On 20 August 2025, EPRC’s Liliana Fonseca and CEP’s Christian Calvillo welcomed 11 researchers from four Scottish universities (University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, Stirling and Edinburgh) to a one-day writing retreat, co-organised as part of the British Academy Early Career Researcher Network’s Summer Writing Extravaganza. This initiative included writing retreats across Scottish universities, offering early career researchers dedicated time and supportive spaces for their writing work.
The University of Strathclyde retreat organised by Liliana and Christian ran from 10:00 to 16:30 and was structured around four focused writing blocks. The day was framed by short discussions, where participants set individual writing goals and later reflected on their progress. This rhythm of accountability and encouragement created a productive yet collegial environment – something many researchers often miss in their everyday schedules.
Participants came from a range of disciplines across the social sciences and humanities, but shared a common need for protected writing time. Several noted that events like this provide invaluable focus and motivation, helping them advance projects that are otherwise difficult to prioritise amid competing demands.
By the end of the day, not only had important sections of articles, chapters, proposals and other administrative applications taken shape, but connections were also made across institutions and fields. The retreat highlighted how collective focus on writing, often seen as solitary work, can be enriched by shared structure and mutual support.
This writing retreat was just one part of the British Academy Early Career Researcher Network’s commitment to promoting researchers’ development and creating opportunities for writing, collaboration, and community.