Empower, Enlighten, Elevate:

Connect with our experienced professionals who mentor emerging talent in scholarly publishing for guidance and career development

ACSE Mentorship Program

Refine the Art of Editing

The ACSE aims to serve editorial professionals of Asia by providing them with a progressive networking platform for their career development, education, and resources for innovative solutions. We have built up a sequence of our events, including our Annual Conference and Editors Café, which helps our members to boost their informal networking, professional relationship-building, and skill enhancement training programs. However, for long term learning and a more structured approach towards career development in academic publishing, the ACSE offers a Mentorship Program to refine the art of editing in a one-on-one working relationship with an expert member of the ACSE.

The ACSE Mentorship Program is designed to provide an opportunity for professionals at all career levels to develop new relationships, share experiences, and learn from experts outside their organizations by connecting with a mentor. It enables established professionals to give back to the industry and pay forward the support and guidance they received during the development of their careers by serving as mentors. The program aims to connect members of ACSE for professional development, information exchange, networking, personal growth, and career advancement.


Philosophy

Philosophy behind ACSE Mentorship Program

Opportunity for Editors Across the World

In contrast to well-developed scientific communities, Asia still lacks platforms that offer specific training for managing editorial jobs. Unlike many professions, editors often do not undergo formal education or training to handle the responsibilities of their roles. Editors in Asia particularly feel a dire need for guidance and support during their work, especially in decision-making, due to the lack of formal learning on the appropriate course of action. Even when attending specialized training workshops or short courses, there remains a gap in ongoing, non-judgmental counseling. Observing this gap, The ACSE launched a mentorship program as an opportunity for editors worldwide and especially from Asia to participate in a one-on-one mentor-mentee relationship.

Mentorship

What is Mentorship?

One-on-One Conversations

Mentorship, a key to professional development within a supportive "community of sharing," pairs experienced mentors with new mentees to foster goal-setting and skill enhancement through confidential, one-on-one conversations and activities. This process not only boosts knowledge, skills, attitudes, and values in a transformative setting but also emphasizes coaching and confidence-building. Recognizing that most successful individuals have benefited from mentorship, this method is crucial for new editors to gain confidence, adopt a positive outlook, and embrace ethical practices in their careers, benefiting both mentor and mentee.

Publishing Professionals

How can Mentorship Help Publishing Professionals?

Provide Learning Experiences

Mentorship helps publishing professionals identify potential career paths, expand their knowledge of industry options, and offer learning experiences beyond their current roles. It shapes future scholarly community leaders by enhancing professional competencies, thereby cultivating a diverse and high-quality candidate pool. As a vital tool for diversifying the workforce, mentorship provides newcomers with insights into scholarly communications culture, networking opportunities, and a welcoming introduction to the community.

Benefits of being a Mentor

Professional recognition

  • Allows to reflect on their own goals and practices
  • Extend knowledge and expertise
  • Develop leadership, communication, and coaching styles
  • Exposure to new perspectives, ideas, and approaches
  • Expand their professional network
  • Brings recognition as a leader and an expert in editorial skills
  • Enhances professional development record

Personal satisfaction

  • Enhances self-worth through the sharing of knowledge
  • Brings a sense of fulfillment from giving back to the community

Benefits of being a Mentee

Personal and professional development

  • Acquire new editing knowledge, skills, attitudes, and values
  • Exposure to new ideas and ways of thinking
  • Develops communication, study, and personal skills
  • Empowered by coaching & encouragement to deal with editorial issues
  • Gets an opportunity to clarify their thoughts and get feedback
  • Develop strengths and overcome their weaknesses
  • Increases their confidence through advice, support, and encouragement
  • Instills a commitment to a professional relationship

Career growth

  • Offers important networking contacts
  • Guidance on professional development and career issues

How does
the ACSE Mentorship
Program work?

  • Mentors and mentees can apply by filling out an online application.
  • Applications will be reviewed and approved by the Mentorship Committee.
  • Once approved, the committee will facilitate a match and notify both parties.
  • Mentor-mentee meetings can be conducted in-person or virtually.
  • The mentorship will last for 4 months, with the possibility of extending to a maximum of 6 months.
  • The meeting schedule will include 20-30 hours per session.
  • In-person meetings, lasting 2 hours, can be arranged to provide advice on specific issues.
  • Feedback will be provided by ACSE after the first 4 months of mentorship.
  • Upon successful completion, both the mentor and the mentee will be acknowledged.

Eligibility criteria for interested mentors and mentees are as follows:

  • All participants, both mentors and mentees, must be current members of ACSE.
  • Members of all types are eligible to participate in the program.
  • Mentors are required to have at least 3 years of experience in scholarly communication.
  • Spaces in each mentorship group are limited.
  • The committee will determine the selection for participation and matching.
  • Priority will be given to first-time mentee applicants.

ACSE Mentorship Program
Eligibility and Application:

Applications must be received by the posted deadline to be considered for a specific mentorship group. If there is a match between the expertise sought and the expertise available, our Mentorship Committee will establish the mentorship and notify you.

Mentorship Program's Code of Conduct

The Asian Council of Science Editors (ACSE) is committed to promoting diversity, equity, and ensuring a safe and productive Mentorship Program that encourages open dialogue and the free expression of ideas, free from harassment, discrimination, and hostile conduct. ACSE ensures equal treatment for all participants by offering opportunities regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, physical or mental ability, disability, physical appearance, ethnicity, religion, political affiliation, or nationality. All participants are expected to treat each other with respect and consideration, avoid discrimination and harassment, and maintain professional and ethical conduct throughout the mentorship relationship.

Participants must not disclose, share, duplicate, or distribute each other's personal information without consent. Requests for confidentiality are to be honored. Participants are expected to represent themselves honestly and disclose any potential conflicts of interest to their mentor or mentee. Exploiting the relationship for inappropriate advantage, whether financial or non-financial, is strictly prohibited.


Resources

The ACSE Mentorship Program is the result of learning from the significant work done by similar organizations and some of our collaborators who have already established Mentorship Programs within their organizations. The organizations include: