Learning from each other: A qualitative exploration of students’ experience in peer mentoring
Abstract
Background & Objective: Peer mentoring is a developmental relationship in which individuals of similar status or experience support one another through guidance, shared learning, encouragement, and constructive feedback to enhance academic, professional, and personal growth. A structured, ‘Peer Mentorship Program’ was introduced for graduate students in the department of Biological & Biomedical Sciences (BBS) at Aga Khan University (AKU). The aim was to help fresh students navigate through course work and research components of the program. This study intended to evaluate the usefulness of peer mentorship program, identify existing challenges and areas for improvement by looking at the perception of mentors and mentees. Methodology: A qualitative study was conducted at Aga Khan University from December 2024 to September 2025, in which two focus group discussions (FGDs) with MPhil-BBS students, comprising of five peer mentees and six peer mentors were conducted. The participants’ verbatim responses were transcribed by the researchers; manual thematic analysis was done after compiling codes, categories, and subthemes into themes. Results: Three themes; “Program Effectiveness and Positive Outcomes”, “Challenges and Limitations”, and “Program Structure and Future Recommendation”: with several subthemes reflected students’ experiences of the program. The support of peer mentors helped in reducing anxiety and promoted personal and professional development of mentees. Certain challenges were identified; mentees were initially reluctant to initiate contact, and mentors faced challenges in securing time for the meetings. To improve the impact by adding another tier of alumni in the program was suggested by both peer mentors and mentees. Conclusion: The Peer Mentorship Program in the MPhil in BBS proved to be a transformative initiative which supported peer mentees to cope with the course work, research and enhance personal and professional growth by the guidance from peer mentors.