Higher Education Commission (HEC) undertook a significant initiative of Women Empowerment and Mentorship Program (WEMP) for female employees of public sector universities across Pakistan. WEMP provided women with opportunities of skill building, exposure and networking with successful leaders, experts and institutions. WEMP was exclusively developed to promote women empowerment and leadership roles; keeping in view the socio-cultural context and gender parity indicators of Pakistan. The program components aimed at fostering self-confidence and professional development of the target group through a very comprehensive process. It was led by experts as mentors having desired level of professional excellence. The mentors served as coaches, guides, and moral supporters; helped mentees in the mutually agreed plans contributing to their job satisfaction and professional growth.
The Women Empowerment Mentorship Program (WEMP) supported the professional and personal growth of women in higher education. It included a structured framework, mentor–mentee toolkits, and five training modules on key development areas. The Mentor's Toolkit comprised guidance on goal-setting, feedback, trust-building, and recognition tools whereas the mentee's toolkit included skills in communication, leadership, networking, wellness, and career planning. Modules which were covered under WEMP included Cover conflict resolution, professional growth, self-reflection, and mentoring strategies.
MPU Background:
HEC has expanded this program and shared these guidelines with all universities. It is expected that Mentorship program will provide guidance to its beneficiaries to deal with challenges in the institutions, develop leadership capacities, and enhance ability to contribute to their own growth and the growth and transformation of their respective academic institutions. The program will not only serve to promote faculty in education sector but also contribute to create a more inclusive and diverse academic environment for their students where every voice is valued and represented in leadership roles. The mentorship program will support and encourage emerging leaders in higher education sector through maximizing their potential, developing their skills and enhancing their performance to become the person they want to be.
