Building capacity and networks

One of the missions of BAICE is to build research capacity and support the development of networks in the field of international and comparative education. As part of this commitment, BAICE has developed a series of initiatives that support the establishment and consolidation of networks for piloting new research ideas and disseminating results, and building expertise in undertaking research, and publishing academic work in international peer reviewed journals. These opportunities prioritise early career researchers and academics in the South in particular.

Examples of such initiatives include:

  • The Seedcorn Grant which provides funding to pilot research projects and scoping work of a collaborative and interdisciplinary nature that involve the participation of doctoral students and early career researchers;
  • The Building Research Capacity and Networks Grant which supports the organisation of a wide range of activities to facilitate the inception and development of innovative collaborations and new priority research areas;
  • The BAICE Thematic Forums which provide an opportunity for BAICE members to apply for funding for symposia to consolidate research and develop a network on a specific theme;
  • The Compare Writers Workshops address the barriers that many academics in the South encounter to publish their work in international peer-reviewed journals. Hosted in different countries around world, these events are mainly targeted towards local academic writers but also foster international collaboration;
  • The Student Fieldwork Grants which are awarded to support doctoral students undertaking fieldwork in international contexts. The feedback and mentorship process also provides valuable opportunities for students to develop skills in writing grant proposals;
  • The organisation of annual conferences (whether BAICE or UKFIET) and other events which provide excellent networking opportunities for researchers to connect with other scholars working on similar topics;
  • The organisation of an annual student conference and other student-specific events which enable networking between doctoral candidates as well as supporting the acquisition of skills necessary for successful academic careers including conducting fieldwork, analysing data, and writing for different audiences.