Mentorship programme

EDI & Sustainability

Achieving Equal Chances for Patients and Health care providers

ESGO Mentorship Programme 2026-2027

25_MEN_Men Prog_SM

Applications for mentors and mentees are now Closed.

The ESGO Mentorship Programme 2026 is a 12-month structured initiative designed to connect senior leaders in gynecologic oncology with early-career professionals. Building on the success of the pilot edition, this programme provides intensive one-to-one mentorship, focusing on academic, clinical, and leadership development while fostering international collaboration across the ESGO community.

Whether you are an experienced professional looking to share your expertise, or a young clinician eager to grow, this programme offers a unique opportunity to learn, connect, and inspire the future of gynecologic oncology.

This programme is more than mentorship — it is about building excellence, leadership, and community in gynecologic oncology.

Take the step today.
Be part of the future.

Why Participate?

  • For mentees:
    Gain personalized guidance, set and achieve SMART goals, strengthen clinical and academic skills, expand your international network, and grow into a confident leader.

  • For mentors:
    Share your knowledge and experience, support the next generation of professionals, and contribute to shaping future leaders of gynecologic oncology.

Programme Structure

  • Duration: 12 months (February 2026 – February 2027)

  • Format: One-to-one mentorship (1 mentor per mentee)

  • Meetings: Advised monthly 1-hour sessions (virtual or in-person)

  • Kick-off: In-person during the ESGO Congress 2026 in Copenhagen

  • Participants: Up to 12 mentors and 12 mentees

  • Tracking & support: Meeting logs, progress reports, and structured evaluation

Timeline

  • Applications open: September 18, 2025

  • Deadline: November 20, 2025

  • Announcement of pairs: By December 15, 2025

  • Programme launch: February 2026 (Copenhagen Congress)

  • Midpoint report: August 2026

  • Final report: January 2027

  • Conclusion & recognition: February 2027 (Congress)

  • Evaluation results: April 2027

Eligibility

Mentees

  • Active ESGO or ENYGO member

  • Under 44 years of age, in training or junior position

  • Active in gynecologic oncology clinical practice

  • Fluent in English, with stable internet connection

  • Not a previous participant of the ESGO Mentorship Programme

Mentors

  • Active ESGO member

  • Senior clinical or academic leader in gynecologic oncology

  • Based in an ESGO-accredited centre

  • Active in research, publication, and/or education

  • Fluent in English and committed to regular mentorship meetings

How to Apply - Applications are CLOSED

  • Mentees: Submit your CV, motivation letter (max 500 words), and complete the online application form.

  • Mentors: Submit your CV and complete the online mentor profile questionnaire.

  • Applications will be reviewed and pairs will be assigned by the Mentorship Committee.

 

Recognition

All participants who complete the programme requirements will receive an official ESGO Certificate of Completion, and will be recognized during the ESGO Congress.

ESGO Mentorship Programme 2026-2027 - Framework
ESGO Mentorship Programme 2026-2027 Guideliines

ENYGO-ESGO Mentorship Programme - Pilot project 2024-2026

Goals

  1. Development of leadership skills, including academic roles
  2. Career advancement via individual career advice
  3. Improvement and development of work-life balance skills
  4. Learning new ways to expand international collaborations and maintain them
Guidelines for the Mentorship programme
Watch Video

Definition

  • Global scope
  • Maximum 24 months per mentee
  • One mentor can coach 1­–2 mentees
  • Each mentee can have only 1 mentor
  • Mentees select and rate 3 mentors as their top preferences (assign a ranking from 1–3)
  • The task force matches the mentor and mentee pairs. Once matched, the mentor-mentee pair will preferentially meet in person at the ESGO annual congress to kick off their mentor-mentee relationship
  • Mentor-mentee pairs commit to ~1-hour one-to-one meetings every 4 months
  • All mentors and mentees are invited to a networking event at the ESGO annual congress
  • Webinars on communication, empowerment, time management, and well-being are planned and will be offered to the mentees every 3–4 months
  • The mentor and the mentee need to always maintain confidentiality
  • The mentor should be a positive role model supporting their mentee by giving academic and life advice, sharing experiences, and caring about their mentees' successes
  • Any costs linked to participation in the programme are the responsibility of the participants
  • The mentor and the mentee should provide regular feedback to the ESGO office on the success and operation of the programme
  • The mentees and mentors will receive ESGO certificates

