“+Sucesso@UPortucalense”: Guiding principles of a teacher-student mentoring program to promote first-year student's success

Abstract

Faculty-student mentoring programs can be integral part of institutional approaches to facilitate students’ transition and adaptation to higher education. This paper presents an outline of guiding principles for the implementation of a faculty-student mentoring program designed for first year students. The initiative is part of a broader project called +Sucesso@UPortucalense, funded by the General Directorate for Higher Education (DGES) and the Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR). Crucial elements of the program include: teacher training, the matching process and group formation, communication and interaction frequency, main focus of the teacher-student interactions, roles and responsibilities, and assessment. The key features of this teacher-student mentoring program are discussed considering the main goals of promoting students’ academic success, personal, social, and career development, and retention in higher education.