British Council Researcher Connect Online for Young Researchers

British Council provides opportunity for early-career researchers from your institution to take part in the British Council Researcher Connect Online programme, which will run from 2 to 12 November 2026. Participation in the programme is free of charge.

This year the British Council provides opportunity for participation to 36 early-career researchers from Bulgaria, Cyprus and Romania, creating an opportunity not only for professional development but also for exchange, networking and new connections among researchers from the three countries.

About Researcher Connect

Researcher Connect is the British Council’s professional development programme designed to strengthen researchers’ communication skills for international and multicultural academic environments. It supports researchers in communicating their work more effectively, developing international collaborations, preparing strong academic publications and proposals, presenting their research, and engaging wider audiences and stakeholders.

The online programme covers a range of practical areas relevant to researchers working in an increasingly international research environment, including academic writing, academic collaboration, effective proposals, presenting with impact, digital research communication and Generative AI in Research. The latter explores practical applications of generative AI across the research process, alongside questions of ethics, bias and responsible use in academia.

Who can apply?

The opportunity is aimed primarily at early-career researchers, including recent PhD graduates and researchers within approximately the first five years of their research career.

Applicants should:

• have at least B2-level English;
• be able to participate fully in the online programme;
• have the support of their university or research organisation to attend; and
• be prepared to apply their learning through one or two concrete follow-up outcomes, such as supporting a research publication, sharing learning with other researchers, or developing new research connections and collaborations.

Programme details

Dates: 2 - 12 November 2026

Duration: Two weeks

Delivery: Online

Days: Monday - Thursday

Time: 15:00 – 18:00 (Cyprus/Bulgaria/Romania local time)

Participation: Free of charge

Apply for Researcher Connect Online HERE

Application deadline: Friday, 16 October 2026

Participants are expected to attend at least 95% of the programme in order to receive a certificate of attendance.

Further information can be found HERE.