Peer development has been recognized as a key for the professional enhancement of university teachers. At Uppsala University, Sweden, mentored teaching offers a structure for peer reflection and collegial support. During the "Academic Teacher Training Course", every participant reflects on a specific teaching activity together with an experienced university teacher.

Currently, a research project is addressing what mentored teaching means to course participants / mentees as well as to mentors. Our findings – based on detailed questionnaires with 60 mentors and 92 mentees as well as focus interviews – clearly show that mentored teaching can be linked to an ethos of care in two senses.

On the one hand, the mentors provide a supportive space for the mentees that - unlike assessment – focuses on confirmation, encouragement and inspiration being particularly important for new academics. On the other hand, the network for mentors as well as the mentoring itself provides a similar space for the mentors. Being a mentor offers not only an opportunity to contribute to the mentees learning, but also a possibility for continuous self-reflection and self-development. Specific training and networking activities organized by the Unit of Academic Teaching and Learning contribute to a shared mentoring ethos of care for each other as colleagues. Aligned to that, becoming a member of the mentors´ network is based on strong commitment for teaching and education rather than on academic merits. In conclusion, this non-competitive community maintains an ethos of care and collegiality across the university that is beneficial for both mentees and mentors.