Deadline Extended: GW4 Connect Peer Support Programme for PGRs from the Global Majority

The application deadline for this year’s GW4 Connect Peer Support Programme for postgraduate researchers from the Global Majority has been extended to midday on Friday 18th July! 

Building on the success of the 2023 pilot, and part of the wider GW4 Connect initiative, the programme offers 25 participants the opportunity to collaborate with peers and expert coaches to chart a clear and confident path through their doctoral journey and beyond. 

Designed to foster a safe and supportive environment, the scheme encourages open, honest conversations outside of traditional institutional structures. Participants will be supported to trust their own process in navigating the PhD experience, while also naming and addressing the racism, discrimination, and structural barriers that may be impacting their academic progress. 

The programme aims to cultivate a space where researchers can form meaningful connections, share lived experiences and co-develop strategies for pursuing a research career that feels authentic and empowering. 

Running from September 2025 to June 2026, the 10-month programme has been co-designed and will be facilitated by Kemi Oladapo and Kate Tapper. Kemi is an ILM-certified coach and facilitator with a background in supporting diverse individuals in both academic and healthcare settings. Kate, founder of Your Research Matters, is an EMCC Global Senior Coaching Practitioner with extensive experience in the Higher Education sector. 

In addition to peer learning, developmental training, and network-building opportunities, the programme includes a series of masterclasses on key research skills and concepts. Each session is followed by a practical workshop to explore how these skills intersect with participants’ lived experiences. 

Sabrina Fairchild, GW4 Talent and Skills Manager, commented: “This programme was created in direct response to the structural racism and inequities that some Global Majority postgraduate researchers continue to face within and beyond academia. 

“By offering a space outside of institutional frameworks, GW4 Connect enables participants to build community, access expert coaching, and share strategies that centre their lived experiences. Our goal is to challenge the isolation often felt in academic spaces and to foster a more inclusive, supportive research culture—one that truly values the insight, resilience, and innovation Global Majority researchers bring to the academic community. 

By extending the deadline, we hope to given even more GW4 Global Majority PGRs the chance to participate in this excellent scheme.” 

For more information and to apply, visit the GW4 Connect website before the new deadline: midday on Friday 18th July 2025.