Project to support early career researchers in Kenya

Translation and interpreting expert Dr Natalia Rodríguez Vicente is leading an international project to help early career researchers in Kenya with their academic publications.

Funded by the British Academy Official Development Assistance initiative, the project will involve experienced academics and journal editors offering Kenyan researchers mentoring and guidance.

The primary goal of the SPARK programme - Supporting Publishing and Advancing Academic Research in Kenya - is to help 20 early career researchers in Kenya refine an academic paper into a ready-to-submit document for an international, high-impact journal.

Researchers in Kenya face several challenges that obstruct their ability to publish in prestigious international journals, such as limited resources, lack of time due to teaching responsibilities, access to research funding and opportunities to network with international peers.

“These challenges are especially key for those just beginning their academic careers. The early years are pivotal, as they establish the foundation for long-term success,” explained Dr Rodríguez Vicente, from Essex’s Department of Language and Linguistics.

“Success in academia often creates a ripple effect so early achievements, particularly in terms of high-quality publications, can lead to a series of positive outcomes such as increased visibility, higher chances to secure research grants and overall career advancements.”

However, many early career researchers may not be equipped to navigate the complexities of the publication process and can be unsure where to begin. Producing high-quality writing also requires significant time and effort, which can be difficult to manage while balancing other responsibilities.

Despite progressive government policies aimed at gender parity in education, there is also still a stark gender imbalance within academia in Kenya. Women academics are currently significantly under-represented in leadership positions despite making up a third of academic staff across the public chartered universities in Kenya. To overcome this, the project’s workshop has a set of actions in place for a third of participants to be women.

Bringing together academics from the fields of applied linguistics and psychology, the SPARK project will be supporting Kenyan researchers in these two fields through the writing process via virtual mentoring and in-person workshops. They will be provided with guidance, feedback and encouragement around writing for high-impact international journals and engaging interdisciplinary audiences, strategies for enhancing the international reach of Kenyan scholarship, as well as advice on selecting appropriate journals and navigating the submission process, including peer review.

“These topics are crucial for equipping Kenyan researchers with the essential skills and knowledge needed to succeed in the competitive world of global academic publishing,” added Dr Rodríguez Vicente.

Co-Investigators include Dr Louise Rolland (University of Essex; Birkbeck, University of London), Dr Lydiah Maingi (Kenyatta University) and Prof Bojana Petrić (Birkbeck, University of London).