Mentoring as a mechanism for adaptation and professional Mentoring as a mechanism for adaptation and professional development of young university teachers of young university teachers

In the context of the transformation of higher education, the problem of the integration and professional development of young teachers has become particularly relevant. This article examines mentoring as a comprehensive mechanism for ensuring the successful adaptation and development of professional competence of novice teachers at a university. The paper analyzes the dual nature of mentoring, aimed both at solving the operational tasks of organizational adaptation and at the strategic goals of personal and professional development. It is considered that an effectively built mentoring system facilitates not only the rapid mastery of the normative and organizational foundations of pedagogical activity but also the development of an individual teaching style, the development of research potential, and integration into the academic community. The article substantiates the thesis that mentoring is transforming from a tool for simple knowledge transfer into an institution of collaborative interaction, stimulating reflective practice and continuous professional self-improvement for both parties—mentee and mentor. It has been demonstrated that the implementation of systemic mentoring is a key factor in reducing professional stress, preventing burnout, and retaining promising talent in the academic environment, which ultimately contributes to improving the quality of the educational process in higher education.