British Academy Early Career Researcher Network Leadership and Advancement SHAPE Programme

Stream 1 - Leadership

In Spring 2026, the first cohort of 62 British Academy ECRN members and Wellcome-funded ECRs will participate in a tailored six-month Leadership Training programme (running March – June). Designed specifically for SHAPE disciplines and adaptable to early, mid, and late early-career stages, this strand will:

• Equip ECRs preparing for or stepping into leadership roles
• Enhance CVs and professional experience for employers and funders
• Provide hands-on workshops, coaching, mentoring and peer networking

Participants will:

• Develop key leadership skills to manage teams, influence decision-making, and lead projects
• Gain practical knowledge in communication, strategic planning, and research management
• Build confidence with techniques to navigate challenges, foster collaboration, and drive change
• Apply tangible strategies directly in their work for meaningful career progression
• Strengthen leadership impact within academia or beyond—whether through policy engagement, organisational leadership, or mentoring

Delivery format:

• There will be both online and in-person workshops, specialised training sessions, mentoring, coaching, and networking events
• Within nine months of completion, participants must organise an event or activity for the Network and provide peer-to-peer mentoring to the next cohort as part of a post-programme requirement

Impact and Recognition

We recognise the importance of enabling participants to showcase their skills and expertise to prospective employers and funders, while also highlighting the value the programme has added to their professional development.

Upon successful completion of the Leadership Programme and Advancement sessions, Early Career Researchers (ECRs) will receive a getTWOit Skills Passport, documenting the skills acquired from each training session. This structured breakdown will allow prospective employers to clearly assess their expertise and experience, enhancing their CVs and professional profiles. Presented as a micro-credential, the getTWOit Skills Passport will further validate their achievements.

The Leadership cohorts will also receive a getTWOit Skills Passport after organising an event for the Network, demonstrating the impact of their leadership training. This additional credential will showcase the training and learning they have delivered to other ECRs, reinforcing their ability to develop skills in others while strengthening their own.

Additionally, we are working towards securing accreditation for the programme, ensuring its quality, credibility, and professional recognition. This accreditation will not only provide ECRs with essential leadership skills but also enhance their career prospects, helping them effectively demonstrate their expertise to employers and funders.

Further details on the feasibility and implementation of this accreditation will be shared in due course.

Eligibility and Commitments for the Leadership Stream:

British Academy ECRN members and Wellcome-funded ECRs in SHAPE who wish to join the Leadership strand must:

1. Apply via the online form (applicants notified of outcome).
2. Commit to six months of training (March – June).
3. Participation agreement upon being accepted into the programme, participants will be required to sign a commitment agreement, outlining the expectations and responsibilities for their participation.
4. Obtain approval from line managers and institutions if currently employed.
5. Organise an event or activity for the Network within nine months of completing the programme.
6. Participate in at least four advancement activities throughout the year.
7. Provide peer-to-peer mentoring to participants in the second cohort, starting in 2027.
8. Complete course surveys and offer feedback on the training experience.
9. Respond to the evaluation survey and questions regarding the programme’s impact.

Stream 2 - Advancement

The Advancement strand will expand the Network’s existing provision to provide a wider blend of workshops, training sessions, and networking events for all British Academy ECRN and Wellcome-funded ECRs in SHAPE disciplines, across regions and career stages. Available online and in-person, sessions cover topics such as:

• Career Planning
• Publishing
• Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI)
• International collaborations
• Navigating the UK HE landscape
• And many more specialised areas

Registration is first-come, first-served to British Academy Early Career Researcher Network members and Wellcome Funded ECRs in SHAPE via the British Academy ECRN event booking platform.

"The ECRN has been a key driver of my professional development. It has taken me out of my disciplinary silo and expanded my thinking and practice through a myriad of opportunities for networking, bi-directional learning and collaboration with peers and established researchers from across the SHAPE disciplines. Through the ECRN, I have had access to enriching opportunities and events, some of which would have not ordinarily been accessible to someone of my career stage, and have been instrumental in de-mystifying the research ecosystem broadly. The network also disrupts some of the key barriers to participation, through providing ECRs access to development funds (e.g. to cover costs of external events) and travel for in-person ECRN events, which I have benefited from.

“The Leadership and Advancement programme is an exciting and welcome addition to the ECRN portfolio. The programme will provide ECRs across the SHAPE disciplines rich opportunities for focused professional development, essential for developing tomorrow’s research leaders. It will capacitate ECRs to thrive and build resilience in an increasingly competitive job market. It is also timely, being launched against the backdrop of crises in the sector, where external development opportunities are much needed to plug the gaps from squeezed institutional budgets, and disciplines under threat.”

- Blessing Marandure (De Montfort University, Midland and Mid Wales Cluster and ECR Governance Board member)