China Mentoring Programme

The Careers Service is delighted to announce the launch of our new China Mentoring Programme, looking to support our Chinese graduates who have chosen to return to China following their studies through mentoring.

The programme will match up recent graduates from the University of Manchester who have returned to China following the conclusion of their studies with mentors based within China. The aim of the programme is to help our graduates with making connections within China, navigating the Chinese job market, and assist in their career development.

For the full eligibility criteria for mentees to participate in the programme, please see below.

We are currently gathering applications from recent graduates who are looking to take part in the programme. Applications will close at 11:59pm CST on Sunday 14th June. To register your interest, please complete the short survey linked below, and we will be in touch in due course.

If you have any questions, please contact the Mentoring Team via email at mentoring@manchester.ac.uk.

Eligibility

You are eligible to apply as a mentee to this programme if you:

  • Graduated with a degree from the University of Manchester;
  • Completed your course in either 2024 or 2025;
  • Graduated from any degree programme at the University of Manchester other than the MBA programme;
  • Are currently based in China.

Why should I apply to participate in the programme?

Your mentor’s role is to guide you towards making informed career decisions, to help you navigate how to find and apply for opportunities, and to give you some tips to help you succeed once you start. They will share their own personal career journey, provide insights into their current role/previous roles, and highlight the decisions they have made and the steps they have taken to get to where they are.

The discussions you have with your mentor aim to help you:

  • Explore the career options available to you within China;
  • Overcome any barriers in your career planning;
  • Start to build your professional network within China through direct contact with your mentor;
  • Develop the skills and confidence you need to succeed in your career planning;
  • Improve your employability, CV, and performance at interviews;
  • Gain a competitive edge over other candidates.

What is the time commitment of the programme?

The mentoring programme will run across spring and summer 2026, with exact dates of the programme to be confirmed in due course.

Before you will be able to join the programme, you will be required to attend or watch a virtual 1-hour induction session, which will provide further information around the programme and how to use Mentorloop, the mentoring platform we will be using to facilitate the mentoring programme. It will be mandatory to attend or watch this induction session before you are able to sign up to our mentoring platform and be matched with a mentor.

Once you are enrolled on the programme and matched up with a mentor, we expect that mentees will be able to meet with their mentor roughly once per month across the course of the programme, flexible around you and your mentor's other commitments. These meeting can be held in-person, if you both are able to do so, or they can be conducted online, or a mix of the two across the programme.