Empa - Equal Opportunities

feM-LEAD

(female Mentoring: Leadership for Equity And Diversity)

feM-LEAD is a competitive mentoring programme aimed at women, who would like to take on a leadership role in the future or want to find out if Leadership is something for them. It initially started at PSI in 2018 and finished its pilot phase in the end of 2020. The Mentoring Programme was then continued beyond this phase and has been externally evaluated as unique due to:

being open for all women (scientists, technicians as well as women working in administration)
being open for women who have not yet taken on a leadership role

The cross-institutional programme is aimed at ambitious mentees and mentors from the participating institutions PSI, Empa, Eawag and WSL.

Current: The application window for the next round of feM-LEAD is open from 15.9. - 26.10.2025!
Up-to-date information on the programme duration, the information session, and how to apply as a woman employed at PSI, Empa, Eawag or WSL is available here.

What questions are addressed in the mentoring programme:

What does leadership (in general / at Empa, PSI, Eawag or WSL) mean?
What are challenges, opportunities and important competences?
What steps can I take if I want to become a leader?
How can I expand my network?
What are the (unwritten) laws in the professional environment?

What is the goal of feM-LEAD?

In the field of diversity, equity and inclusion, one of Empa's top priority is to increase the proportion of women in the core areas of Empa (see Action Plan for Equal Opportunities & Diversity at Empa). Therefore, we systematically reduce structural barriers and disadvantages and offer various support programs specifically for women, such as feM-LEAD.

The goal of the mentoring programme is the planning of the mentee's career, e.g. through an insight into the career and work experience of the mentor or platforms for visibility and networking. The aim is to promote the mentee's professional career in an enriching way and to encourage them to engage with the leadership topic.

Target group of feM-LEAD:

feM-LEAD is aimed at all women at the four ETH research institutes working in science, technology, or administration who:

would like to take on a leadership role in the future (at their current or another institution), or are interested in exploring this option further
wish to address their questions about leadership and discover what their own path could look like
who are prepared to spend time for this on a regular basis (approx. 8 - 10 working days during one year)
are employed at PSI, Empa, Eawag, or WSL during the programme period (scientists: after postdoc)

How is the programme structured?

Over the course of a year, mentees are supported by mentors in a personal 1:1 mentoring. In a trusting, supportive setting, they can work together with an experienced person on their professional development and benefit from the knowledge and experience of their mentors. An assessment (BIP® test) and accompanying events lay the foundations for the mentoring relationship and promote the networking and visibility of the mentees. The programme is rounded off by courses on leadership and personal development, which can be selected according to personal interests, and peer coaching.