The British Academy: Second Conference on Equitable Partnerships

We are delighted to launch the Second Conference on Equitable Partnerships, hosted by South Africa’s National Research Foundation (NRF), the Royal Society, and the British Academy on 3-5 February 2026 in Pretoria, South Africa.

Date: 3-5 February 2026
Location: CSIR International Convention Centre in Pretoria

Background 
The first conference was the culmination of a series of five global workshops hosted and facilitated by the British Academy in Brazil, Kenya, South Africa, Malaysia, and the UK between July and November 2024.

The initiative, funded by the UK Government’s International Science Partnerships Fund (ISPF), managed by the Department of Science, Innovation, and Technology (DSIT), brought together more than 200 key stakeholders – including researchers, other university actors, funders, and sector networks – to identify barriers and opportunities for fostering equitable research collaborations while understanding the unique contexts and challenges specific to each region.

The first conference enabled dialogue across geographies and among all stakeholder groups. It concluded with a Call to Action on Equitable Partnerships (EqPIC) and a commitment to take forward a series of concrete tasks towards more equitability.

How to register 
If you are interested in joining us, be it to present a session or poster, or as a participant, we invite you to register your interest via the registration form by 24 September 2025. 

A number of bursaries for travel and accommodation will be available to those who require it, more information on which can be found in the linked form.

We will be in touch to confirm places for attendance, presentations, and posters, after the Expression of Interest deadline.

If you have any queries, please do get in touch at equitablepartnerships@thebritishacademy.ac.uk

We look forward to hearing from you.