Peer Mentoring to foster a Faculty Community and promote innovation in university teaching: the PM_UniTo project
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.7346/sird-012025-p109Keywords:
Peer mentoring, teaching innovation, Faculty Community, Faculty DevelopmentAbstract
Mentoring in Higher Education is a well-established practice internationally, with various models of implementation. Among these, peer mentoring emerges as a particularly effective strategy for fostering dialogue among faculty members, facilitating the exchange of innovative teaching practices, and enhancing pedagogical skills. The Peer Mentoring for Innovation and Excellence in Learning and Teaching (PM_UniTo) project was launched by the Teaching and Learning Center at the University of Turin in 2024 and included three key phases: initial faculty training (N = 18), model experimentation, and implementation. The programme comprised theoretical and practical training activities, classroom observation, engagement with the student community, and guided supervision sessions, supported by pre- and post-intervention assessment tools. The results indicate a high level of satisfaction among participants, an increased awareness of the mentor’s role, and the consolidation of an academic community focused on reflection and teaching innovation. From the students’ perspective, peer mentoring has been recognised as an opportunity to enhance teaching quality and strengthen dialogue between faculty and students. The PM_UniTo project thus represents an innovative model for professional development, aimed at institutionalising collaborative mentoring practices and fostering a teaching culture based on dialogue and continuous improvement.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Emanuela Maria Teresa Torre, Federica Emanuel, Ettore Felisatti
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