Please note: This story reflects the personal experience and perspective of its contributor. Academic careers vary widely, and others may experience different challenges and opportunities. 

Career Story 

Whilst holding a Future Leaders Fellowship, I was contacted to apply for my current professorial position, was successful in my application and moved institutions with my research team and centre thereafter.

Moving institutions is a complex process when it involves not only the Fellow but also their research team members. In my case, I discussed the opportunity with my team members before applying and only proceeded after serious consideration of their preferences and feedback. Not all team members physically moved to the new university, which created additional challenges in maintaining established ways of working across institutions.

No matter how much you prepare and organise, not everything will be under your control. This applies to institutional processes as much as to interpersonal relations within research teams. For example, most of my team members required visas to continue working in the UK upon institutional transfer. I started discussions with HR teams at both universities well in advance and informed all relevant parties of the need to process contracts and documents early to ensure a smooth transition. Despite this, matters were often left to the last minute and some team members could have lost their posts. This took a toll on me and on the research team and required significant additional support to ensure team members’ continued employment.

I had invested considerable time and energy in building a positive and mutually supportive culture of collegiality and collaboration. I had hoped this would carry us through the period of change. However, the move, combined with personal and world events, created splits within the team that I did not anticipate and could not mend with old or new methods. The team dynamic changed dramatically and we had to find new ways of working together in the environment that emerged.

At the outset of my Fellowship, it became clear that building a research team and centre, creating a network of like-minded researchers and enabling the success of early career researchers required letting go of my own research agenda as the priority. I did not stop doing research, but I conducted it in bursts while spending most of my time on recruitment, induction, targeted support and creating opportunities for others while running a large research project. Over time, as structures were embedded, project research was set in motion and team members worked more independently, there were periods when I could refocus on my own research and contributions.

My most meaningful impact lies in the support I provide to early career researchers. This has involved reviewing doctoral, postdoctoral and academic job applications, organising mock interviews and vivas and holding one-to-one meetings providing targeted guidance. All of my research team members other than those currently employed on the project have been successful in their applications and hold academic posts they had aspired to. While this is predominantly thanks to their own effort, they have shared that the support they received was important.

One of the most exciting aspects of my Fellowship has been building a research centre with an interdisciplinary and international fellowship scheme. Over time, through sustained activity and support, this has grown into a network of over 100 fellows whose work speaks to the ethos and substantive areas of the centre. It has generated collaboration, co-authored publications and grant capture and has ensured institutional legacy beyond the lifespan of the project.

Throughout this transition, institutional support made a real difference. I was fortunate to be supported by mentors at my previous university and by my Head of Department and professional support team at my new institution. Being able to trust and rely on these individuals in their guidance and practical steps helped make a complex transfer possible.

Reflections I would offer now 

• Accept that no matter how much you prepare, some processes will remain outside your control. Plan carefully but expect unpredictability. 
• Moving institutions with a team requires early, transparent conversations and serious consideration of individual circumstances. 
• Team cultures can shift under pressure. New ways of working may need to emerge. 
• There may be phases where supporting others becomes the priority over advancing your own agenda. That can be a strategic choice, not a loss. 
• Institutional transitions require institutional support. Identify and rely on trusted mentors and senior colleagues when navigating change.