A mentor is assigned to each Assistant Professor and Researcher (mentee) during their tenure-track period.
The mentor should generally be a professor or researcher with tenure in a higher career position than the mentee, with extensive experience at Técnico, who can be considered a role model. The role of mentor can be performed by a professor or researcher from any scientific area and any department of Técnico.

The mentor should advice on values and best practices, ensuring full integration into the academic life of Técnico, particularly with regard to:

• the career development of the mentee during the tenure-track period;
• recruitment and supervision of second and third cycle students;
• teaching practices;
• research directions and funding strategies;
• any other mentoring and counseling components.

Mentors are appointed by the Coordenador do Acompanhamento e Desenvolvimento de Docentes e Investigadores (CADDI), in consultation with the President of the Scientific Council, the President of the Pedagogical Council, and the President(s) of the Department(s). CADDI shall inform the mentee, the President(s) of the Department(s), and the Academic Development Unit (NDA) of the appointment of each mentor.

The mentor must belong to a different department from that of their mentee. The mentor chairs the Probationary Period Monitoring Committee (CAPE, in Portuguese), but has no role of evaluator and cannot be the rapporteur (interim or final) for the tenure-track period.

After the first year of the tenure-track period, the teacher or researcher may submit a justified request to the CADDI for the appointment of a new mentor.