Women's Mentoring Schemes

The University of Newcastle supports mentoring and networking that help women build confidence, professional relationships and leadership capability, particularly in fields where they remain underrepresented. Through HunterWiSE, academic development initiatives and its SAGE Athena SWAN Silver Action Plan, the University connects students, researchers and industry professionals with opportunities to learn from one another.

HunterWiSE: women supporting women in STEM

University student mentors and the HunterWiSE Academy

HunterWiSE comprises three interconnected strategies: school outreach, scholarships and a professional network for women in STEM across Newcastle and the Hunter region. Through the HunterWiSE Academy, University of Newcastle students gain practical mentoring experience, professional connections and opportunities to develop their leadership alongside STEM practitioners and industry partners.

In 2025, HunterWiSE supported 30 female STEM student mentors, contributing to a total of 101 female STEM mentoring roles since 2017. The 2025 cohort included three former HunterWiSE school outreach participants who had returned as University student mentors. Mentors received training and ongoing support and guided more than 170 Year 8 girls from 12 Hunter-region high schools through a 10-week programme, supporting 45 STEM projects. Three of the former participants returning as mentors had collectively mentored 38 school students.

The Academy also connects women studying STEM with scholarship and networking opportunities. Its 2025 community welcomed HunterWiSE Women in STEM Scholar Takara Stolk and NCIG–HunterWiSE scholars Cordelia Field and Victoria Daniela. The wider HunterWiSE Network held five events in 2025, recording 707 registrations, eight speakers and more than 800 members; these figures describe the broader network and its events rather than a count of female University students mentored.

Other university mentoring pathways for women students

The University has also offered a dedicated Women in STEM Mentoring Program through its Careers Service, matching women and non-binary undergraduate STEM students with University alumni and industry professionals. The programme includes structured career guidance, networking and goal-setting opportunities. In 2022, 62 students were matched with mentors, with a programme model including four one-hour mentoring conversations; this earlier example illustrates the University’s longer-standing student mentoring provision.

Mentoring and career development for women researchers

ADVANCE Equity in Research Fellowships

As part of the University’s SAGE Athena SWAN Silver Action Plan, the ADVANCE Equity in Research Fellowship supports academic staff who have experienced barriers to research progression. In November 2024, the University announced nine inaugural ADVANCE Fellows. The initiative is open to Level B, C and D academics and supports people affected by barriers including caring responsibilities, cultural or linguistic diversity, disability or chronic illness, gender-based discrimination, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander identity, and domestic, family or gender-based violence or trauma.

^{EQUITY: Inaugural recipients of the University’s ADVANCE Equity in Research Fellowships (back l-r) Dr Alice Neikirk, Dr Lara Daley, (middle l-r) Associate Professor Trisha Pender, Dr Katie Waters, Dr Shaleeza Sohail, Dr Stacey McMullin, (front l-r) Dr Daniella Forster, Associate Professor Sara Motta and Dr Zara Ersozlu.}

Fellows undertake a 12-month guided development journey with access to nationally and internationally recognised mentor-coaches. The programme addresses values-based decision-making, career transitions, academic priorities, strategic refocusing and self-directed development. It also provides mentoring through the University Professoriate and Forever Fellows alumni network, including guidance on research goal-setting, academic prioritisation and research leadership. These are academic staff development opportunities that complement, rather than replace, mentoring for enrolled students.

Women’s Research Engineers Network

The University’s Women’s Research Engineers Network (WREN) provides mentoring, career development and international connections for women in engineering research. Recognised in the University’s 2025 staff excellence awards, WREN is supported by staff and Higher Degree by Research volunteers and had grown to four regional subcommittees, 3,499 network members and more than 20 events. The network demonstrates the breadth of research career support, although its membership includes people beyond the University’s enrolled female student cohort.

A sustained commitment to gender equity

The University achieved SAGE Athena SWAN Silver Accreditation in 2024 and is implementing a seven-year Silver Action Plan to address barriers affecting women and other underrepresented groups. Its work includes strengthening career development support and opportunities for women to participate and progress in STEM and research.

Through mentoring, scholarships and professional networks, the University supports women and girls to pursue STEM study, strengthen their leadership skills and build lasting professional connections. Its programmes bring together students, academics and industry partners to expand opportunities across the Hunter region and beyond.

Is FLIP right for me?

• You are based in the Hunter or Central Coast regions
• You identify as a woman and are over 18 years of age
• You have an idea for an innovative product or service, or you're an aspiring leader wanting to build your skills to join a scalable business
• Your business idea has received less than $500,000 in external investment
• You're quietly ambitious, a natural problem-solver, but might be looking for the confidence and community to take the next step
• You can commit to the 9-week program, including weekly workshops, coaching sessions and self-paced activities
• You're eager to learn, open to feedback, and ready to connect with a powerful community of female leaders and founders

Note: agencies and consultancies are not eligible for this program

No university affiliation required - we welcome all eligible founders and problem solvers from our regions!