics). Limited sponsorship, fewer career progression opportunities and reduced visibility create barriers to advancement.

ELIXIR LEadership And Diversity mentoring programme (ELEAD) seeks to address these challenges by supporting women's leadership growth in ELIXIR. The programme provides structured mentorship, peer support and professional training. ELEAD builds leadership confidence, enhances career progression and fosters a more inclusive research environment. 

Who is this for?

The programme provides women in ELIXIR with a structured mentorship, professional development and peer networking to build confidence, enhance skills and foster career advancement.

Women in ELIXIR with leadership roles are eligible to participate, including but not limited to:

• Node, Technical and Training Coordinators
• Platform, Focus Group and Community leads
• Work package and task leads

Programme structure

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ELEAD is built on three main pillars:

1. Mentoring pairs: mentees are paired with experienced senior mentors from ELIXIR and its extended network to support career development
2. Peer-mentoring groups: participants engage in guided and confidential peer discussions to exchange experiences and build connections
3. Professional training: expert-led sessions develop leadership skills essential for career progressions

Successful applicants are expected to attend a mentoring session every 4-6 weeks for the duration of the programme, as well as approximately 11 hours of virtual training over 18 months, three hours for the co-located kick-off at the ELIXIR All Hands 2025 meeting and one week of in-person training in February 2026.  

What’s new in the 2nd edition?

ELEAD first launched as a pilot programme in January 2023. Following its success, the 2nd edition expands its scope to provide participants an even more enriching experience. The programme’s mission remains the same: to increase the representation of women in ELIXIR leadership and beyond by equipping them with the tools and support for success.

Find out more about the ELEAD pilot programme.

Based on feedback from the pilot programme, ELEAD has grown and improved:

• A larger cohort of participants
• Expanded face-to-face events to strengthen networking and collaboration
• Selected training sessions open to a broader audience beyond programme participants