Inspiring women: the BPW-USI Mentoring Programme brings the 2025-2026 edition to a close
Equal Opportunities Service
20 May 2026
On May 18, 2026, the closing ceremony of the seventh edition of the BPW-USI 2025–26 Professional Mentoring Program, organized by the BPW Club Ticino and the Equal Opportunities Service of the Università della Svizzera italiana, was successfully held. The event, titled “Breaking Barriers, Building Futures: Women Who Inspire,” served as a significant opportunity to reflect on the program, during which mentors and mentees shared experiences, insights, and achievements gained throughout their journey of personal and professional growth.
The evening, moderated by RSI journalist and presenter Alessandra Maffioli, featured testimonials from four female leaders from different sectors, who shared their career paths, the challenges they faced, and the strategies they adopted to build successful careers: Chantra Eskes (Team Leader, Contaminants in Food and Feed, EFSA), Karolina Frischkopf (Chief Executive Officer, HEKS/EPER), Simona Genini (Lawyer, LL.M. in International Tax Law, TEP, and member of the Ticino Grand Council), and Giselle Rufer (Founder and CEO, Delance). The speakers shared not only their professional achievements but also more personal aspects of their lives and experiences, fostering an authentic and inspiring dialogue with the audience: through their testimonials, the mentees had the opportunity to ask questions, engage directly, and gain concrete insights for their own paths. The event saw a large turnout, with approximately 120 attendees in the auditorium, confirming the growing interest in the topics of women’s leadership and mentoring as a concrete tool for empowerment, growth, and a bridge between academia and the professional world.
Our heartfelt thanks go to the BPW Club Ticino for its ongoing support and for the invaluable contribution of a network of mentors capable of inspiring and guiding the younger generation.
The event also marked the official launch of the new 2026–27 edition of the Programme, which is now open for applications. All USI Master’s and PhD students interested in undertaking a mentoring programme that fosters the development of skills, goals and opportunities through direct interaction with experienced professionals are eligible to participate.
The Programme offers:
- Individual meetings (4–5) from October 2026 to May 2027, online or in person with professional women.
- Support in setting career goals, managing workplace challenges and balancing personal life with career.
- Company Visits: two company visits between October 2026 and May 2027.
- A thematic workshop on leadership.
You can apply to the programme by submitting your application via the following link: REGISTRATION
As places are limited, selection will be based on your cover letter and CV.
For further information, please contact [email protected] or visit the following web page.
Press Review
The event attracted significant interest from the media and the public, helping to foster discussion on the topics of women’s leadership, mentoring, and equal opportunity. Below is a selection of articles, interviews, and in-depth pieces covering the event.