What is a Hub?
A Hub refers to a university in a particular area which applies and is selected to work with the Academy to support the successful delivery of the ECR Network. It will provide support for the Academy and the researchers at a "regional" level. It is not directing the activities of the researchers. The use of the term "Hub" is not suggesting a physical location, nor is it suggesting activities are centralised in one location.
The network has three Hubs so far – the Midlands, Scotland and the South West – with more hubs to launch across other areas of the UK in due course.
The members of each Hub are listed below with links to their privacy policies, so that ECRs can see how the institutions use personal data. See also the British Academy's privacy policy. For more information, see the network's data-sharing principles.
The Hubs
The Midlands
The Academy is pleased to announce that it will be partnering with the University of Birmingham to deliver the Early-Career Researcher Network in the Midlands. The University of Birmingham will be leading a consortium with 16 institutions in the Midlands to manage and coordinate the network. This is the first stage of an inclusive and researcher-led network to support the needs and interests of researchers in the humanities and social sciences – including subjects from Social Psychology and Anthropology to Law and History. The Academy will be working with the University of Birmingham and its partners to facilitate events and activities both in the region and at the Academy that will provide an opportunity for capacity building, knowledge exchange and networking.
The ECR Network’s Midlands consortium, led by the University of Birmingham, comprises:
- Aston University
- Birmingham City University
- Coventry University
- De Montfort University
- Keele University
- Loughborough University
- Nottingham Trent University
- Staffordshire University
- University of Derby
- University of Leicester
- University of Lincoln
- University of Northampton
- University of Nottingham
- University of Warwick
- University of Wolverhampton
- University of Worcester
The South West
The Academy is pleased to announce that it will be partnering with The GW4 Alliance (GW4), a group of four universities in the UK: Bath, Bristol, Cardiff, and Exeter to deliver the Early-Career Researcher Network in the West of England. The GW4 Alliance will be leading a consortium alongside five institutions in the West of England to manage and coordinate the network. This is the second stage of an inclusive and researcher-led network to support the needs and interests of researchers in the humanities and social sciences – including subjects from Social Psychology and Anthropology to Law and History. The Academy will be working with the GW4 Alliance and its partners to facilitate events and activities both in the region and at the Academy that will provide an opportunity for capacity building, knowledge exchange and networking.
The ECR Network’s West of England consortium, led by the GW4 Alliance, comprises:
- Bath Spa University
- Bournemouth University
- Cardiff University
- University of Bath
- University of Bristol
- University of Exeter
- University of Gloucester
- University of Plymouth
- University of the West of England
“The launch of our second regional hub in the South West is a major step forward in the establishment of our national support network for early-career researchers in the humanities and social sciences. We welcome the participation of the regional consortium in helping us to build and enhance research skills and capacities for a vibrant research base.
“This new step brings together the passion, networks, and power of the British Academy, the partner universities, and the dedicated researchers themselves and will ensure that these disciplines will truly shape our future.
Professor John Scott FBA, Emeritus Professor of Sociology at the University of Plymouth and Chair of the Advisory Board of the British Academy’s ECR Network
Scotland
The third and final hub of the British Academy's Early Career Researcher (ECR) Network – a two-year pilot programme for UK-based postdoctoral researchers in the humanities and social sciences – is in Scotland.
The co-leading institutions of the Scotland hub arethe University of Stirling and the University of Glasgow. The two universities will facilitate networking events and activities for ECRs in Scotland, with the support of other Scottish academic institutions.
All humanities and social sciences researchers who identify as early career are eligible to join, regardless of their funding source or background. This includes those working outside of academia, in independent research organisations and other policy or third-sector institutions, and those not in employment but with relevant links to Scotland, the Midlands and South West research communities.
Professor Neville Wylie, Deputy Principal (Internationalisation) and Interim Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Humanities at the University of Stirling, said:
“We’re delighted to co-host the ECRN Scotland Hub with our colleagues from the University of Glasgow. This is a wonderful initiative which has already shown its value to other parts of the UK.
“It represents a significant strengthening of the ECR landscape in Scotland and will help Scottish universities to promote the careers of the next generation of academics and researchers. I am looking forward to drawing in early-career researchers from across Scotland who can benefit from the events and opportunities that will be run as part of the hub.”
Professor Chris Pearce, Vice Principal for Research & Knowledge Exchange at the University of Glasgow, said:
“The University of Glasgow is delighted to be co-leading, along with the University of Stirling, the Scottish hub for the British Academy Early Career Researcher Network. We are looking forward to shaping this new and supportive network with the British Academy and colleagues across Scottish Higher Education Institutions to provide a wonderful opportunity for early-career researchers in the arts, humanities and social sciences.
“The Scottish network will create both physical and virtual spaces for early-career researchers to collaborate, network and connect. It will also provide high-quality support for careers and skills development.”
Doctor Valeria Skafida, Senior Lecturer in Social Policy at the University of Edinburgh and a member of the British Academy’s Early Career Researcher Advisory Group, said:
“The launch of the third hub in Scotland completes the initial rollout of the British Academy’s pilot Early Career Researcher Network. Our vision is for an inclusive Network where humanities and social science researchers across the country – whether funded by the British Academy or not, and regardless of their institutional affiliation – can find opportunities for professional and personal growth. The network aims to foster academic relationships within and between areas of the UK and to provide a platform for collaboration, training and support for early-career researchers across the UK. We look forward to supporting the University of Stirling and others on this exciting initiative.”
The ECR Network Scotland consortium, led by the Universities of Stirling and Glasgow, comprises:
- Abertay University
- Edinburgh Napier University
- Glasgow Caledonian University
- Glasgow School of Art
- Heriot-Watt University
- Queen Margaret University
- Robert Gordon University
- Royal Conservatoire of Scotland
- Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC)
- Scottish Graduate School for Arts & Humanities
- Scottish Graduate School for Social Sciences
- University of St Andrews
- University of Aberdeen
- University of Dundee
- University of Edinburgh
- University of Strathclyde
- University of the Highlands and Islands
- University of the West of Scotland