Women in International Security Austria (WIIS Austria) launched the “Encouraging Excellencies” mentoring programme in 2019, developed in close partnership with H. E. Ambassador Véronique Roger-Lacan. Chair of the Mentoring Programme 2021/2022 is Deputy Director of the OSCE PA Vienna Liaison Office Marc Carillet.
The goal is connecting female students in their early years of university with experienced diplomats and professional in the field of international politics and security, to offer guidance and thereby encouraging them to enter the diplomatic and security field.
Through empowering young women, we wish to improve their opportunities to take on leadership roles at all levels of decision-making in political and public life as well as working towards gender equality in international peace and security.
The Mentors
We are lucky to have the support of Ambassadors, Diplomats and OSCE professionals.
The mentors in 2019/2020 were:
French Ambassador to the OSCE H.E. Roger-Lacan
Canadian Ambassador to the OSCE H.E. Natasha Cayer,
Italian Ambassador to the OSCE Alessandro Azzoni
Maltese Ambassador to Austria H.E. Natasha Meli Daudey
Deputy Director of the OSCE PA Vienna Liaison Office Marc Carillet 
The Process
- Young women at the beginning of their university careers apply through their Universities to the mentoring program
- Universities check for basic requirements of potential candidates
- WIIS Austria assembles suitable candidates
- Mentors get the final pick for their mentee from the pool of suitable candidates
- The second mentoring programme will start in the Spring of 2021
- Mentoring can take place in a time period between one to three years
- Women in International Security Austria will be organizing the framework and offering help to both mentors and mentee
If you are a student interested in becoming a mentee, click here.
If you are a diplomat interested in becoming a mentor, click here.
If you have any questions, send us an email to wiisaustria@wiisglobal.org.
Women in International Security Austria 