Listening to the voices of early-career researchers in the Global South so that we can better support them to thrive

Our ambitions for research and knowledge systems rest significantly on the emerging and next generation of researchers. These are the individuals who will investigate new technologies and medical treatments and explore their ethical and social implications, who will work to understand how to improve children’s learning and prepare today’s students for an uncertain world, who will work with farmers to improve livelihoods and mitigate the impacts of a rapidly warming climate on agricultural production, and who will seek to understand changing societies or explore new forms of artistic and cultural production.

Yet the early careers of many researchers are particularly challenging – with struggles for funding, support, visibility and recognition hampering their ability to design and undertake research that addresses contemporary question and contributes to society. What’s more, the voices of many of these researchers are rarely heard.

In late 2021, INASP conducted a survey of early career researchers in the Global South. 7,972 researchers based in Africa, Asia, Latin America and elsewhere answered a total of 50 questions about their own research experience and about the research context in their country.