Mentors’ Perceptions on the Post Mentoring Relationships in Academic Organizations

This qualitative study aims to reveal the new period of the relationships between the mentors and mentees who continue to work in the same academic organization after the mentoring relationship terminates. The findings of this study that was conducted in a small group of mentors who cultivated multiple mentees show that the separation phase did not occur immediately although the relationship was formally terminated. The relationships were still maintained informally as the mentees expected to be promoted in the same organization. Mentees usually become more independent at the redefinition phase, whereas certain disagreements might lead to conflict of interest. However, peer relationship did not come to the forefront whereas it is expected to be built at this stage according to the literature. These results indicate that the characteristics of the separation and redefinition phases reported in the literature may not always apply as a standard to all mentor-mentee relationships. There is a need for further qualitative studies regarding the mentoring relationship that represents an important dimension of university culture. This will contribute to in-depth understanding of different mentor and mentee experiences and observations.