120 early career researchers, partners and BA Fellows from across the region gathered in the York Guildhall on Thursday 29 January to mark the official launch of the British Academy Early Career Researcher Network: Yorkshire and Humber Cluster. The in-person event, delivered in partnership by the cluster leads White Rose University Consortium and York St John University brought together researchers, research institutions and the British Academy to celebrate the start of a new regional network for humanities and social sciences early career researchers.

Building a regional community for early career researchers

The day opened with a warm welcome to the Network and an introduction to the aims of the Yorkshire and Humber Cluster, highlighting the British Academy’s commitment to creating inclusive, connected research communities beyond traditional institutional boundaries.

Anastasia Shanaah, ECR Network Regional Coordinator at the British Academy, reflected on the growth of the Network:

“Established in 2021 as a three-year pilot, the British Academy Early Career Researchers Network now includes almost 9,000 ECRs, underscoring just how vital community and peer support are for early career researchers. The Yorkshire and Humber Cluster’s growth to 400 members in less than five months speaks both to the strength of the region’s research community and to the clear demand for locally rooted networks.”

Panel discussion

She added that “With the addition of Yorkshire and Humber alongside the East of England and South East, the Network is now truly national, ensuring ECRs across the UK can access funding opportunities, events, mentoring, and most importantly, a supportive community.”

A panel discussion followed the introduction, focusing on how early career researchers can engage with and benefit from the Network. Drawing on experiences from across different regional clusters, speakers shared their experiences of how the network had sustained them and given them access to opportunities such as the seed and development funding, which not only supported their career progression but also expanded their networks into areas they might never have explored had they not been curious about the opportunities the network offered.

Shaping the future of the Network

World café conversations

In the afternoon, participants took part in an interactive World Café session, which invited early career researchers to share experiences, challenges and ambitions. Small-group discussions explored four key themes: building research communities and collaborations; career pathways and progression; publishing and funding; and public engagement and research impact. Insights from these conversations will help inform the future priorities and activities of the Yorkshire and Humber Cluster.

Professor Robert Edgar, School of Humanities Research and Knowledge Transfer Lead, York St John University shared:

“The formal launch of the Yorkshire and Humber ECRN cluster marked the beginning of a vibrant new network for early career researchers across Yorkshire and the Humber. By York St John University and the White Rose University Consortium collaborating with the British Academy on behalf of all universities in the region, we’re creating a shared space for support, ambition and opportunity. The launch is just the start of what we can achieve together with and for ECRs in the region and for the wider British Academy network.”

Showcase session

The ECRs were given a taste of what’s to come by taking part in sessions showcasing the types of activities the cluster will host over the coming months. Each session was led by a White Rose partner and covered topics such as using design thinking to map out a career pathway, identifying a suitable academic mentor, and cultivating curiosity about future career possibilities.

The event concluded with reflections on the value of regional networks in strengthening research cultures and supporting researchers at a pivotal stage in their careers, followed by an informal drinks receptionthat allowed attendees to continue conversations and make new connections.

Supporting early career researchers across Yorkshire and the Humber

The Yorkshire and Humber Cluster is part of the British Academy’s wider Early Career Researcher Network, which aims to support researchers in the humanities and social sciences through professional development, networking and collaboration opportunities. The Cluster will deliver a programme of events and activities shaped by the needs and priorities of early career researchers in the region.

Sarah Bell, White Rose University Consortium Researcher Developer, talked about what’s next:

“I’m excited to be working closely with our early career researchers, the British Academy and our other partners to design and deliver a programme of high quality development and networking opportunities for members of the Yorkshire and Humber Cluster. The cluster exists for, and because of, early career researchers across the region, and we’d really value your input as we develop it.”

Sarah adds: “We’re particularly keen to hear your ideas about the kinds of training, development opportunities, and other events that would be most helpful to you, so, if you have suggestions for particular activities, or would like to be involved in shaping the network more broadly, please let us know.”

• Share your ideas for the future of the network.

To see more from the launch event, view the engaging live scribe illustrations which summarise the conversations and presentations.

Photo gallery of the day

Credit: Skywall Photography

Thank you to Melissa Green and Katie Stott from the White Rose University Consortium team for their hard work in making the launch event such a success. Further information about the British Academy Early Career Researcher Network: Yorkshire and Humber Cluster, including how to join, is available on our project pages.