For those starting out in research, the path to building an academic career has long been marked by uncertainty. Precarious contracts, endless relocations, shrinking departmental budgets; this is the reality for the people who are the future of academia, even for emerging stars of intellectual life in the UK ¨C the next generation¡¯s Mary Beards or David Olusogas.

Right now, these early career researchers (ECRs) are leading the conversation on some of the UK¡¯s most pressing issues. They are the ones asking the bold questions, challenging assumptions and working for their communities, but until recently they¡¯ve lacked a formalised, structured community of their own.

That is why the British Academy launched its Early Career Researcher Network (ECRN) in 2021. Funded by the Wolfson Foundation and the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, the network was established to address a systemic gap in the UK¡¯s research ecosystem: the absence of a structured and inclusive community for ECRs in the humanities and social sciences. Starting as a pilot in the Midlands with just 500 members, the network has now expanded across the whole of the UK, with an expected 10,000 members by the end of the year. This milestone feels like an apt moment to reflect on what exactly this means for the future of UK research.

The successes of the ECRN don¡¯t just lie in the numbers. The true measure of its success is found in the experiences of those who have found genuine community in the network. It is the sense of belonging, the reassurance that, in a career often marked by uncertainty, there is a stable and supportive network to lean on.

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For those grappling with the unwritten rules of academia ¨C how to write grants, publish books or get a job ¨C it has been nothing short of transformative. As one ECRN member reflected, the network is ¡°the family I wish I had when I undertook my fellowship¡­it gives us the feeling that we¡¯re not alone struggling¡±.

This year a ?5 million investment from Wellcome will offer ECRs accredited training and workshops in areas such as grant-writing, publishing and leadership, equipping them with the practical tools they need to navigate the complexities both within and beyond academia. This dual pathway approach reflects the realities of contemporary research and helps researchers navigate them with confidence.

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Lasting impact for ECRs requires structural support, which is why the ECRN¡¯s advocacy for long-term funding and institutional recognition supports a more sustainable research ecosystem to help academics stay in academia. Evidence from a Careers Research and Advisory Centre study this year examined the career outcomes of 1,100 former recipients of British Academy early career funding, finding that more than 80 per cent of past award holders remain active in UK academic research, and 91 per cent hold permanent academic roles.?

The ECRN¡¯s convening power has also proved crucial to the successes of its members. By connecting ECRs with the British Academy¡¯s?links to policymakers, learned societies, industry groups and senior academics, we have opened doors to opportunities that individual mentors and institutions simply cannot provide alone.

But to ensure we continue to address the known challenges for ECRs, the next phase of our work requires strategic consolidation and expansion. The network must now embed itself deeper across the UK¡¯s research infrastructure and explore how it can help its members broaden their networks not only within the UK, but internationally and with those from STEM disciplines. In today¡¯s globalised world, the case for a reliable, formal and interdisciplinary network has never been stronger.

Our move to UK wide coverage is not simply geographic ¨C it is structural. It means that researchers, regardless of location, have equitable access to opportunities, mentorship and resources. Excellent research has never been confined to the UK¡¯s ¡°golden triangle¡±; the minds that will shape the intellectual and cultural life of the next generation are found in Cardiff and Canterbury, in Hull and the Highlands, in Bristol and Belfast. We need to ensure these scholars can operate in thriving academic communities wherever they work; our decentralised network model of support will strengthen the UK¡¯s research system by recognising excellence beyond traditional centres of power.

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In a complex social and economic climate where it sometimes feels like the future of higher education and academia is on a knife edge, the ECRN¡¯s work is a reminder that ideas ¨C and most of all, the people who pursue them ¨C are essential in maintaining Britain¡¯s cultural and intellectual fabric. Strengthening this fabric is vital not just for ourselves but for generations to come.

Alex Lewis is director of research at the British Academy.