 

How to apply

Criteria to become a mentee

  • Active ESGO or ENYGO member
  • Female
  • Still in training/ junior position or younger than 44 years of age
  • Active job position with focus in gynaecological oncology
  • Sufficient English language skills to be able to communicate
  • Access to a computer and high-speed internet

Application process

  • The call for application is now closed

Mentors-mentees matches were announced in January 2024

All confirmed mentees will be asked  for:

  • Submission of an anonymous survey before and after the programme
  • Commitment to the study on ENYGO-ESGO Mentorship Programe

The Mentorship programme 2024

The program kicked off during the March 2024 Barcelona Conference, during which time mentors and mentees met and obtained detailed written tips and goals on the roles of their respective roles and obligations following with the Mentorship webinar.

Mentees will focus on three to five realistic goals as agreed with their mentor. The mentees and mentors will together create an action plan, record their progress, keep a meeting agenda and use evidence-based tools and methods to improve outcomes based on mutual interests and the mentor’s capacity.

These tools and methods were addressed in the webinar titled “Mentoring for Success”.

Facilitated by a EDI professional, the webinar included specific advice for mentors and mentees on how to proceed through their journey with tips on goal setting, measuring their success, and activities/strategies that will help them reach their goals.

Watch the video and learn more!

 

Watch the Mentoring for Success!
ESGO 2024 Mentors and Mentees
Meet the Mentors
Meet the Mentees
The First Face to Face meeting between mentors and mentees during the congress in Barcelona 2024

Embracing Gender Equality in Gynaecological Oncology Task Force Members

“Mentoring is an indispensable requirement for the medical doctors’ growth. Our mentors will give you guidance, advice and support. They will empower you to see a possible future and believe it can be obtained.”

Tanja Nikolova, MD, PhD

Tanja Nikolova02

Tanja Nikolova, MD, PhD

Chair

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital Heidelberg

Germany

Esra

Esra Bilir, MD, MSc

Co-Chair

Koc University School of Medicine

Koc University Graduate School of Health Sciences, Istanbul

Türkiye

“We take immense pleasure in announcing the inauguration of our latest initiative, ENYGO-ESGO Task Force: Embracing Gender Equality in Gynaecological Oncology. We invite all eligible colleagues to seize the opportunity and apply for our mentorship program, providing a chance to collaborate with distinguished mentors from the renowned ESGO community."

Esra Bilir, MD, MSc

ESGO Core Team
Nicole Concin

Prof. Nicole Concin

Innsbruck Medical University

Austria

Anna Fagotti (1)_Small

Prof. Anna Fagotti

Fondazione Policlinico A. Gemelli

IRCCS, Rome

Italy

Christina_Fotopoulou

Prof. Christina Fotopoulou

Imperial College London

UK

mansoor mirza

Prof. Mansoor Raza Mirza

Rigshospitalet Copenhagen

Denmark

Toon van Gorp-2

Prof. Toon Van Gorp

University Hospital Leuven

Belgium

ENYGO Core Team
Joana (1)

Joanna Kacperczyk-Bartnik, MD, PhD

Medical University of Warsaw

Poland

Nicolo

Nicolò Bizzarri, MD

Fondazione Policlinico A. Gemelli

IRCCS, Rome

Italy

Zoia

Zoia Razumova, MD, PhD

Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm

Sweden

Ola

Aleksandra Strojna, MD, PhD

Evangelische Kliniken Essen Mitte

Germany

Sara

Sara Nasser, MRCOG

Charite Universitatsmedizin Berlin

Germany

Ilker

Ilker Kahramanoglu, MD

Private Clinic of Gynecologic Oncology, Istanbul

Türkiye

Tibor

Tibor Zwimpfer, MD

Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne

Australia

Richard

Richárd Tóth, MD

Semmelweis University, Budapest

Hungary

Khayal

Khayal Gasimli, MD

W. Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main

Germany