Early Career Researcher Network

The British Academy’s Early Career Researcher Network was launched in Autumn 2021 in partnership with the Wolfson Foundation, which agreed to support the pilot phase over an initial two years. However, following the successful pilot, the Network will now continue for the next three years to Autumn 2027. The overall ambition is for the Network to be a permanent and long-lasting programme.

The Early Career Researcher Network is an inclusive, researcher-led membership body accessible to all UK-based early career researchers (ECRs) working in the humanities and social sciences – regardless of their funding source or background.

Our objectives include:

• Creating an environment where ECRs can strengthen their skills and professional networks to compete effectively in the job market
• Being responsive to the needs and interests of ECRs, ensuring that these inform our activities and the opportunities we offer
• Supporting individual ECRs to realise their potential by providing opportunities that they do not currently have access to
• Contributing to equality of opportunity for ECRs through encouraging diversity and inclusivity
• Developing networks to nurture and facilitate greater engagement between and across ECRs and the wider research community, regionally and nationally
• Drawing on the British Academy’s unique ability to convene and nurture intersectoral collaboration to create unique opportunities for ECRs
• Enabling the British Academy to support a greater number of ECRs in their career ambitions through skills development, networking opportunities, workshops and events

The Network has been operating in the Midlands and Mid Wales, South West and South Wales, Scotland, London, North West and North Wales and most recently North East and Northern Ireland. The British Academy is working with institutions in these areas to deliver the Network. To read more about the pilot phase and how the Network has progressed over the last few years, please read the evaluation.

Our next objective is to expand the Network's operations nationwide by 2025. The next regions to recruit are the East of England, the South East of England and Yorkshire and the Humber. Further details will be provided in due course.

”This exciting new initiative will give crucial support to early career scholars from all backgrounds, affiliations, and locations who work in the humanities and social sciences. The network will offer support to build successful careers, to open up academic and policy debates, to meet in person and online, and in a word will help them to become our subjects’ future leaders.

The British Academy is passionate about fighting for the humanities and social sciences. Our disciplines create the insights we need to confront the challenges everyone faces. Solid support to grow a strong community of researchers at this key stage is an essential part of our mission to keep SHAPE disciplines thriving and relevant.”

To contact the British Academy ECR Network team, please email: [email protected].