In GLOBSEC, we realise how challenging it can be for a young female expert to navigate her career and find the right direction for her professional development. We also believe in forming meaningful connections and learning from each other. That is also why the mentoring programme for junior female experts, professionals and leaders is an inherent and inseparable part of CEE HER Initiative.

In its beginnings, CEE HER Mentoring programme pairs 11 inspiring female mentors with ambitious junior female mentees, that are up to 30 years old, from CEE+ region (CEE, Baltics, Balkans, Caucasus) with a background in international relations.

As gender diversity and equality is still far from being achieved, especially in and beyond our region – it is of great importance to offer and present women role models to younger generation and to step in as a mover and shaker of current status quo, don’t you think?

Mentoring programme is a great way to build tomorrow’s passionate female leaders. In addition, CEE HER Mentoring Programme’s mission is to empower female expertise and to accentuate women’s voices in various policy debates in CEE.

Relationship between mentor and mentee is designed to build confidence, support the mentees and contribute to their personal and professional development. Cooperation with senior counterparts aims for skills mastering, gaining valuable experience, as well as diversity in thinking. Mentors will help mentees to navigate towards solutions or new perspectives, provide advice on career development, offer guidance and accelerate their growth.

We are honoured that the following mentors will use their experience and knowledge to support the development of their mentees:

• Valérie Rosoux, Professor, University of Louvain
• Merle Maigre, Security Policy Adviser to the President, Office of the President of the Republic of Estonia
• Oana Popescu, Director, GlobalFocus Center • Eeva Eek-Pajuste, Director of the Lennart Meri Conference, International Centre for Defence and Security

• Annemie Turtelboom, Member, European Court of Auditors
• Ida Manton, International Negotiations Lecturer, Trainer and Researcher, POINT and Diplomacy Dialogue
• Valerie Hopkins, South-East Europe Correspondent, Financial Times
• Agnes Aistleitner, CEO, E’ebo Entertainment
• Katarína Korduliaková Kissová, Head of Office, Hanns Seidel Foundation Slovakia
• Torrey Taussig, Nonresident Fellow, The Brookings Institution
• Jana Kobzová, Chief Foreign Policy Expert, Office of the President of the Slovak Republic

At the same time, from the number of applications received, we are glad to present the following mentees:

• Delina Goxho, Security Analyst, Open Society European Policy Institute
• Anna-Liisa Merilind, Honours Student of World Politics, Leiden University College in the Hague
• Adéla Klečková, Chief Analyst and Head of Critical Thinking Programme, Společně pro Česko think tank
• Katsiaryna Shmatsina, Political Analyst, Belarusian Institute for Strategic Studies
• Cristina Bărăgănescu, Project Officer, European Commission, DG NEAR
• Pavlina Pavlova, Liaison Officer / Programme Officer, OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights
• Tania Latici, Policy Analyst, European Parliamentary Research Service
• Ivana Jankovska, Grant Management Assistant, European Endowment for Democracy
• Kamila Potočárová, Master Student of International Relations, Central European University
• Simona Majerníková, Programme Officer, Royal Academy of Engineering
• Dorka Takácsy, Analyst, Political Capital Policy Research and Consulting Institute
• Martina Babíkova, Field Coordinator for an international humanitarian organisation
• Zuzana Podracká, Research Fellow, GLOBSEC Policy Institute

We are looking forward to seeing this cooperation develop and cannot wait to see the results while meeting all the wonderful mentors and mentees in person at GLOBSEC Bratislava Forum in May 2020, where this 6 months long Mentoring Programme will be concluded!