**2.5 Mentoring and higher education**

Mentoring in higher education is intuitive as it presents an extension of the learning process itself. The value of mentoring academics at all levels is noted by the literature [14] and can be rewarding and fulfilling for both mentor and protégé [3]. Faculty mentoring other faculty leads to increased employment satisfaction as well as improved outcomes for promotion and tenure for the individuals [3]. Mentoring assists protégés in overcoming personal and professional challenges that may arise, encouraging them to continue in their careers [15]. For the institution, mentoring increases faculty production and retention [3]. Mentoring also contributes to higher quality of scholarship output [16], which benefits the educational endeavor in general. Finally, student outcomes are also improved when their faculty are mentored as mentored faculty feel better prepared to teach their courses and advise students [4, 16].
