Mentorship scheme shortlisted for AGCAS Award for Excellence
Queen Margaret University’s pioneering Rotational Leadership Mentoring Programme (ROME) has been shortlisted for an AGCAS Award for Excellence 2025.
ROME, the first mentoring scheme of its kind in the UK higher education sector, has been nominated for the Innovation of the Year category, celebrating the best forward-thinking, cutting-edge initiatives which are championing progress across the sector.
Developed by Juan Garcia, Employability and Development Advisor at ÐÇ¿Õ´«Ã½, the ROME programme builds on the success of ÐÇ¿Õ´«Ã½â€™s award-winning Employer Mentoring Programme by offering students a unique rotational mentoring experience—pairing them with four different industry mentors, each focusing on a specific leadership or employability skill.
Unlike traditional mentorship schemes typically reserved for final-year students, ROME is available from second year onwards, allowing earlier access to expert guidance across various sectors. Each mentor in the programme focuses on developing a specific leadership or employability skill, such as analytical thinking, decision making, and team building, giving students a diverse and targeted development experience.
Juan Garcia said: “We have developed an initiative which is completely new to the higher education sector, and I’m delighted the AGCAS has recognised its value. With ROME, our goal was to give students early, meaningful exposure to a wide range of real-world skills and industries—helping them build the confidence and capabilities they need to thrive in the future world of work."
ÐÇ¿Õ´«Ã½â€™s mentoring schemes are known for being student-driven and internationally recognised. Since launching in 2013, the University’s Employer Mentoring Programme has supported over 500 students with mentorship across a wide range of professions.
The AGCAS Awards for Excellence recognise the exceptional work of careers and employability professionals in higher education across the UK, and this year’s awards saw a record number of high-calibre nominations.
Winners of the AGCAS Awards for Excellence 2025 will be announced during the AGCAS Annual Conference at Newcastle University on 17–18 June 2025.
