The benefits of trusteeship for early-career researchers
BISA EDI lead, Jamie J Hagen, discusses why it's important to have early-career academics on the BISA Executive Committee alongside more senior academics.
Can early-career academics (ECRs) join the BISA Executive Committee?
In short, yes, and we encourage you to apply! As our call for nominees’ notes, we encourage nominations from individuals at all career stages and from all backgrounds.
We are particularly keen to see nominations from those currently underrepresented within our pool of trustees. This includes career stage, race, gender, age, disability and background. Please do not hesitate to reach out to current trustees if you are interested in becoming a member of the Board and want to get a feel for what it's like. Then to learn more about the role and commitments speak to BISA Director/CEO, Juliet Dryden.
Why do we need ECRs on the Executive Committee?
Former trustee Julia Welland (University of Warwick) explains, "if you care about who gets included and who gets marginalised within the discipline, being a trustee offers one way of shaping and impacting how the discipline of international studies is practiced at a national level."
As the UK’s foremost professional association promoting International Studies, we represent the interests of those who research, teach and study the discipline. So, it's important that this also includes the perspectives of early-career researchers.
At BISA, we rely on the dedication, expertise and support of elected trustees to oversee our mission to develop and promote International Studies and related subjects through publication and research, the maintenance of academic networks, and the free exchange of ideas.
What are the benefits to ECRs of joining the Executive Committee?
Joining the Executive Committee is a great way to be of service to the discipline but also offers many opportunities. Former trustee Danielle Beswick (University of Birmingham) notes, "as a PhD student and early-career researcher I found a real sense of community within BISA, particularly through the working groups. This led me to later co-convene the Africa and International Studies Working Group and, after two terms in that role, to apply to be a trustee and later Treasurer. I have always found BISA to be welcoming and inclusive, particularly for early-career scholars searching for that core group of people with whom to share and develop their research in a supportive environment. Being a trustee helped me to appreciate the breadth of ways that a professional association can support and nurture researchers, and seek to shape a positive research environment and culture for international studies - from small research grants to celebrating success through prizes, to the annual conference and PGN, and the support for working groups."
Additionally, members of the Executive Committee have their registration for the annual BISA conference covered - always helpful in the current climate!
How and when should individuals apply?
The available Executive Committee positions vary each year and are generally announced in March. All nominees must be BISA members and must be based at a UK higher education institution.
It's essential that you read the relevant role description before nominating yourself or being nominated for a position on the Executive Committee. If you're elected you will become a legal trustee of BISA as a charity, so you must act in accordance with Charity Commission guidelines.
For details of how to nominate, a full timeline for the election, and more information, visit our elections page. The 2026 call, detailing which positions are available and more about each role, is available now.
Still on the fence? You can also read about past trustees’ experiences in our article ‘Why become a BISA trustee?’.